Nagai Brewery Craftsman
- Address
- Yamagata, 677-11 Izumi, Nagai City
- Area
- Yamagata Nagai City
What kind of brewery is Nagai Brewery Craftsman?
Hop BroNagai Brewery Craftsman is pretty interesting. It's run by five members, four of whom work in auto repair or civil engineering, and the remaining one is a contemporary art artist.
MugiWhat, mechanics and an artist are brewing beer!?
Hop BroThe representative, Jiro Murakami, is that artist. He had been creating in Kyoto, but when he returned to his hometown of Nagai, he realized how good the water flowing down from the Asahi Mountain Range was. It's an ultra-soft water with a hardness of 18, which is rare nationwide.
MugiHardness 18 is really soft, right?
Hop BroExtremely soft. It has a smooth mouthfeel, and when turned into beer it brings out delicate flavors. What's more, Nagai has long been a place where hop cultivation thrives, and they also use hops they grow themselves, aiming for 100% Nagai-grown hops.
MugiThey're growing hops locally too! So, what kinds of beer do they have?
Hop BroThe regular "Hyo" is interesting. It's a pale ale that uses wild plants recommended under Uesugi Yozan's frugality decree in the Edo period as adjuncts. The acidity adds a nice accent. And "Kinako" is a pale ale made with kinako from Hiden beans.
MugiBeer made with the wild plants from Uesugi Yozan's era!? It's amazing how history and craft beer connect!
Hop BroLimited releases include "Yuzu Salt Hazy IPA" and "La France Wheat IPA." It's where an artist's sensibility meets the hands-on spirit of the civil engineering crew.
MugiA brewery built from water and hops, all on its own, by a cross-industry team like that sounds like the embodiment of craftsmanship.
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