Microbrewery
Japanese: マイクロブルワリー
A small-scale brewery producing beer. Since deregulation in 1994, unique breweries have emerged across Japan.
A microbrewery is a small-scale beer brewery with relatively low annual production. In Japan, a 1994 tax law revision lowered the minimum production requirement from 2,000 to 60 kiloliters, enabling small-scale brewing. Beers reflecting local water, regional adjunct ingredients, and each brewer's personality stand apart from uniform mass-produced beers. The rise of microbreweries reflects growing consumer interest in who made the beer, where, and how. The appeal of microbreweries is seeing the brewer's face. What thoughts, ingredients, and flavor goals drive them—when you see the person behind the beer, a single glass's value changes.