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When you think of Japanese beer, the first names you might think of are Kirin, Asahi, Sapporo, or even Suntory, if you've visited the country. Craft beer, occasionally referred to as ji-biru (pronounced jee-beeru) in Japan, has seen a surge in local popularity in recent years, with several microbreweries being established. With a focus on quality and craftsmanship, craft beer tends to have a bit more depth than its more standard, commercially available counterparts and is often brewed by small, independent brewing companies.
However, with so many different types of beer, like pilsners, IPAs, hefeweizens, and stouts being offered from different breweries, it can get really difficult to know what the best one is - especially when a major part of craft beer is about enjoying subtle differences in flavors. To figure out what the best Japanese craft beers are, we gathered the 20 best-selling Japanese craft beers available online on e-commerce sites popular in Japan, like Amazon, Rakuten, Kakaku.com, and other craft beer online stores, and tested them all for deliciousness, and ranked them. We also put together a buying guide to help you choose the best Japanese craft beer for you, reviewed by a couple of alcohol experts.
Whiskey Richard is the founder of nomunication.jp, an English-language drinks blog specializing in Japanese whisky, spirits, and Tokyo's cocktail culture. He has lived in Tokyo since 2008. He is a certified Cocktail Professor, SSI Shochu Kikisakeshi, and he provides consulting services for foreign spirits brands seeking to enter the Japanese market. Since 2021 he has served on the Executive Committee and as a judge for the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition.
Manabu Sato is the representative of KEY CORPORATION Caghiya Brewery and the owner of Cafe Club Key. Born in Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture, after graduating from university, Manabu studied abroad in England, where he discovered British pub culture. Inspired by the sense of community, where men and women of all ages gather, after returning to Japan in 2017, Manabu opened Caghiya Brewery in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, where he now brews his original craft beers. He also launched the Craft Beer Association and now hosts beer-related events in Kawasaki in an effort to help spread craft beer culture in Japan.
mybest US' editing team consists of experienced members who have backgrounds in writing, editing, translation, and more. We are dedicated to researching what makes a product or service the best to users in the US in order to create top-quality articles. From skincare, to kitchen appliances, and to DIY supplies, our mission is to find the best ones for you.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
Table of Contents
Japanese craft beer first came to be in 1994, after the regulations on the minimum annual production volume required for a beer license were lowered, which led to the birth of small breweries aimed at revitalizing depopulated towns, and was called ji-biru, which loosely translates to "local beer."
Today, rather than revitalizing their hometowns, young Japanese craft beer brewers are now aiming to flex their craftsmanship by creating unique craft beers. In fact, some Japanese breweries are actually run by non-Japanese brewers who moved to Japan to start their own operations.
So what is a craft beer? It's defined in the US by the following criteria:
But ultimately, these criteria only apply to American beer. Japanese beer is regulated differently in terms of production volume, brewing process, and tax law, so the same standards can't be carried over directly.
So, rather than asking, "Is this beer a craft beer?" the better question would be, "What kind of intent did the brewer have with this beer?" If you sincerely evaluate each beer on its own merits, you'll definitely be able to find a beer or brewery that suits your tastes!
Here's what you'll want to look out for when shopping for your next favorite brew.
There are over 100 different styles of beers brewed all over the world. From sour beers to juicy beers to beers brewed with dark roasted malts that taste like coffee, the flavor a beer can have varies widely.
We'll introduce the main beer styles below so you can effectively pick the Japanese craft beers you think you'll enjoy. If you get to know the styles, you'll be able to find the beer that's right for you!
The pilsner, also known as the Bohemian pilsner or German pilsner, is one of the most well-known beer styles throughout the world. Pilsners are characterized by their transparent yellow color, moderate hoppiness, and fresh aroma.
In Japan, beers such as Asahi Super Dry, Kirin Ichiban Shibori, Sapporo Black Label, and Suntory The Premium Malts are commonly-seen examples of this style. If you're a fan of these beers, try a craft pilsner next time, like Pilsner Urquell or Flensburger Pilsener.
Lagers generally take longer to produce compared to other styles of beer, so they were largely overlooked by most craft producers until only very recently. A refreshing, clean lager has wide appeal, opening the wider world of craft beer open to even those who aren't necessarily looking for the powerful, flavorful aromas and palates of other styles.
Pale ale, originating in England, earned its name from the pale-colored malts that are used to brew it. Pale ales are boldly bitter, with a dry finish and a fruity aroma reminiscent of banana. If you want something other than lager, pick up a pale ale! Think of ones like Bass Pale Ale or Samuel Smith Organic Pale Ale as representative brews.
Weizen is brewed using over 50 percent wheat malt, which explains why it was named for the German word for "wheat." It has an aroma and taste similar to bread, with low bitterness, a creamy head, and a refreshing finish.
Also, the yeast used to brew weizens imparts aromas of banana, clove, and nutmeg. This is the perfect beer to down on a hot day! Check out Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse and Hofbräu Münchner Weisse to get a sampling of this type.
Plenty of Japanese craft breweries offer weizens in their lineups, so definitely keep an eye out if you like wheaty and easy-to-drink beers. Coedo Shiro is a great introduction to Japanese weizens and offers great fruitiness alongside the wheat. Kiuchi Shuzo's Hitachino Nest Weizen is another popular and relatively easy-to-find brew with great notes of banana.
Belgian white, with its characteristic cloudy appearance, has a spicy-sweetness and intense aroma from the coriander and orange peel used in the brewing process. It has a light, smooth mouthfeel and low bitterness, which makes it great for beer novices!
Chilling it too much will inhibit its complex flavor, so try to enjoy it at 44 to 48 degrees Fahrenheit. Give Hitachino Nest White Ale, Hoegaarden White, or Blue Moon a go.
IPA, or India pale ale, gets its name from the pale ales that were shipped from England to India in the eighteenth century. Because of the natural preservative quality of hops, these beers were heavily hopped to survive the long journey.
IPAs are known for the fruity aroma and bitter flavors imparted by the hops, and is recommended for those who like their drinks a bit bitter and dry!
One interesting quality of IPAs is that you never know just what you're going to get, as the hop character, dominant flavors, and alcohol content all vary greatly depending on the brewer and even the brew itself. Try YOHO Brewing Indo no Ao Oni or Brewdog Punk IPA.
IPAs are what drove the popularity of craft beer inside and outside Japan. Because IPAs typically have quite high IBU (International Bitterness Unit) values, their bitterness can be off-putting to many new craft beer drinkers. Once you learn to appreciate that hoppy bitterness though, there's usually no turning back. IPAs can also pack quite a punch in terms of alcohol-by-volume (abv), so make sure to plan your imbibing accordingly!
The stout first came to be when the porter, a popular beer style in London, made its way over to Ireland, where its alcohol content was amped up and sold as a "stout porter."
Stouts have a sharp bitterness which comes from roasting the malts that are used to brew it. Despite their heavy-looking color, stouts tend to be light on the tongue with a surprisingly clean finish. This is a beer that coffee drinkers are sure to enjoy! Representative brews include Murphy's Irish Stout and of course Guinness.
Barleywines are strong brews, clocking in at about 8.5 to 12 percent alcohol. The reason they are referred to as wines is because of the extended aging process they go through, which can be anywhere from six months to several years.
Full-bodied and heavy, barleywines tend to have complex flavor profiles, featuring a dryness from the high alcohol content and a sweetness that shines through. Because of this, we recommend barleywines to those who already have a taste for beer or other alcoholic beverages.
To sample what these ales have to offer, try Anchor Old Foghorn or Sankt Gallen El Diablo.
Fruit beers, as you can probably guess, are beers with fruit or juice added during the brewing process. These beers showcase the aroma and flavors of the fruit used as an augmentation of the hop character and flavors of the underlying beer.
We recommend this style to those who enjoy drinks on the sweet side, or non-beer drinkers. Some good examples are Liefmans and Minoh Beer Yuzu White.
Sour ales are brewed using a process called spontaneous fermentation, which relies on naturally occurring yeast or bacteria in the air or in wooden barrels. A beer brewed with wild yeast is called a lambic, which is a very prominent style in the Belgian beer scene.
The flavor is characterized by a tartness paired with a distinctly yeasty flavor and aroma. Having very little hop character, a light body, and a dry mouthfeel, these beers are highly drinkable.
Also, raspberries or blackcurrants are sometimes added during fermentation, resulting in a special type of fruit beer. These fruit lambics are perfect for people who don't usually enjoy beer! Try to find Cantillon Gueuze or Boon Kriek to give these a go.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Price | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hideji Beer Kuri-Kuro Dark Chestnut Ale | $9.41 Mid | Chestnuts and Beer: a Match Made in Miyazaki | ||
2 | Kiuchi Brewery Hitachino Nest White Ale | $3.48 Low Mid | An Unforgettable White Ale With Sweetness, Spice, and Everything Nice | ||
3 | Baeren Brewery Baeren Classic|12 pack | $44.71 High Mid | Clean, Smooth, and Quaffable - Everything You Want in a Lager | ||
4 | Kumezaka Beer Daisen G Beer Weizen|30 pack | $151.62 High | Perfectly Balanced White Beer | ||
5 | Baird Brewing Suruga Imperial IPA | $13.19 High Mid | A Great Beginner IPA With a Unique Flavor that Keeps You On Your Toes | ||
6 | Miyashita Sake Brewery Doppo Beer Muscat Pils|24 pack | $100.99 High | Beer With the Sweetness of Grape Juice | ||
7 | Kochi Campagne Brewery Yuzu Pale Ale|6 pack | $36.11 High Mid | A Refreshing Citrusy Beer Perfect for Craft Beer Newbies | ||
8 | Ise Kadoya Brewery Neko Nihiki | $8.42 Mid | Rich, Juicy, and Fruity - an Exemplary New England IPA | ||
9 | URA Awaji Beer Shima Lemon | $5.23 Mid | A Refreshing Beer With a Kiss of Lemon (or is it Yuzu?) | ||
10 | Kyodo Shoji COEDO Ruri | $2.54 Low Mid | A Well-Rounded Beer That's Great With Food |
Hideji Beer out of Miyazaki Prefecture is known for brewing with local fruit like mangoes and the citrus hyuganatsu, but this stout brewed with chestnuts is truly something else!
Kuri-Kuro fully embodies its chestnut namesake, from its rich aroma to the sweetness of its flavor. Reminiscent of the popular dessert Mont Blanc, this beer is so delectable that you'll wonder if it's even beer at all.
Our testers commented that this is definitely a beer that they'd recommend to a friend, as well as others even commented that while it's closer to a dessert, it has an elegant and satisfying taste. Surprisingly, we even had a few testers who aren't the biggest fans of beer, but they found this Japanese craft beer enjoyable.
We recommend pairing this beer with other sweets like vanilla ice cream or chocolate for a sweet treat.
Hitachino Nest beers stand out among the many options offered by Japanese breweries, and this white ale is easily one of the best. Coriander, nutmeg, and orange peel are included in the brewing process, giving it a spicy and floral flavor with a wonderful aroma.
Even the harshest critic on our editorial team had nothing but praise for this beer, calling it "highly drinkable with a subtle sweetness."
This white ale doesn't feature much in the way of sharpness, body, or bitterness, its spiciness will have you coming back for more. It's a great beer for craft beer enthusiasts and newcomers alike!
Baeren Brewery's Baeren Classic has a clear golden color. It has a juicy and fresh hoppy fragrance as well as a lager-like malty sweetness.
It has a medium body while offering a refreshing lager taste, balancing the two well. On top of that, its low bitterness makes it very easy to drink, even for those who don't typically drink beer.
This beer will definitely make you rethink what a good lager should be.
The secret behind Tottori prefecture's Daisen G Beer is the water used to brew it, which is sourced from a natural spring at an elevation of 300 meters at Mt. Daisen, where the beer gets its namesake from.
This winner of the World Beer Awards' gold medal, is a light, well-balanced beer with excellent drinkability, and was also served at the G20 Osaka Summit in 2019.
It boasts a foamy, creamy head, with a delicate aroma and clean taste almost reminiscent of champagne. It might not satisfy the most hardcore beer connoisseurs, but this is a great choice for uninitiated beer drinkers or white beer lovers.
Baird Brewing's Suruga Imperial IPA has a label designed with fireworks, representing the flavor of the hops in this beer.
Given that it's an Imperial IPA, it has a pretty high alcohol content and a strong bitterness to it, its bitterness, acidity, and hoppiness are well-balanced, making this a beer you won't get tired of. Our testers who frequently drink IPAs also commented that they could easily drink this without pairing it with anything as well as that they wouldn't get tired of drinking this daily.
This is a great Japanese craft beer for those who want to try a Japanese IPA, or even try an IPA in general.
"It's like a sweet white wine!" "It tastes like sparkling juice!" "Is this grape juice?" As you can tell by these reactions from our tasters, Doppo Beer Muscat Pils is not your typical beer.
Easy to drink with barely any typical beer-like qualities, it's perfect for anyone who's not into beer, though perhaps a bit lacking for those who are.
Tosaco Yuzu Pale Ale is bursting with citrusy flavor from the peels of yuzu harvested in Kochi prefecture, which is where the brewery is located. Its slight bitterness is balanced out by the tart aromas of the yogurt-like yeast and yuzu used to brew it.
While the non-beer drinkers among the tasters praised its lightness and drinkability, the beer lovers found themselves wishing the yuzu flavors were more prominent, so we'd recommend this brew for newcomers to craft beer.
Neko Nihiki is a collaboration between Portland's Culmination Brewing and Japan's Ise Kadoya Brewery. Featuring juicy and fruity hop character, it's a wonderful representation of the New England IPA style. With low bitterness for an IPA and a pleasantly sweet aftertaste, just one bottle of this rich beer will be enough to satisfy you.
The cutesy label perfectly captures the vibe of this fruit beer crafted at a brewery on the coast of Awaji Island. It is important to note that the lemon flavor here is very subtle. Some of our tasters even thought it tasted faintly of yuzu kosho - so it would pair well with Japanese food!
Available at many convenience stores and supermarkets, Ruri is one of the more commonly found beers on this list. That is not a mark against it, however, as it is highly regarded by beer drinkers.
With the fresh aroma of Japanese citrus bolstered by a strong bitter aftertaste, it's the kind of beer you'll want to have with dinner or at your next party.
Okinawa's Helios Distillery, originally a rum producer, started brewing beer in 1996. Their Aoi Sora to Umi no Beer, which translates to "blue sky and ocean beer," is just as light and quaffable as you would expect of a brew from Okinawa.
Even if you're not a huge fan of pilsners, you just might like the white wine aromas and fruity flavors this one has to offer!
Indo no Ao Oni is exactly what you want when you crack open an IPA. It has a bold hop character with a fair amount of bitterness but balances it out with orange and other citrusy flavors. Readily available at many convenience stores in Japan, this is the perfect gateway IPA!
Cyonmage has a sweetness like white bread, along with a hint of lemony tartness. Light and fruity, it's great for non-beer drinkers or those who like a clean, simple beer.
Named after a type of wood, Kyara boasts a deep golden color with a reddish tint. With its prominent hop aroma, you'll feel its bitterness before your first sip.
The flavor is likewise quite bitter, but an aftertaste of citrus and spice follows. It's surprisingly light-bodied to boot, and you'll find yourself having another as soon as you finish one!
Minoh Beer is a major player in the Japanese craft beer scene, and as you would expect from such a brewery, their weizen is a high-quality brew. A soft mouthfeel complements the gentle wheat flavor and it's sweet but not cloying. Pair it with sausage or fried tofu and you'll be reaching for seconds and thirds!
Given that Marihana's name refers to the Japanese word for hops, it's no surprise that this beer packs a hoppy punch. With the grapefruity hop character prominent, and not even a hint of sweetness from the malts, it is a fairly potent brew and maybe not one for a first-time drinker.
But as with the other Coedo beers on this list, it's easy to find in Japan, so we'd recommend at least giving it a try!
Ginga Kogen Beer is a brewery from Iwate Prefecture, which is seeing an increase in breweries in recent years. They specialize in German-style beers, and this hefeweizen is no exception, made in the traditional southern German-style brewing method.
The flavor of this beer, in true German hefeweizen style, has a wheaty flavor reminiscent of baguettes or hotel bread. With very little bitterness, this beer is incredibly easy to drink, even for those who don't usually like beer.
YOHO Brewing's Wednesday Cat has a fragrant wheat flavor to it and a sweetness that's similar to grains like rice or even bread.
Surprisingly, given its rich wheat flavor, it didn't linger for long, and instead, we noticed this beer had a distinctly dry and sharp aftertaste to it. Compared to other Belgian whites, this was a pretty unique beer.
Heiwa Craft IPA from Heiwa Brewery, located in Wakayama Prefecture, is an IPA brewed for balance, making it easy to drink.
Unfortunately, this also means that for an IPA there were no standout flavors or features, with some of our testers even commenting that "it tastes pretty much like a regular beer". However, unlike most IPAs, we were able to taste the sweetness of the malt, which some may enjoy.
We gathered the 47 most popular craft beers available on e-commerce sites popular in Japan, like Amazon, Rakuten, and Kakaku.com, and tested them all.
We tested each product for the following:
Naturally, the biggest factor in choosing a craft beer is how it tastes. We rounded up six Japanese tasters from our editorial department, a mixture of frequent beer drinkers and people who were curious about beer, and had them taste all 47 beers.
They rated the overall taste on a scale of one to a hundred, which we broke down into a 0.1 to 5.0 point rating on each of the beer's individual aspects.
As IPAs are a very popular beer style among craft beer enthusiasts, we lined up several different kinds for our evaluation. However, despite the fact that they were all the same style, the results from our tasters were very diverse between them.
The highest ranked IPAs were noted for their prominent showcasing of the hops used to brew them. There were a variety of hop characters among these beers, but the most popular by far were the IPAs featuring tropical or fruity flavors and aromas.
Beyond the hop haze, other styles with high drinkability, like white beers and fruit beers, landed high on our ranking. On the other hand, barleywines and other beers with unique, less common flavors did not fare quite as well.
In addition to reviewing and commenting on our buying guide, Whiskey Richard and Manabu Sato also took the time to answer some commonly asked questions about Japanese beer.
Whiskey Richard says, "While there's no legal definition of craft beer in Japan, for all intents and purposes, a Japanese craft beer generally refers to any Japanese beer not made by the top 5 beer makers: Suntory, Kirin, Asahi, Sapporo, and Orion.
Pay close attention to the labeling of the beers, though, because it's not always evident. Some brands like Tokyo Sumidagawa Brewing try to portray a craft image, but in reality, they're simply craft beer projects and brands funded by these big beer companies."
"Japan's best-selling individual brand of beer, under the National Tax Agency's definition of beer, is (unsurprisingly) Asahi Super Dry," says Whiskey Richard. "In February 2022, Asahi started shipping Super Dry with a different recipe for the first time since the introduction of Super Dry in 1987.
The new recipe focuses specifically on the "Dry" component of Super Dry, but thus far the public seems divided on whether or not the changes were positive."
"Session beers with an alcohol percentage of 3.5 to 4.5% are trending right now," Manabu Sato says. "They're a lighter type of beer."
Manabu Sato explains, "IPAs differ in how their hops are used. Hops differ in flavor depending on where they're grown; America hops tend to have more citrus notes, and this is especially true for West Coast IPAs. New England IPAs have a more mellow mouthfeel, and the oats and wheat that are mixed in with the hops gives it more protein content. That's why they look cloudy and why they're sometimes referred to as Hazy IPAs."
"It's the same thing, yes," Manabu Sato explains. "More breweries are opting for cans over bottles lately because it blocks out sunlight, the enemy of beer."
Looking to broaden your horizons or fill up your liquor cabinet? Check out these other great drinks for more options to quench your thirst!
This expert reviewed the contents of the buying guide for accuracy and provided factual corrections when necessary. They did not participate in the product selection process, nor are they affiliated with any of our choices unless explicitly stated so.
No. 1: Hideji Beer|Kuri-Kuro Dark Chestnut Ale
No. 2: Kiuchi Brewery|Hitachino Nest White Ale
No. 3: Baeren Brewery|Baeren Classic|12 pack
No. 4: Kumezaka Beer|Daisen G Beer Weizen|30 pack
No. 5: Baird Brewing|Suruga Imperial IPA
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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