Kanpai Without the Headache: Japanese Alcohol-Free Craft Beer

Beer holds a special place in the hearts of people in Japan. Although the per capita consumption is nowhere near on par with beer-adoring countries like the Czech Republic or Germany, it is very common to hear the refrain of toriaezu nama! (let’s start with beer!) when friends or coworkers gather for dinner at an izakaya pub.

But what if, due to choice or circumstance, you cannot partake in this beloved ritual? No problem, Japanese drink companies have created many variants of non-alcoholic beer, and there are even a few bars that specialize in providing delicious alcohol-free options, such as Low Alcoholic Cafe Maruku.

Suzumo Sakurai, novelist and owner of the homey bar tucked away in Tokyo’s charming Gakugeidaigaku area, used to be very partial to an evening beer or two himself. He decided to take a few days to “detox” in January 2020, and discovered how much he loved how much more energetic and focused he felt. “My sleep was better, I suddenly had more time to watch movies, read books and just get stuff done,” he says.

Sakurai started to search for alcohol-free versions of his beloved beverage. He scoured the net trying all the non-alcoholic Japanese beers he could get his hands on, and after searching in English, a whole new world of craft non-alcoholic beers opened up to him. “I thought alcohol-free beer was a Japanese thing, like miso soup or canned coffee,” he recounts. “But then I found out that there were also European versions.”

As he sampled different varieties and began to learn more about Japanese non-alcoholic beers his passion blossomed, leading him to start an online shop specialized in alcohol-free beer varieties, swiftly followed by opening Low Alcoholic Cafe Maruku just a few months later.

His timing was fortuitous, as the sober curious movement that picked up steam around 2018-2019 in the United States has also reached the younger generation of potential Japanese beer consumers. In addition, Japan’s top beer companies have been further improving their range of alcohol-free beers and other beverages, as an increasing number of consumers are opting for these healthier options, especially for those who enjoy having a few drinks at home.

Although the availability of commercial beer-flavored beverages has increased considerably since (and partially due to) the pandemic, most people are still unaware of non-alcoholic craft beer. Currently there is only one brewery in Japan, CIRAFFITI, which specializes exclusively in alcohol-free brews. “You need both skill and passion to create truly great non-alcoholic beer, especially if that is what you specialize in,” says Sakurai. “In the United States and Scotland there are some breweries that only brew alcohol-free beer, but in Japan we are still just at the start of growth.”

However, if the quality of the current Japanese craft AF beers is any indication, the number of fans is likely to increase. Sakurai stocks a number of these headache-free brews at his bar, and recommends first timers try options by CIRAFFITI, Hitachino Nest and his own special-order Maruku AF Lager and Stout beers, created in collaboration with the Otaru Brewery in Hokkaido.

Established in 2022, CIRAFFITI is Japan’s first sober brewery, currently offering a small lineup of craft beers, of which we got to sample the Session IPA. A bright, light beer with a pleasing kick of bitterness from hops and slightly citrusy finish, it would fit in perfectly as an accompaniment to Japanese summer favorites like salted edamame or fried yakisoba noodles. The brewery uses special yeast and controls the fermentation process carefully to keep it slow, allowing them to retain the pleasing roundness of a regular craft beer, with minimal alcohol content.

The next beer on the menu is Sakurai’s own Maruku AF Lager, a much more powerful brew with a beautiful amber color. As in Japan beer with alcohol under 1% is labeled as alcohol-free, Maruku’s beers are a rarity, as they have no alcohol content whatsoever at 0.0%. But that does not mean that this lager is light in flavor, offering up a fragrant aroma palette of sweet potato and honey, with a creamy foam top. Sakurai recommends pairing it with bean-based dishes or umami-rich fish like salmon.

Hitachino Nest, a beer brand from the Kiuchi Brewery, also includes one alcohol-free option among their lineup of creative “regular” beers. Their Non Ale is a well-balanced brew with a light bubbliness, achieved by a low fermentation speed, which has won multiple awards at international competitions.

As a former connoisseur of alcoholic drinks, Sakurai is uncompromising when it comes to the quality and flavor of the alcohol-free options he serves to customers and sells via his web shop. “I don’t view it as that I stopped drinking, just that I changed the type of drink I choose,” he explains. “To entice the average beer consumer, non-alcoholic beer must be equally tasty, and also give that pleasant, heady sensation that makes a cold glass of beer so irresistible.”

At his bar, Sakurai aims to create an open and friendly place for all. “About 10% of my customers are sober curious, and I’d say half cannot drink alcohol at all,” he notes. “But the most interesting group are those who do drink, since we also offer alcoholic options. Thanks to all the alcohol-free brews we offer, they get curious and decide to try them out, and are often pleasantly shocked at how good our “hangover-free” beers are!”

With interest in alcohol-free options continuing to rise and growing interest in creating craft beer that anyone can enjoy, it seems that Japan’s culture of starting off a night out with a call of kanpai (cheers!) and clinking of frosty mugs of beer will continue to become more inclusive.