Stuff the spinach

Gary Hayden visits Bakusyu Club Popeye in Tokyo, one of Asia's best beer pubs

Forget sake – beer is Japan’s numberone alcoholic drink. Most of it is industrial lager produced by major breweries like Kirin, Asahi and Sapporo, but it’s also possible to enjoy some excellent ji-biru (‘regional beers’) if you know where to look.

One of the best places to look is Bakusyu Club Popeye, near the Grand Sumo Stadium in Tokyo.

Club Popeye boasts ‘40 Beers on Tap,’ mostly Japanese craft beers but with some carefully selected foreign beers thrown in for good measure. On one beer-lovers’ website, Popeye’s is described as ‘The best beer bar in Tokyo, possibly Japan, possibly Asia.’ Can it really be that good? On a recent visit to Japan, I got the chance to find out.

I arrived just as it was getting dark. I opened the door and was greeted by loud cries of Irrasshaimase! (welcome). The pub hadn’t yet started to fill up, so I was ushered past the mostly empty tables to a bar stool. None of the staff seem to speak much English. But Mr Aoki , the ‘beer master’ (pictured), greeted me with a nod and handed me an English menu with a magnificent selection of ji-biru. I ordered an Iwatekura IPA, eased back on my seat and took in the ambience.

The pub will seem small to visiting foreigners but is roomy by Tokyo’s standards. It’s nicely kitted out in polished brass and wood. The lighting is low, but there’s a heavenly gleam from the highly polished taps.

The patrons didn’t speak much English, and my Japanese doesn’t go much beyond biru o kudasai (I’d like a beer), but smiles.....

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By Gary Hayden

Section : Spotlight

Page number : 29