8) Kuraya-Narusawa/Hansharo Beer-“Yoritomo” Porter

If you are lucky enough to find out, AOI BEER STAND in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Sizuoka City sometimes runs out of its own beer and takes the opportunity to introduce a craft beer from another brewery, preferably that of a Shizuoka Prefecture-based establishment!
That is when the other day I discovered this craft beer by Hansharo Beer Co. in Nirayama, Izu City, Izu Peninsula!

Served on tap
Barley, malts, hops, live yeast
Unfiltered
Alcohol/ABV: 5%
Bubbles: Long head, very fine bubbles, creamy, light brown color
Color: dark brown
Aroma: dry, strong and complex. Coffee beans, dark caramel, dark toast
Tasting: dry, deep and very pleasant attack.
Not as strong as expected.
Complex. Coffee beans, dark caramel, toast.
Lingers long enough on palate for true tasting before departing on a slightly drier note.
Coffee beans will linger long on the palate.
Varies little with food.

Overall: very pleasant and easy to drink craft beer.
Excellent balance.
A light porter for all seasons!
Suggested pairings: nuts, cold meats, pizza.

Beer Junkie MOTEL

420-0035 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken Cho, 11-5, IMAKKOKO Bldg. 1F
Tel.: 054-253-6558
Opening hours: 18:00~25:00
Closed on Tuesday
Parties welcome
FACEBOOK
————————————-
7) Kuraya-Narusawa Brewery-Hansharo 18th Anniversary Minimal Bitter

AOI BEER STAND owned by Aoi Brewery in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, has the merit to offer on tap other craft beers from Shizuoka Prefecture and the rest of Japan, but you do have to hurry as they usually served only one keg before switching to another brew!

This time I had the occasion to sample a very limited edition to commemorate the 18th year of existence of Kuraya Narusawa Brewery in Nirayama, Northern Izu peninsula, Shizuoka prefecture called Minimal Bitter!

Actually it was a triple whammy as I had no less than 3 glasses, the second one with homemade lamb gyoza/dumplings!

And the third glass accompanied a delicacy difficult to get super fresh and raw outside Shizuoka prefecture: shirasu/sardine whiting and sakuraebi/cherry shrimps!

Served on tap
Barley, Maris Otter malt, Crystal malt, First Gold hop, live yeast.
Unfiltered
Alcohol/ABV: 3.5 %
Bubbles: very fine bubbles. Longish head. Creamy. Light orange color
Clarity: slightly smoky (normal considering live yeast and being unfiltered), very clean
Color: deep orange
Aroma: dry and fruity. Biscuits
Taste: Refreshing and dry attack. Bread, biscuits.
Ordinary bitter style craft beer.
A little acidity popping up late.
varies little with food.

Overall: very refreshing and solid.
Great for a warm afternoon.
Although eminently enjoyable on its own, makes for a perfect marriage with food, especially meats, BBQ, etc. Great with seafood, too!

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den Bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK
——————————————
6) Kuraya-Naruzawa Brewery-Hansharo Oyoja Season

AOI BEER STAND owned by Aoi Brewery in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, has the merit to offer on tap other craft beers from Shizuoka Prefecture, but you do have to hurry as they usually served only one keg before switching to another brew!

This time i had come in time to taste plenty Actually I managed this other limited craft beer by Kuraya-Naruzawa Brewery in Nirayama, Izu City, Izu Peninsula!

“Oyoja Season” in northern Izu Peninsula dialect means “Season for a rest!

Served on tap
Barley, barley malt, hop, live yeast
Unfiltered
Alcohol: 5 %
Clarity: only slightly smoky (normal considering live yeast and being unfiltered), very clean
Color: orange
Bubbles: fine bubbles. shortish head, white
Aroma: refreshing and light. Citruses
Taste: Dry and fruity approach backed with pleasant acidity.
Bread, dry citruses, dry oranges.
Lingers long enough for acidity to disappear and be replaced by sweetish mandarine oranges.
Changes little with food.

Overall: very pleasant and refreshing craft beer.
More complex than expected. Great balance.
Great for summer and autumn or when temperatures are constantly changing (in Japan!)!

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK
——————————————-
5) Naruzawa Brewery-Hansharo SMASCH Rakau

AOI BEER STAND owned by Aoi Brewery in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, has the merit to offer on tap other craft beers from Shizuoka Prefecture, but you do have to hurry as they usually served only one keg before switching to another brew!

Actually I managed to get the last glass of this limited craft beer by Kuraya-Naruzawa Brewery in Nirayama, Izu City, Izu Peninsula!
I will have to wait until next year for the next one!
“SMASH” stands for Single Malt And Single Hop brewing process and Rakau is the name of a New Zealand hop!

Served on tap
Barley, barley malt, Rakau hop, live yeast
Unfiltered
Alcohol: 5 %
Clarity: slightly smoky (normal considering live yeast and being unfiltered), very clean
Color: dark orange, persimmon
Bubbles: fine bubbles. longish head, creamy, white
Aroma: refreshing and fruity, dry, oranges, bread.
Taste: Deep and very dry attack with great acidity.
Complex. Bread, citruses, dry persimmon, dry almonds. late appearance of lemon.
Very fresh approach with loads of character.

Overall: Refreshing craft beer with intriguing complexity and character.
Welcome acidity makes it easy to drink.
no need for food or snacks!

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK
——————————-
4) Kuraya-Narusawa Brewery-Hansharo Beer Nouhei Steam

Yesterday I had the occasion to taste a new beer by Kuraya-Narusawa, Izu no Kuni City, Izu peninsula, at AOI BEER STAND in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, as they often serve on tap beers by other Shizuoka Prefecture as a part of a constructive collaboration policy!

The general name of beers produced by Kuraya-Narusawa Brewery are called Hansharo after the name of the ancient gun foundry of the same name standing inside their precincts.
They are a noteworthy brewery as they do experiment a lot, as far as to reproduce old style beer.
This particular beer is a steam beer reminiscent of what some German immigrants brewed in the States when they didn’t have the money to buy expensive equipment. The beer then was brewed at environmental temperature, a long process using lager yeast to produce an ale type beer.
Anchor Steam in San Francisco is a brewery still using this method for some of their beers.

Served on tap
Barley,hop,live yeast
Unfiltered
Alcohol: 5 %
Clarity: slightly smoky (normal considering live yeast and being unfiltered), very clean
Color: dark orange
Bubbles: shortish head, fine bubbles, light orange hue
Aroma: Fruity, dry oraｎges, citruses
Taste: Dry and deep attack.
Bread.
Great acidity, very refreshing.
Varies little with food.

Overall: Very refreshing beer. Does not need to be overchilled.
Thanks to its acidity one can drink it for a long time without getting tired of it.
A discovery!

KURAYA-NARUSAWA

Izu no Kuni City, Naka, 272-1
伊豆の国市中272-1
Tel.: 055-949-1208
Opening hours (restaurant and souvenir shop): Monday~Thursday: 11:00~15:00, Friday: 11:00~22:00, Saturday, Sunday, National holidays: 10:00~22:00
HOMEPAGE (Japanese only)

AOI BREWING

Temporary address:
AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK

Aoi Beers are also available at Aoi Brewery’s two more restaurants in Shizuoka City, namely

GROWSTOCK

420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Koyamachi Naka Building, 5F
Tel.: 054-293-9331
Opening hours: 17:00~25:00 (Mon.~Thurs.), 17:00~27:00 (Fri & Sat.), 17:00~24:00 (Sun.)
Parties welcome (reserve!)
Credit Cards OK
————————————————
3) Hansharo 75 Weissen at AOI BEER STAND in Shziuoka City!

Service: Easy-going and friendly
Facilities: Very clean overall. Beautiful washroom inside Den Bulding.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Craft beers only!

Yesterday I noticed a new addition on the craft beer menu served at AOI BEER STANd’s FFACEBOOK!
I immmediately visited the establishment before the brew disappeared from the menu!

The second one on the board: Hansharo Beer (Izu Peninsula), 75 Wissen/反射炉ビール（伊豆）７５ヴァイツェン!
Hansharo Beers are brewed by Kuraya Narusawa Brewery in Izu no Kuni City in Northern Izu Peninsula (see below for details)!
AOI BEER STAND does often serve craft beers from guest breweries in Shizuoka Prefev\cture, therefore check their menu on facebook regularly!

Hansharo 75 Weissen
Kuraya Narusawa Brewery
Alcohol: 5%
Clarity: Comparatively clean
Color: Light orange
Fairly long head
Fine bubbles
Aroma: Assertive, complex. Bread, citruses
Taste: Refreshing dry attack.
Oranges, bread.
Stays deep all the time and lingers long enough in the back of the palate.
Takes a drier turn with the next sip before mellowing again on the palate

Overall: Deep, solid, reliable and refreshing. A lot of chaaracter
Very steady beer!

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK
FACEBOOK

KURAYA-NARUSAWA

Located near Nagaoka Station, Izu no Kuni City, north of Izu Peninsula, it is also famous for looking after an important cultural asset, Hansharo, which has become the name of their 4 regular beers!
Izu no Kuni City, Naka, 272-1
伊豆の国市中272-1
Tel.: 055-949-1208
Opening hours (restaurant and souvenir shop): Monday~Thursday: 11:00~15:00, Friday: 11:00~22:00, Saturday, sunday, National holidays: 10:00~22:00
HOMEPAGE (Japanese only)

1) MASAKO

The weather having turned for the warmer these days, I felt it was time to delve back into more Shizuoka micro-breweries brews!
The Good Beer and Country Boys in Nagoya will get tempted!

This particular brew, “Masako” by Kurayanarusawa in Izu-Nagaoka (Izu no Kuni City in Izu Peninsula) is a bit extra0rdinary: The master Brewer also works at Bandai Brewery (sake and shochu in Shizenji, Izu Peninsula) and after consulting Denbei Kawamura, the man who revolutionized sake in Shizuoka Prefecture, he used Shizuoka HD-1 usually utilized in brewing sake!

I can tell you I’m not one to complain!

Hansharo Beer/Kurayanarusawa Brewery-Masako
Ingredients: Grain Malt, Hops, HD-1 Yeast (Shizuoka)
Alcohol: 5%
Contents: 300ml
Live yeast, unfiltered, unpasteurized.

Clarity: Very clear
Colour: Dark orange
Foam: Longish, fine bubbles
Aroma: Strong, oranges, bread
Taste: Well-rounded with a comparatively soft attack. Shortish tail. Some welcome acidity with a dry finish.
Dry persimmons, memories of oranges. Bread. Oranges reappearing later.

Overall: Very refreshing, easy to drink. Thirst-quaffing. Goes well with a snack. Softer than expected.

Kurayanarusawa Brewery
Shizuoka Ken, Izu no Kuni Shi, Naka, 272-1
Tel.: 055-949-1208
Sales on site or through the Internet (Japanese)
Visits possible
Restaurant on site
———————-
2) TAROZAEMON

The weather having definitely turned warmer, I just becomes too difficult to get away from real beer! Time again to delve back into more Shizuoka micro-breweries brews!
The Good Beer and Country Boys in Nagoya will get tempted!

This particular brew, “Tarozaemon is another Pilsen type by Kurayanarusawa in Izu-Nagaoka (Izu no Kuni City in Izu Peninsula)

Hansharo Beer/Kurayanarusawa Brewery-Tarozaemon
Ingredients: Grain Malt, Hops, Yeast
Alcohol: 5%
Contents: 300ml
Live yeast, unfiltered, unpasteurized.

Clarity: Very clear
Colour: Golden
Foam: Long head, fine bubbles
Aroma: Dry, oranges, bread
Taste: Shortish tail. Dry. Oranges, bread.
Solid, refreshing impression

Overall: Very refreshing, easy to drink. Thirst-quaffing.
Light, but solid.

Kurayanarusawa Brewery
Shizuoka Ken, Izu no Kuni Shi, Naka, 272-1
Tel.: 055-949-1208
Sales on site or through the Internet (Japanese)
Visits possible
Restaurant on site

———————————
Must-see tasting websites:
-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery