Yo-Ho Brewing

I remember being in Tahara two years ago when a friend first told me about Yona Yona. I knew that I had seen it in the local Atsumi Foods before, but up until that point I had never tried it. You see, when I first came (like many of you) I was just tickled pink by all the “new and exciting” Japanese brews that lined the shelves of the grocery stores and the convenience stores. Everytime that one of the Big Four put out a “seasonal” brew, I was all over it. I learned my lessons. Japanese macro-brews tend to disappoint…though there have been a few expections.
Back to the point…there sat Yona Yona Ale, a standout looking beer among many that just seemed to blend in. The nice yellow can with its simple design holds great beer. Now, even though this beer is award winning—it’s probably not going to blow ‘ya damn socks off. Day in and day out (or should I say...every night??...get it???) Yona Yona is just great beer. It has just the right amount of malt, just the right amount of hops—a great balance that creates a brew that you can drink all night an still enjoy, but packs enough taste for those out there who just want to sip.
Recently, I found out why Yo-Ho Brewing—the makers of Yona Yona, makes such good beer. You see, Yo-Ho also makes Tokyo Black, Aooni IPA, and in 2008 they made their seasonal ESB. What is their secret to making all of these good beers? To properly tell that, I have to take you back to KY…

So there we were, sitting at Galvin’s, my local pub in Georgetown. After a few brews, we decided to venture back to the apartment to drink a brew that I had picked up earlier in the day at the Liquor Barn…Stone’s Ruination IPA. I had had Stone IPA before, and it quickly had become my favorite. I thought that the Ruination might be good too. Was I wrong…. Ruination is better than good, but watch out. It’s a hop kick in the teeth and an alcohol punch in the liver. If you aren’t careful, this beer will live up to its name and “Ruin” your night. Trust me.

You may be asking yourself...How does Stone’s Ruination IPA tie in with Yo-Ho brewing here in Japan? Well, guess where Toshiyuki Isii, Yo-Ho’s brewery director learned to brew? You guess it, at Stone in California. He spent three years learning the ropes from some of the best beer makers in America, and it shows.
Many breweries can make one stellar beer, but it takes talent and something special to crank out good brew after good brew. These guys have something special. They are also pioneers in the ‘real ale’ movement, and their beer can be procured from a hand tap at many pubs.

The thing about Yo-Ho’s brews that put it over the top is the price. All of their beer’s are available at fairly reasonable prices, and can be found all over Japan. It is easy to go for a Yona Yona at only 260 yen; much easier than dropping 500 yen for one of Kinshachi’s brews. I believe Aooni is available for 280 yen at Seijo Ishii International Store in Kanayama. I am a big fan of Aooni, considering that it is an American style IPA at 7% alcohol, and it costs me the same as a Super Dry tall boy. I’ll take the Aooni any day of the week.
I have said before that I think that Hida Takayama Agricultural Brewing Company makes the best beer in Japan—looking at their brewery as a whole. Nate doesn’t agree. However, we do agree that Yo-Ho makes the best beer in Japan for the best price. A can of Takayama brew will set you back about 550 yen. That adds up quick.

If you have never tried Yona Yona, you need to tonight. It’s worth it. As a matter of fact, I’m going to walk to the supermarket near here and get some. The beauty of being in the big city.

Cheers.