I want to make beer that I think is good on my own responsibility.
Ishii: How did the beer making process proceed?
Horizontal groove: Our beer is made by Yohei Kawamura, a brewer at Hobo Brewing.
Ishii: Why did you ask that person to do it?
Horizontal groove: There is a craft beer specialty store in Sapporo called "BEER CELLAR SAPPORO," and its owner, Mr. Morioka, is a friend of "South 2 I first consulted with the owner, Mr. Morioka, who is an acquaintance of Mr. Miura of South2West8, and he introduced me to Mr. Kawamura. I first consulted with him, and that is how I was introduced to Mr. Kawamura. Mr. Kawamura is a Hokkaido brewer, and we wanted to stick to Hokkaido. So he was really the right person for the job.
Ishii: So you have incorporated the concepts of the four brands.
Horizontal groove: That's right. This is the process of expressing the individuality of each brand in the beer. We told "Hobo Brewing" what we wanted, and they gave it shape.
Ishii: There are many different styles of craft beer, like IPAs, but each style is different when you look at the label.
Horizontal groove: Mr. Kawamura balanced the production of four different kinds of beer at the same time. The difficult thing about making beer is that you can't sample it during production. With clothing, you can make samples, but with beer, you can only imagine what the finished product will taste like. So experience really does count.
Ishii: You mean a one-shot deal?
Horizontal groove: That's right. Mr. Kawamura himself has a unique background. He used to make beer without his own brewery, called Phantom Brewing. He rents a brewery somewhere and diligently researches the beers he wants to make himself.
Ishii: I guess I imagine it is like borrowing from someone else. You were producing in small quantities, but in that way you were seeking a quality that you were satisfied with.
Horizontal groove: When you try to make beer at a large company, you inevitably end up making beer for the masses. Mr. Kawamura wants to make beer that he thinks is good on his own responsibility. That is the path he is taking.
Ishii: I have the image that many craft beer makers have such an alternative spirit.
Horizontal groove: Mr. Kawamura seems to be exactly like that. He was not that fond of beer to begin with. But after meeting a certain beer, his eyes were opened and he started training to become a brewer.
Ishii: It's true that drinking craft beer changes your concept of beer.
Horizontal groove: Our image of beer is that of the taste of beer made by major breweries. However, craft beer tastes completely different. Even the same lager can taste different if the brewer changes, and that is the charm of craft beer. It makes me want to drink different kinds of beer one after another, and it broadens my palate. Besides, craft beer can be drunk before, during, or after a meal. Even if you don't have any snacks, you can drink it slowly like wine.
Ishii: There is the fun of finding good beer, the fun of drinking it, and the fun of sharing it with others, which really has all kinds of appeal.
