As you cannot step twice in the same river, you cannot twice
experience the same place, or the same beer. This rings especially true with
the artfully crafted and subtly traditional brewery of Isekadoya, nestled in
the heart of the charming village of Ise, Japan.
Ise Jingu on a Rainy Day |
Both Ise and Isekadoya have both seen much change in the
world during the course of their existence. The main shrine at Ise is rebuilt
every twenty years using fresh pine from the surrounding hills – this has
happened at least 62 times, with the next scheduled rebuilding of the shrine to
take place in 2033. This puts the age of the shrine at 1240 years old. Legend
has it that Ise-Jingu was in fact first constructed in 4BC. Christianity and
Islam did not exist when this temple was built. The Roman empire was at its
peak, as was Han China. Columbus had not visited America, the renaissance was
still well over a millennia away. And yet the temple and its grounds are manicured
and maintained with such precision that the hard work needed to maintain the timelessness
of this breathtaking location is truly something to behold. Perhaps this is the tradition of Ise, that of constant perfection and maintenance.
This approach resounds with the history of Isekadoya Microbrewery.
To quote the brewers themselves, “Endeavors worth doing always bring with them
certain ups and downs, mistakes and miscalculations and surely a lot of hard
work. Yet, if we pay close attention, there is a lot to learn from our
missteps—starting Ise Kadoya Brewery is proof positive of that.”
The Road Leading to Isekadoya |
Isekadoya has won multiple World Beer awards, including the
world’s best Brown Ale in 2010 (I am partial to the Kagura IPA and Sinto lager,
myself). They also won the best brewery in Japan award in 2009. Perhaps this is
in part due to their open fermentation tanks, a difficult method of
fermentation that can produce a smooth, easy-drinking beer. Open-fermentation also produces more variability without extremely tight controls, as wild yeast, microbes, and other particles in the air can now enter the beer and give it a distinct, old-world flair. This means that reiteration is likely a better term than reproduction for each beer brewed in such manner, with a very slight uniqueness imparted into each batch.
Isekadoya Microbrewery Taproom and Restaurant |
The brewpub location itself is easily missed if you do not
keep your eyes open – a small beer bar abuts the main pedestrian walkway in
town. You can grab a pint and a kakifraigushi (fried claims on a skewer) right
on the street and watch the world pass by. Or, walk past the small counter into
the bellows of the taproom and find yourself a seat. You will be treated to a historic Japanese atmosphere with a direct view of the meandering Isuzu
river.
Fried and Roasted Oysters - their Speciality! Multiple Beers to Wash them Down in the Background. |
Isekadoya Microbrewery: http://www.kadoyahonten.co.jp/English/
Ise Travel Information: http://wikitravel.org/en/Ise