Coming Soon! President’s Special Part II

Back in September, we introduced our “President’s Special” beer and nearly sold out our entire stock in one day. Since it was such a great hit and in recognition of winning the 2009 Japan Beer Festival’s “Brewery of the Year award, we decided to brew another batch. We are going to call it the “President’s Special Part II”. The focus of the first batch was using all natural yeast however, for the current batch, we have really been focused on maximizing the aroma of the hops.

We are using 10 different kinds of hops and are intensively overseeing the hopping process. As of today, we have reduced the temperature and have begun the maturing process. Currently, the alcohol content is 8.975% and it has great aroma and boasts a hoppy bitterness. Gradually, the maturing process will produce a "young" stage and then the full aroma of the hops will be more apparent.

Keep checking back for more details since I feel this is going to be a good one. And if history repeats, plan on getting your hands on it early since I bet we will sell out fast.

Cheers,

Narihiro

Brewery of the year!

The 2009 Japan Beer Festival was held in Yokohama from September 19 through 21 and over 20,000 beer lovers attended the festival.

I was there to enjoy tasting different kinds of beers and meeting different people from all over Japan (over 200 kinds of craft beers were presented this year) and was not expecting to be on the stage let alone making a speech.

However.

Ise Kadoya Brewery was selected "Brewery of the Year" for 2009. This award goes the the company that contributed to improve the craft beer industry in Japan in addition to continue its efforts to improve its own quality, marketing and people development. The winner is decided by a large body of people who are involved in the craft beer industry and it is that fact that makes me so humble and honored to receive such an award.

To celebrate our success, we are brewing a "President's Special Part 2" and plan to sell it around the middle of November.

Cheers,

Narihiro.

September News

Some Ise Kadoya News:

First: Recently, the “Best Beer Selection” contest was held in Osaka, Japan and I am very happy to announce that Ise Kadoya Brewery won the “Diamond Prize” or the overall winner of the event. I want to thank all our supporters and staff for this great award.

Next: At the end of the month, we are planning to send our second shipment of beer to the US. This time, we are planning to combine our shipment with Baird Brewery of Numazu, Japan and because of this, we won’t ship as many bottles as last spring. Instead, we are planning to send a more specific selection of our most popular brews so far. We were pleasantly surprised to learn just how well-receieved our Genmai Ale was so first on the list is 178 cases of Genmai as well as 128 cases of Triple Hop Ale, 128 cases of Pale Ale and 64 cases of our India Pale Ale.

Next: We have been invited to enter our beer in this October’s World Beer Festival in Strasbourg, France. As much as we would like to represent ourselves in person, we won’t be able to make it, however, if YOU are planning to attend, have fun, be safe and have a tall cold one on us. For more information about the festival, click here.

And one more thing: I have recently been asked about where to find Ise Kadoya Beers in America—especially the west coast. The KIND OF answer is that Ise Kadoya beers are available in California, Oregon, and Washington State in the western US. Now if you want SPECIFIC locations or businesses, please contact our US distributor Shelton Brothers directly and they will point you in the right direction. Click this link to get to the Shelton Brothers website.

Cheers,

Narihiro Suzuki

New Beer On The Way!

We are currently hard at work brewing a very interesting new beer...

The process includes yeast taken from the forest of Ise Jingu here in the Ise area.
I have been particularly fussy about the quality and variety of ingredients in this beer. In fact, I've been very selective about EVERYTHING, especially the malt and hops. In fact, we are using both barley malt and wheat malt as well as five different kinds of hops. At present, the taste is similar to a Weisen with a touch of spice and fruit, but only time will tell...

So far in the brewery, we have given this beer the nickname, "shacho no wagamama beer" - loosely translating to "all the best ingredients for the president's beer." Up 'till now everything is on schedule and everything is very promising. We are really looking forward to this beer and hope you now are too.

We are planning to release the new beer (we don't have the official name just yet) after Japan's OBON holiday so please look for starting in the middle of August. Please look for it on our Japanese online store or at our Biyagura store in Shinkyu, Ise.

Cheers,

Narhiro

Julio's and Spuyten Duyvil!

Things have been hectic as usual lately so I am finally getting around to uploading a few pictures from my Boston and New York trip earlier this Spring.

This picture was taken at the local and somewhat famous neighborhood bar Spuyten Duyvil in Brooklyn, New York taken on April 25th. Spuyten Duyvil serves craft beers from all over North America and an incredible variety of different beers from all over the world. There are a handful of taps and literally hundreds of bottles from some of the best and most obscure beers to be found. Even before it gets dark, Spuyten Duyvil is crowded with many of its regular customers. In this shot, I was talking shop about Ise Kadoya Brewery as well as partaking in a few(?) new and exciting beers! Great time, great place. Thank you, Spuyten Duyvil!

This picture was taken at Julio’s Liqor in Westborough, Massachusetts taken on April 24th.

Julio's sells over 1,000 kinds of beer—which is incredible. Besides the incredible amount of beers, the owners and staff are very knowledgeable and passionate about the beer they sell. I was VERY IMPRESSED! In this shot, I was pouring some Ise Kadoya samples along with Brian Baird from Baird Brewery in Numazu, Japan. Our Genmai Ale was a big hit!

Cheers,

Narihiro

Drinking our fair share in Boston

I got up before sunrise and then spent the day walking around Boston again. Yesterday, I visited The Museum of Fine Arts and then the Samuel Adams Brewery, famous for its Boston Lager. We visited the Sam Adams factory and learned about how they make their beer. At that time, I thought about how it had been a long time since my wife Chika and I had spent a long period of time together.

Yesterday evening, there was the tasting event at Restaurant Federal. After going to the wrong “Federal” we were late at arriving at our own event and by the time we arrived at the correct “Federal” it was already full of people with every table full—over 100 of them! I heard that Federal has been in business over 25 years and makes about $ 5,500,000 a year! I can believe it after seeing it so full and so loud. When we spoke, we had to shout to make ourselves heard!

During the tasting, we had again got good feedback about our Genmai Ale.  People said they liked the Genmai Ale, a few of them claiming, “Genmai Ale is number one!", “Amazing!”, and “Perfect beer!!!” Some people describe the taste as “...a little toasty, hoppy aroma, smooth, striking a perfect balance.” I was surrounded by people who wanted to give me their feedback and shake my hand!  I was happy and at the same time overwhelmed by their reactions!

After Federal we went back to Deep Ellum again with some of the Shelton Brothers staff. We spent some great time together again talking about beer making, beer business and so much more...I felt there are no boundaries and no cultural differences when it comes to passionate beer business and beer making.

Just before 11 o'clock, Todd, from Shelton invited us to accompany him to another bar however we sadly declined in order to pace ourselves for the few more days we have left in the US.

I have been so moved and touched by the people I have met during this trip.  They have been so kind, warm and welcoming.

More to come, stay tuned!

Narihiro

More Ise Kadoya adventures in Boston!

Yesterday, my wife Chika and I walked around Boston and afterwards, joined a beer event at "The Other Side Cafe" where we met all the staff from Shelton Brothers, our beer distributor in US. They made us feel very welcome and we had a great time with all of them. It was great to finally meet them all in person, after all the email correspondence in the last year or so.

Today, there was a beer tasting event for Ise Kodaya and Baird Brewery at Seiyo Sushi in Boston. I was really nervous whether people would like our beer or not. It turns out, I worried for not since after I saw so many people enjoying our beers and talked with many people who gave some really good feedback. I was especially happy the customers liked our Genmai or Brown Rice Ale, the brainchild our brew master, Mr. Nakanishi—a real Ise Kadoya original. I was thrilled to learn that our original recipe was so well received by professionals in America, which I believe to be the center of the beer universe.

After the event at Seiyo Sushi, I joined another event at "Deep Ellum" and spent a "deep" time. I was so happy to see after I arrived, they already had our Triple Hop, Pale Ale, and Genmai Ale on their menu. What a great experience!

I am so drunk right now, I hope I am making sense to you!

More from the road soon,

Narihiro

Deep Ellum on Friday!

After our beer tasting at Julio’s Liquors (http://www.juliosliquors.com/) this Friday night from 4 PM to 6 PM, a handful of brewers and friends are planning to gather at Deep Ellum Bar in nearby Alston, Mass. If anyone is interested, come out and share a few laughs and beers with us starting at about 7:00 PM.

Deep Ellum's website is:

http://www.deepellum-boston.com/

Keep checking back since I will write more from the road.

Narihiro

(More) Beer Events In Boston

More Beer Events In Boston

As I wrote in the last blog, I am traveling to Boston and New York in the coming days to attend some beer events that kick off Ise Kadoya beer’s arrival in America. I am looking forward to meeting some new friends and beer lovers on Wednesday April 22 from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM at Seiyo Sushi in Boston (http://www.seiyoboston.com/). Along with Ise Kadoya Beers, Seiyo Sushi is going to feature some beers from fellow Japanese brewer, Brian Baird from Baird Brewery.

There are some other events as well on the docket that might interest you. Thursday April 23 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Federal Wine & Spirits is holding an event to feature Ise Kadoya Beers. Federal Wine & Spirits is located downtown Boston—with plenty more information online on their HP: (http://www.federalwine.com/).

One more event that might interest you is an event at Julio’s Liquors in Boston. I have never been to Julio’s but I have heard great things. The event is going to be on Friday April 24 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. If you wish for directions or more information, take a look at Julio’s Liquors HP: (http://www.juliosliquors.com/).

I hope to see you at one of the events.

I will write more from the road.

Narihiro

US East Coast Beer Events

Hello all. I am traveling to Boston and New York in the coming days to attend some beer events that kick off Ise Kadoya beer’s arrival in America.

My time in Boston will coincide with the Brewers Association Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America (http://www.beertown.org/events/cbc/) so there will be plenty of people to meet and plenty of beer to be drunk in the coming days.

The first scheduled event will be held on Wednesday April 22 from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM
at Seiyo Sushi in Boston (http://www.seiyoboston.com/). There is plenty of information on their website so if interested, come out and enjoy some good food, good conversation and of course, good beer. I hope to see some of you there.

I will update more in the coming days.

Narihiro

Premium beers on the way!

Ise Kadoya’s fiscal year officially ended on February 28 and that means I have begun to set my sights on new projects for the coming year. Along with our first ever US beer shipments, there are many more exciting plans on the drawing board for fiscal year 2009.

One of those plans already in motion is to establish three new premium, year-round Ise Kadoya beers. Tentatively called, “Ise Kadoya Vintage”, these beers must be brewed for at least 6 months and will boast an alcohol content of 12%. With quality and craftsmanship beyond current Ise Kadoya’s premium beers, we are looking for “Ise Kadoya Vintage” to take our beer making to the next level.

We are targeting a fall release date with a projected cost of ¥1,200 per bottle, due in part to the extensive brewing time involved. Keep these beers in mind and I will let you know more specifics in the coming months.

Narihiro

Ise Kadoya beer is going to America!

The clock is ticking. In just a few more weeks, we will send our first shipment of beer to America, something that is both exhilarating and quite honestly, a little overwhelming.

Since we started brewing beer in 1997, we have always had a dream in the backs of our minds to someday sell our beer in the US. And now, 13 years later, our wish is coming true. All the time and attention we have given our beer and beer making—almost as much our children!—has now given us a chance to see just how good our beer is when it is stacked against some pretty stiff competition in America.

A long time ago, I set a personal goal to brew a world-caliber beer. Although at that time, my family’s company had over 400 years of history, I knew that those 400+ years wouldn’t amount to much credit on a world stage. Let’s face it, even though Japan has the second largest economy in the world, we really aren’t known as part of the world’s beer brewing elite. And not only that, I’m from Ise City—a town with a lot to offer but certainly not a cosmopolitan capital known to many outside Japan.

When I started this brewing business, I was in my mid-20s, full of confidence and raw excitement about our new adventure. I didn’t think my goal of brewing world-class beer was too ambitious, in fact, I almost felt it was my obligation as the new head of my family’s business. Yet, I couldn’t clearly see the path that I now find myself on. I knew the “whats” I just didn’t know the “hows” of how it would play out.

However, after winning two gold and two bronze medals at the 2003 Australian International Beer Awards in Melbourne, one of our goals was met. Much like the North Star guides a sailor, the AIB gave us added (if you can believe it) enthusiasm, it made us work even harder than before to make our beer better and better.

Even though other Japanese microbreweries had won international medals in the past, the reality was that many came and went, we knew then and know now that the medals, as sweet as they are to get, aren’t the most important part of our journey. We want to brew beer that is recognized by not only beer judges but by beer lovers around the world.

So, now are beers will be sold in America. One more dream will be realized and another dream will be put to the test. Can we make it in America? Can we compete? Stay tuned for I will update in the coming months.

As for dreams already realized, our customer’s encouragement has been at times, simply overwhelming. We can’t fully express our appreciation and thanks for all the people who have supported us year in and year out. But, one thing we can do is this: We promise to keep working hard and giving our full attention and hearts to a dream started long ago.

Narihiro Suzuki