USA & Japan: US Brooklyn Brewery to start brewing its lager in Japan in February

New York-based Brooklyn Brewery will start producing lager in Shiga Prefecture in February under a partnership with Kirin Co. to tap into Japan’s growing craft beer market, the U.S. brewer’s CEO said Dec. 15.

Eric Ottaway told The Asahi Shimbun his company’s signature beverage, Brooklyn Lager, will be bottled at Kirin’s Shiga factory in Taga, mainly for delivery to restaurants and bars across Japan.

Brooklyn Lager is known for its citrusy flavor. But Ottaway said different types of beer will eventually be produced at the factory, and he hopes to develop unique products using Japanese fruits and spices.

First joining hands in October, Brooklyn Brewery and Kirin plan to establish a joint company in January to produce and sell craft beer. The two companies’ sales target is about 500 kilolitres of Brooklyn Brewery beer in the first year.

The Japanese craft beer market has more than tripled in size over the past five years. Shipments of microbrew in 2016 are estimated at 47,000 kL, compared with 14,000 kL in 2011.

16 December, 2016