Premium Yebisu label
Yebisu (or Ebisu), the little, fat fisherman on the label of a bottle of Yebisu beer (left), is the Japanese god of fishermen. Actually, he has a few jobs. He is also god of good luck and workingmen. In his spare time he is the guardian of the health of small children.
Yebisu is my favourite Japanese beer so this called for a visit to Beer Museum Yebisu. And when I heard that they offered up a beer tasting tray at the tour finale I locked in my date with the fat fisherman and headed to the museum located at Yebisu Garden Place in Ebisu.
Let me get the important history bits out of the way before I move on to the beer. If I could take anything away from the history of the Yebisu beer it is the satisfaction in knowing that, in 40 years, the Yebisu beer girl has maintained a consistent cuteness.
Yebisu Girl 1968
Yebisu Girl 2008
Other unimportant history: The origins of Yebisu beer date back to 1887, when Nippon Beer Brewery started producing beer in the area then called Mita Village. The name “Yebisu” was adopted later and is a variation of the name of Ebisu, the surrounding town. Nippon Breweries, Ltd. changed its name to Sapporo Breweries, Ltd. in 1964.
At the entrance to the museum
The boring museum tour ended and we ended up at the main event – the Tasting Lounge. Here we bought our token for the infamed tasting tray from a vending machine. We then exchanged our token at the bar for a tray which consisted of 4 different Yebisu beers – a mixture of dark, wheat and lagers. I couldn’t choose a favourite, they were all good to me.
Beer Tasting Tray
Asahi Brewery Osaka
Kirin Brewery Yokohama
Top 15 Japanese Beer Girls
Kushikatsu
Peace
scott j
C Ohara
Chris
Japan Australia
Jay Dee
emuu
lina
freedomwv
Fidel
Haikugirl
amazing how the beer girl hasn’t aged a bit since 1968.
must be something in the beer!
yeah, the same ingredient in the beer has kept the beer girls chests flat for 40 years too!
i told you the museum was worth a visit. i thought it would be just for the beer at the end but it opened up a whole new cultural experience too…
i went there based on your advice, rob. the tasting lounge at the end is pretty good.
“I couldn’t choose a favourite, they were all good to me.”
Reminds me of when a friend and I set out to the combini to try and taste test all the main varieties of lager in search of our favorite. We were scientific, we even used little plastic cups.
The notes we (actually) made is a page full of comments like “outdoorsy,” “little angst?” “over time, not as offensive, like Japan,” and finally, “It’s fine, they’re all fine.”
Hi Jody, thanks for your comment.
I have an image now that you were in the combini, spittoon in hand, meticulously evaluating each beers bouquet, colour and clarity like a seasoned wine connoisseur.
“Mmmm, full body, fragrant aroma, good personality. What vintage is this one?”
“Ahhh, aisle 5, second shelf on the right!”