The Beer of Japan
Written by Kyle on Saturday, August 01, 2009 in Japan
Feelin' excited
It's no secret that I like beer. Don't worry, it's not the bad kind of "like" where I end up passed out in a gutter, I actually enjoy the taste of beer. Well, good beer that is. And sadly, the Korean beer tastes terrible. It's cheap, but sometimes you get what you pay for. So, I was glad to get to go to Japan to experience beer that doesn't suck. I'm not going to say that Japanese beer is awesome, but it is palatable and it is sure better than the beer-water they serve in Korea.Feelin' excited
Luckily, while we were in Japan, we were able to go to two breweries and spend a night eating and drinking our way through a beer festival. For a few moments, I could finally relax and enjoy one of the gifts that makes this world great: beer.
Breweries
Maybe due to the fact that we were on Japan's most northern, and thereby coldest island, we had no trouble finding places that brew beer. First, and most famously, we went to the Sapporo brewery in Sapporo.
Well, technically this isn't where they brew the beer anymore, but it is the location of the original brewery and it has the iconic sapporo smoke stack. Plus, it was located a short distance from central Sapporo and the grounds looked like a campus of an ivy league university.
I think that since Sapporo is really cold and snowy during the winter, people really want to get out and have a good time in the summer. So, the Sapporeans (Sapporites, maybe?) have created a two-week long beer festival that spans most of their central boulevard area. I'm sure I won't be the first to say that this was a wise decision.
I was giddy to try a lot of the beers of Japan, from tap, and one after another. It's good that way for, ummm, scientific purposes. Yes, it was very scientific. Here's some scenes from the various, sprawling beeer gardens:
Comments on "The Beer of Japan"
I love the progression of no-beer-in-your-system at the beginning of the video to many-beers-in-your-system at the end of the video. The commentary and the camera steadiness seem to be more relaxed as the night goes on. :)
Love the peace sign girls at the Sapporo tent too. Classic :)
Miss you guys! Glad you had a good vacation and golden birthday Bessie!
Are you saying I should do everything with a couple of beers in me?
Loved the Beer Bear....kinda prepares you for an eventual trip to Disney World. And, of course, Epcot has a beer garden in their recreation of Germany. :) Hope all of those beer gardens had adequate restroom facilities as....what goes in....must come out! Who was your "designated driver?" :)
BEER, BEER, BEER, FOOOOOOOOOD &
BEEER, BEEEEEEER, BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER.
A FELLLLLLLER COULD GET SCHLLLLOPPY DERRRUUUUUNNNKKKKKK
ON ALLLLLL THAT DELLLLOUSHIOUSNESSSSSSSSS
IF HE WERRUNT REAL KAREFUUULLL..... hick.....lick.....shlip & kickkkkk....
.................................................:>] :>} :>).................................................
Love the photos! and your video quacked me up! LOL -- I could TASTE the beer as you described it! (Pretzels? Peanuts, anyone?) :-D -- I noticed your Reviews grew much less formal as you moved down the line of the various brewskis. LOL And, Bess, if Kyle was the Taster and Reviewmeister, were you the Finish-'Em-Offster? haha. Sure looked like a good time was had by all!
I just noticed the two chicks from the Sapporo beer tent all posing for the camera with their peace signs. We should have talked to them more. They look hilarious.
by bessie the wife at August 03, 2009 05:03 AMOh, and I'll amend the Egyptian quote to say "The mouth of a perfectly happy man is filled with [good] beer." You can reference me next time.