The rainy season is over and the days are getting hotter. Summer is here, and it's the perfect time to enjoy ice-cold beer.
Today I'd like to talk about summer in Japan and beer.
Ale and lager
Beer is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting the sugar in the wort with yeast to produce alcohol. Hops and fruit are used as secondary ingredients, and beer is broadly divided into ale and lager beer depending on the brewing method.
Ale is a general term for beer made by "top fermentation," which is fermented at room temperature to slightly higher temperatures, causing the yeast to rise to the surface of the wort. The production method was established around the 5th century. Ale is characterized by its mellow aroma and rich flavor. It is a satisfying beer that can be enjoyed with a complex flavor like wine. Ale is so mainstream in the UK, Belgium, and Northern Europe that beer is called "ale."
Lager beer is a general term for beer made by "bottom fermentation," in which yeast settles to the bottom of the tank to ferment at low temperatures, and the manufacturing method was established around the 15th century. Lager beer is a newer beer than ale beer, but it is popular for its smooth, refreshing taste and easy gulp, and it seems that more lager beer is produced around the world.
The birth of Pilsner beer and its popularity in Japan
Lager beer gained popularity after its production method was established, and began to be produced in various European countries. In the 19th century, the Czech Republic, the world's largest beer consumer, established the production method for "pilsner beer," which is made using soft water and bottom fermentation. This pilsner beer has a beautiful, clear golden color compared to the dark brown, cloudy lager beers of the past, and it became a hot topic for its bitter hop flavor and clean throat feel. This pilsner beer became widely popular in Japan, as it is a region with soft water that is well suited to Japan's hot and humid climate.
Most beer in Japan is classified as pilsner beer. Influenced by beer gardens that are open only during the summer, the habit of gulping down chilled pilsner beer, which has a refreshing taste and goes down easy on the throat, has become widespread during the hot summer months.
The reason why "summer in Japan is the season when beer tastes delicious" is because pilsner beer is suited to Japan's climate and geography.
The rise of craft beer
For a long time, pilsner beer produced by major manufacturers was the mainstream of beer in Japan. Since 1994, regulations on beer production have been relaxed, and the amount of beer that had to be produced annually has been greatly reduced, which has led to an increase in brewers making ales and lagers. These types of beers are generally called craft beers.
Nowadays, many craft beer makers produce ales and lagers that reflect the local characteristics, and we can enjoy a wide variety of beers with different colors, bitterness, and aromas.
More and more people are choosing different containers to suit the type of beer: for example, a glass container is used for Pilsner beer, which is perfect for sipping a refreshing pilsner beer in one gulp to enjoy its coldness and golden color, while for enjoying the mellow aroma and complex bitterness and sweetness, a wine glass with a closed rim is used to allow the aroma to be enjoyed until the very end.
Beer in a RIVERET bamboo vessel
RIVERET's bamboo vessels are designed to keep the aromatic ale beer delicious to the last drop, without destroying the fine bubbles. Some craft beers taste better when drunk at room temperature or slightly warmer, depending on their characteristics. Bamboo vessels keep the beer at its best temperature to the last drop, and their warm design allows you to enjoy food and beer to the fullest.
Summer in Japan is the season when beer tastes good. Why not try a variety of beers, not just pilsner, and find your favorite flavor that matches the seasonal ingredients?
