Yebisu Optimus Maximus

I became obsessed with Yebisu beer after my second trip to Japan, when I discovered it by going to the Yebisu beer museum appropriately located just outside Ebisu station. You buy some tokens from a vending machine and then you can get a beer tasting and beer snacks. There are like 6 different beers so you have to be prepare yourself if you want to catch them all -- just come on a morning or afternoon when you have nothing else going on (so, any day) and accept that you've arrived at the "publically intoxicated old man who DGAF" stage of your life.

Back in the states, I searched high and low for this beer, but didn't find it. Generally speaking, it's pretty easy to find Japanese beer in America -- any supermarket will likely have one of Sapporo/Kirin/Asahi, Whole Foods has Hitachino, you can probably pick up some Coedo from a hipster store somewhere, etc. And in fact, Yebisu the brewery is owned by Sapporo. But you cannot find Yebisu in anywhere in America. [0] This is because, according to me, Yebisu is the best and greatest beer and Japan is hoarding it for itself. Sure, they'll export the second-tier beer [1], but the good stuff stays at home.

Not only in America, but you can't find it in Asia either. The only place I managed to find Yebisu outside of Japan was in a Carrefour in Taipei, and they only carried it for like a couple months. This is because, according to me, Japan likes Taiwan better than the other Asian countries. You can measure the success or failure of your foreign relations program with Japan from the Yebisu index (how much Yebisu they are willing to send you).

You can find Yebisu in just about any convenience store in Japan

Smuggled into Vietnam after NYE trip to Tokyo

Yebisu will come out with seasonal flavors. Here is a cross promotion with Joel Robuchon that... was honestly not very good.

Since I couldn't source it in Asia, the only solution I came up with was to bring back Yebisu with me every time I went to Japan. When you run out, then that's when you know it's time to go to Japan again.

When I had to return to America to escape the pandemic in February (because as we now know, clearly that's the safest place to be during a pandemic, America), I had a layover in Narita. Unfortunately, the 7-11 in Narita did not carry any Yebisu

Not found at the 7-11 in Narita

There was free beer at the ANA lounge, but... it was Asahi. What am I, a farmer?

While hanging out at the lounge, suddenly there was a commotion. I went to investigate and found them giving out sushi as a mid-afternoon snack.

Also found in Narita: Fukubukuros being translated as "happy bags" instead of the more traditional "fukbags".

I looked around and eventually found the one restaurant in Narita that served Yebisu, in the food court

A hard won glass of Yebisu after wandering around Narita for like an hour. I paid 700 yen for this shit!

Anyway, the reason I'm was reminded of all this is because I recently came across something. Remember... the scene in Evangelion where Misato drinks some beer and then also her fridge is full of beer? It turns out that Misato drinks Yebisu lololol.

So there you have it, Misato knows her beer. By the way, I found out from talking to people in Japan that Yebisu is stereotypically thought of as an old man's beer. Make of that what you will.

0

While briefly contemplating an ill-timed move to NYC just before the pandemic hit, I found people claiming to have found Yebisu in something called a "Sunrise Mart". Sadly, upon physically going to the store this turned out to be nothing but lies.

1

Actually the Sapporo you buy in America is brewed in Canada so it's not even an export.