Let's Nomihodai happy!
"World Craft Beer Festivall" at Sunshine 60 Bldg.
at the Bunka Kaikan Hall
Location: At Sunshine 60, Bunka Kaikan (cultural center/hall) on the 3rd floor, Hall C
Time: from 1pm to 8pm this Saturday and Sunday Sept. 18, 19
Advance tickets from Lawson, Ticket Pia, etc. 3,200 yen <or> 3,800 yen at the door.
url: http://www.wcbf.jp
General map to Sunshine 60: http://www.japan.com/travel/cities/ikebukuro_map.php
Wayne at Tokyo PC users Group wrote:World Craft Beer Festival
September 18th & 19th 1 pm to 8 pm
Ikebukuro Sunshine City - Bunka Kaikan 3F Hall C
http://www.tokyopc.org/cgi-bin/webnews/readnews?I=%3ccibvh4%24qa5%241%40big.tokyopc.org%3e
Tickets: 3,200 yen in advance, 3,800 yen at the door
Sponsor: Nippon Broadcasting
Support: Good Beer Club, Japan Craft Beer Association Cooperation: Beer Club Popeye, Yaho Brewing Company (Yona Yona Ale), Kiuchi Shuzo (Hitachino Nest Beer), Seiwa, Mokuya, Toshin-Brussels
By Toshi Ishii
This is the first World Craft Beer Festival event, sponsored by Nippon Broadcasting (AM 1242), and will offer some 100 kinds of beer on draught, including 10 real ales from Japanese microbreweries, and some import beers from Belgium and the USA. Some 20 Japanese microbreweries will be represented at the event, and all beers will be served through taps or hand pumps only. The admission price gets you all the beer you can drink (though those who are unable to remain standing may be asked to leave). Some types of beer may run out, so go early to avoid disappointment.
Also of note will be the appearance of nine beers that have won awards at the World Beer Cup. They are Hitachino Nest White Ale, Nasu Kogen Scottish Ale, Swan Lake Amber and Porter, Allagash White (Maine USA), Blue Point Toasted Lager and ESB (New York USA), Sierra Nevada Stout (California USA), and Victory Hop Devil (Pennsylvania USA). Presumably, those who show up early have a chance at tasting these beers before they run out.
The event will also be a chance to meet key people in Japan's beer scene, such as Bryan Baird, who will be attending on Saturday, and Phred Kaufman of Ezo Beer, who plans to be there both days. There will also be retail booths selling beer in bottles and cans for take-away or home delivery.
Aoki-san of Popeye and I have organized all the volunteers, who are mostly members of the Good Beer Club. The volunteers will wear uniforms, sort of like a bartender's outfit, when serving tap beers. I will be in charge of all the handpumps dispensing real ale.
While at normal beer festivals each participating brewery has a booth, at this festival there will only be four booths, each for styles of beer from different countries: American, Belgian, British and German. For example, the American booth will feature American-style beers from Japanese microbreweries, such as Swan Lake Porter, Taiko Ale and Yona Yona Ale.
Tickets may be purchased in advance at Beer Club Popeye in Ryogoku, Beer House Kura Kura in Shimokitazawa, and at 7-Eleven, Family Mart, Lawson, and Sankus convenience stores. For more details, go to http://www.wcbf.jp or phone 0180-99-3544 (24 hours, in Japanese).