Tasting

What does craft beer from Kansai taste like? Mostly clean, precisely crafted, and not too loud. A stout like the one from Minoh—according to the brewery, featuring coffee, dark chocolate, and a soft body—shows this well: bold in aroma yet dry on the finish, making it a good match for fried food too.

As a counterpoint, there's Momo from Minoh, a peach beer. You catch the aroma of ripe fruit, though the flavor itself is rather light. Anyone who isn't fond of fruity beers should limit the tasting to a small glass. A third worthwhile option is Kyoto Beer from Kizakura, brewed with the house's own sake yeast. Kyoto Brewing rounds out the lineup with Belgian-inflected beers and IPAs, which can also be sampled straight from the can.

The glass should suit the beer. Pale lager tastes best in a slender glass or a handled mug, called jokki in Japan. Stout and aromatic craft beers open up best in a tulip glass or beer mug, where the aromas can gather. Well-chilled lager is typically served at around 4 to 7 degrees Celsius, while stout is enjoyed a bit warmer, at around 8 to 12 degrees.

Foam matters when pouring. Draft beer, called nama in Japanese, often arrives in the glass topped with a firm white crown that protects the aroma. The well-known phrase "Toriaezu nama" roughly means "a draft beer to start." For a toast, you say kanpai. A small glass is enough for tasting, since the aromas reveal themselves within the first few sips.