Chidori-en Wakasa Seaside Brewery

The "Wakasa Seaside Brewery" in Mihama Town is actually the very first craft beer brewery ever established in Fukui Prefecture.

It's located inside Chidori-en, a roadside stop along the Sea of Japan coast, and the president himself went to Canada to learn brewing techniques. The brewing equipment was also imported from Canada, making it North American-made.

The starting point was wanting to make a beer that pairs well with seafood, and I think they came across organically grown malt nurtured by the pure waters of the Canadian Rockies, plus aroma hops from the Washington Mountains. They brew it with Wakasa's water.

They have three standard varieties, and their greatest pride is the Weizen. It won first place in the domestic beer category at the 2010 National Liquor Contest. It's elegant with low bitterness and a fruity aroma. Their Pale Ale has a fruity aroma with mild bitterness, and their Amber Ale is the type where the roasty aroma of the malt stands out.

And the biggest appeal here is the "seafood x beer" pairing. Chidori-en itself is famous for its seafood buffet and heshiko sales, and the Sea of Japan is right in front of you. Inside the facility, there's even a "Japan Craft Beer Museum in Wakasa."

Watching the Sea of Japan while drinking a Weizen with Wakasa grilled fish... the story of brewing beer for the sake of seafood really makes sense once you taste it.