Beer and craftsman

It was decades ago that I knocked on the doors of German brewing specialists to learn their authentic manufacturing techniques. I still vividly remember the flavor of a beer I enjoyed, almost trembling, when I first arrived in Munich. At the very moment of drinking, the feelings of the beer’s creator became clear to me.

We remain committed to creating beer that truly conveys our own feelings in this way. “Beer you’ll never tire of, no matter how much you drink”—this is the German style we aim for.

Because our customers choose to drink a premium beer, and so they can enjoy each drink to the fullest, we are committed to painstakingly producing beer that customers will keep ordering with a smile—beer that evolves to meet the changing needs of our customers.

Fujizakura Heights Beer Production Manager  Tentsu Miyashita

Brewer

Each and every process is performed by a brewer with advanced techniques,
born from careful and painstaking manual work.

Manufacturing process

Making the wort

Beer brewing begins by placing pulverized malt and hot water into a vessel and heating them together with the sugar necessary for fermentation in order to make wort. The sugar level required varies depending on the beer, and the degree of pulverization and temperature must be adjusted accordingly.

This precise craftsmanship must account for changes in climate and ingredients that vary day by day.

Adding hops

After filtering to remove solids from the wort, hops are added and the liquid boiled. This is the principal process for producing the bitter flavor and aroma of beer.

To create beer that truly conveys our feeling, we consider infinite combinations of malt and hops, maintaining flavor and sometimes even evolving it.

Natural carbonation

After adding hops to the wort, we cool it to a temperature where yeast can be active, and then add yeast. The yeast’s action causes the sugar to transform into alcohol and carbonic acid, fermenting the liquid. This is the moment of birth of young beer.

Naturally carbonated beer that emerges during fermentation without artificially added carbonation consistently delights us with fine, creamy foam.

Growing the yeast

As yeast is a living organism, it undergoes various changes when the environment changes. These changes can be good or bad.

The yeast used in Fujizakura Heights Beer is manufactured in open tanks, in which the top of the fermentation tank is left open. Keeping the tank open makes it more likely to be affected by bacteria, because it is in contact with the external environment, and the process takes more care; however, it allows us to see the fermentation and check for changes by aroma.

And there is one more advantage. This allows the yeast to recover. Normally, yeast is used only once per batch, but with Fujizakura Heights Beer, the same yeast is used continuously two or three times. This does not mean it is simply recycled. Continuous use enables us to use yeast that has grown accustomed to the water of Mt. Fuji.

This is the secret of delicious beer. We cultivate the yeast that we use. Let us share one of our secrets.

From aging and storage to the customer’s hand

Beer that has undergone primary fermentation is stored at low temperatures. Secondary fermentation is still progressing at this stage, which mellows the aroma and flavor as well as continuously naturally adding carbon dioxide, resulting in a highly matured beer.

The finished beer is stored in our final product tanks. After completion, there is absolutely no further boiling or filtration, allowing you to enjoy the natural aroma and flavor of fresh yeast. As a brewery, we are committed to bottling straight from the product tank and delivering beer directly from the brewery with unsurpassed freshness and in the best condition. Each delivery is packed to order and shipped directly to the customer.

We want to make better beer, and we want to see the smiles of people enjoying a beer in one hand.
We keep those smiles in mind as we devote ourselves to our daily work.