Bursting with the spirit of dedicated craftsmanship!
Japan's leading microbrew master.
<Part 1>

I heard that there is an amazing beer at the foot of the Yatsugatake Mountains.The creator of Ichiban Shibori has put his own "dream" into the creation of this beer.In this issue, we talk about beer meister Kazumi Yamada and his work on the birth of Yatsugatake microbreweries.

writer：Ryoko Kuraishi

A view of the Yatsugatake Mountains with snow on their peaks from the village of Moegi, where the Yatsugatake Brewery is located. Photos Tetsuya Yamamoto

He has been brewing beer for half a century and is an amazing man.
He is a genuine beer craftsman, having worked in the brewing, preparation and fermentation departments at Kirin Brewery, and then as head of the
pilot plant (new product development department)
he worked on Ichiban Shibori, the hidden gem Heartland and others.



After retiring from Kirin Brewery, he got involved in brewing microbrews at a new brewery in Kiyosato.
That was 14 years ago.

I was invited to brew local beer here, and that was the first time I stepped foot in the brewery.
I was invited to try a local beer here, and that was the first time I set foot in the area.

After 40 years of brewing beer, you're still brewing beer after retiring.
What is it that attracts you so much, Mr Yamada?

When I came to Kiyosato, I said to the owner, 'I didn't come here to make beer, I came here to make a dream.
I didn't come here to make beer, I came here to make a dream."

Mr Yamada's career in beer brewing led to him becoming the first head brewer of the Yatsugatake Brewery
and developing local beers.Mr. Yamada was bought for his beer-making career and became the first head brewer of the Yatsugatake Brewery.
As he describes his "dream", he pursues only the beers that suit his heart and soul without compromise.

The Yatsugatake Brewery is located on the premises of the Rock restaurant.Currently, Mr Yamada and two other staff members are working at full capacity, from preparation to bottling.

Let us introduce some of their specialties.
The yeast, the lifeblood of beer and the key player in fermentation, is flown in all the way from Germany, the home of beer.
The yeast used is from the Weihenstephan Brewery of the Technical University of Munich, and is said to be a rare find in the country.

'People say it comes all the way from Germany,
but it's hard to find good yeast domestically.
The big breweries never show off their own good yeast, so even if it costs a bit more, the German yeast we have now is the best.
So even if it costs a bit more, the German yeast we use now is the best."

Hops are carefully selected, mainly from the Czech Republic, which bring pleasant bitterness and aroma.
The beer is then allowed to mature naturally and slowly.

When brewing long-matured products, the limited facilities make it difficult to carry tanks.
The process of 'slow maturation' is an integral part of the beer here.
In addition, the beer is neither filtered nor heat-treated, so the yeast is still alive in the bottled beer.
This is truly fresh beer.


This is a small batch, but this is what we're all about!No wonder it tastes so good.

'Beer is a luxury item, right?
People often ask me, 'What is the ultimate beer?'
I don't think there is an ultimate beer.
Ten people have ten different tastes.That's beer.

But as a brewer, I'd rather make a beer that three of those people say is 'good' than one that everyone says is 'not bad'.
I want to make the kind of beer that will make three of them say, 'That's good!'


Fortunately, local beers are produced in much smaller quantities than beers from major manufacturers.
Fortunately, local beers are produced in much smaller quantities than those produced by major breweries, which means there are fewer constraints.
In addition, it is a local beer.It is required to make use of the local climate.

The owner's understanding was obtained, and Mr Yamada's individuality and the climate of Kiyosato were inseparably linked.
The one and only "Yatsugatake Ji Beer" was born.

This is draft beer!Poured straight from the tank, the beer has a creamy foam.This foam is by far the best.

In Yamada's personal view, good beer is 'beer that can be refilled'.

He says: "Beer tastes good after one sip, but people say that one drink is enough!But one drink is enough.

It's not that kind of toast, it's that kind of beer that makes you want another one after you finish it.
I don't think that kind of beer is good.


The first sip is good, but by the time you finish it, you want a different drink,
The reason for this is that the beer's taste degrades over time.

'Beer with carbon dioxide added to it to make it thirstier, for example,
that changes in taste very quickly.
Carbon dioxide is produced when the yeast breaks down the sugar in the wort.
Our beer is a natural gas produced by the yeast, so even the foam is good.

With these words, he let us taste a Pilsner that was being matured directly from the brewing tanks.
Mr Yamada's signature pure white foam is like soft cream or a milkshake.
Fluffy and thick.Disappears like a haze on the tongue.It's just so good.

'Yes, beer is best when it's freshly brewed, straight from the tank.'

Storage tanks and bottling machinery are located in the basement of the restaurant.The facility is chilly due to fermentation at low temperatures.

Yatsugatake microbrewery Touchdown currently has a line-up of six different beers.
The first of these beers, which can be considered the origin of Touchdown, is Pilsner.

It is said to have originally been produced in the Pilsen region of the Czech Republic.
Most of the beers produced by the major manufacturers are of this type.
Yamada-san's Pilsner is matured slowly and painstakingly.
It has a refreshing throat, delicate foam, fruity and is very easy to drink.

Mr Yamada says he aimed for a beer that would suit the climate and be enjoyed by women who cannot drink alcohol.


Local beer is a beer that is rooted in the local climate," says Yamada.
So I made a beer rooted in the fresh wind and climate of Kiyosato."


Initially, the owner thought of the Yatsugatake Brewery's first beer, a pale ale, and even prepared a bottle label, but <a16> But with a single word from Mr Yamada, it was changed to a pilsner.

I told the owner that if we were going to make it from scratch, we wouldn't do top-fermentation!I told the owner."


Pale ales are top fermented, whereas pilsners are bottom fermented.
Bottom fermentation uses bottom-fermenting yeast.The fermentation temperature is lower, so it is stored at lower temperatures and matures slowly.

Fermentation is slower than top-fermentation, but it produces a cleaner taste.
This type of beer has been the mainstream worldwide since the 19th century.

If possible, we'd like you to enjoy a freshly brewed beer straight from the brewery, but we'd rather drink it right now!If you want to drink it right away, please order a bottle.Seasonal drinking comparison sets (¥2,835 ~) are also available.

'The star of the show, the pilsner, was ready just before the restaurant opened.
For a while we wondered what was going to happen.
The day before the opening, we invited about 120 construction workers to a pre-opening celebration.

We had all-you-can-drink, and within a few hours we had 400 litres.
That was the first time I thought, 'This is going to work!'I was relieved.
You wouldn't drink 400 litres if it wasn't good, even if it's all you can drink.'


Another beer that was released at the same time as the restaurant opening was
Dunkel, recommended by Yamada.
'Apart from the Pilsner, we brewed another one just for fun', he says.

Dunkel, or dark.It is said to have originated in Munich.
Since its opening, it has been the most popular beer among men and women of all ages, and has even won first place overall in a national beer competition.

Originally created for beer lovers,
the rich flavour and aroma of roasted malt is "second to no other local beer in the country!"Mr Yamada is proud of his creation.


Continued in Part 2.