During the New Year holiday, I visited a few bars in search of craft beer.
In Japan, most bars primarily serve a variety of cocktails, so finding a craft beer bar is a little bit challenging. However, I managed to discover a few places that offered limited styles of beers. I tried stout, new england IPA, and witbier (unfortunately, I only took one photo of the stout).
New england IPA and stout tastes very good but the witbier impress me a lot. Comparing the witbier I tried in Japan to those I've had in China, I prefer the Japanese version. It had a delightful lilac and orange aroma. A subtle sourness from the fermentation process and a slight bitterness from the hops complemented the taste, making it incredibly refreshing and tempting to have another one. Additionally, it meets all the classic requirements of a well-crafted witbier.
Back when I was an undergraduate student in China, I majored in fermentation. At my university, we had beer fermenters, giving us lots of opportunities to brew and taste a wide variety of beer styles. Additionally, I went to many bars in the city where my university was located.
In China, the craft beer bars offer a wide range of options. Beyond the classic styles, you can find niche styles like Belgian tripels. However, the quality can be quite inconsistent. In some bars, the beers are amazing tasty, while in others, they taste as if they've gone bad.
This difference in quality maybe reflects the broader cultural characteristics of the two countries. Japanese craftsmanship often focuses on excelling in a few select areas, striving for world-class quality. On the other hand, Chinese culture tends to attempt many things at once, sometimes compromises the quality.
I am fascinated about how every country produce their own beer. I once visited the beer museum in Belgium!
ReplyDeleteWow, that sounds interesting! I've never been to a beer museum before, but I’d love to visit one myself someday.
DeleteI also love craft beers, but I am not as knowledgeable about beer as you are. BTW, in Japan, to produce beer, it is necessary to obtain a "Liquor Manufacturing License" from the tax office in accordance with the Liquor Tax Act. So it means you cannot personally produce beer. How about in other countries?
ReplyDeleteI'm not so familiar with the detailed regulations, but in China, as long as you're not selling the beer you make or profiting from it, it's generally allowed to brew beer at home for personal consumption or to share with friends
DeleteRespetced Sensei.
ReplyDeleteI am from Pakistan and as for as my country is concerned Beer is completly prohibited for selling in the open market even though you can not make it nor drink it.
it is a cultural and religious faith.
Thank you for sharing this about your country's cultural and religious practices. It’s interesting to learn about the diversity of regulations and traditions around the world. It reminds me of how much culture and faith influence our daily lives and choices.
DeleteI hear that it is Muslim regulation, and so alcohols are made and sold for non-Muslim people. So I imagine that non-Muslim people may sell and buy alcohols in Pakistan.
DeleteYes Sensei. You are quite right as it is prohibited to all muslim people in Pakistan by law inforcement agencies you will be declare as violator of the rules and Regulation of the country if you sell or buy the alcohol and also by culture.
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