When we started FiftyFifty Brewing in 2006, we never dreamed it would take us as far as it has. We’ve grown a business, a family, a team and a beer brand. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing people enjoy beer we’ve made, and the experiences that come with those moments. As we’ve expanded, FiftyFifty is now sold in 13 countries (our 14th, China, opens up next month). We’ve been exporting beer to Japan for 6 years, and finally had the opportunity to come visit personally last year. The reception for FiftyFifty here in Japan has been amazing - and it was an absolute must for us to come back this year.
Andy and I had a whirlwind tour exploring the beer scene in Japan. We hit bars, pubs, breweries and stores in Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, and Tokyo. Japan is a relatively new scene for craft beer, but it’s such an enthusiastic audience. There’s a thirst (both literal and figurative) for new styles, flavors, formats and experiences.
While in Japan, we had the opportunity to do a collaboration with Y-Market Brewing in Nagoya, which was so much fun. They make really great beers, and have been big fans of our "Red Is The New Black IPA" for years. So along with our friends at Heretic Brewing, we conspired on a new Red IPA recipe on their original pilot system. Stay tuned for more on this from our brewers.
We started FiftyFifty Brewing after years of spending our vacation time hitting brew pubs wherever we went. It’s a dream for us to now live this life where we get to deliver this experience to our customers, and travel the world to share this experience with other people in the industry. We have made so many friends out here in Japan, and are really honored to be a part of their beer scene.
See you next year, Japan!
-Alicia & Andy