Japan's First Craft Mead Brewery Opens at ANTELOPE in Yasu

Leaf KYOTO Shiga Japan's first craft mead brewery opens at ANTELOPE in Yasu

2022.10.25

From left to right: Antelope Sling (¥2,860), a perfect match for meat dishes; Kinoshita (¥2,860), which spreads the juicy acidity and bitterness of pink grapefruit; and What Churchill Said (¥2,420), a signature mead that can be enjoyed like a cocktail.

Japan's first craft mead brewery opens at ANTELOPE in Yasu

Eleven production tanks were installed on the site of a former bakery. Mead is an alcoholic beverage made with honey, water, and yeast, and craft mead is made by adding various fruits, spices, and other secondary ingredients, or by incorporating beer techniques. The possibilities are endless, and "This is interesting!" was the impetus for starting the company.

I visited a world-class craft beer festival and was shocked by the mead I happened to drink. I wanted to promote mead that was not available in the Japanese market. The company's vision is "to create a fantastic connection through alcohol. We want it not only to taste good, but also to connect people with each other," says brewer Tanizawa.

Mr. Tanizawa (right) began researching craft beer while a student at Kyoto University's Faculty of Agriculture. While training at a brewery in Shizuoka, he met the owner, Mr. Fukui, in Osaka and founded ANTELOPE in 2020. Mr. Okachan (left) joined the staff of ANTELOPE after reading Mr. Tanizawa's blog and becoming interested in the company.

They poured us their signature mead, "What Churchill Said". Inspired by gin and tonic, the mead is smooth, sweet, and quite drinkable, like a cocktail made with micro-fizzy wine.

What Churchill Said2420 yen. Made with juniper berry, a spice used in gin, and lime. The sweetest in the lineup, it can be enjoyed like a cocktail.

The variety of tastes makes it attractive for people to choose according to the occasion, such as during or after a meal at a restaurant, camping, or outdoor events. We are looking forward to Tanizawa's next ideas," he says, "and hope to provide many opportunities for people to connect with each other, such as through independent events.

ANTELOPE

antelope
551 Nagahara, Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture
5 min. walk from bus stop "Nagahara Jutaku Mae".
Tel: None
Open irregularly (check the website for business days)
1 parking lot
https://antelopebeer.com/

*Please note that the information contained herein is subject to change without notice.
*Since this site uses automatic translation, the translation may differ from the original Japanese content.

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