Hey guys, I’ve just recieved orders across the water. I started brewing about a year ago, and I’m looking forward to doing many more.
Anyone here been deployed or worked in Okinawa? Have any good tips on how to get supplies without losing your shirt, or brew clubs that might still be running?
There’s a lot of stuff going on in Japan these days with the craft beer scene. Try to contact the guy in this article:
and here’s another useful link: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/25/travel/25iht-trbeer.1.7628424.html
Looks like you might be able to find stuff fairly easily.
Army/Navy/Marines/AF?
Marines!
I’ll check out the article.
I’m excited to hear there is a craft brew scene at all. I was worried.
Thanks for your service to our country and good luck on getting your supplies.
I was stationed there at Kinser back in '85-87. I wasn’t homebrewing at the time. When you’re not drinking your own, enjoy the Kirin and Sapporro in vending machines out in town. Yes, you can drink and urinate out in town in public legally, if things haven’t changed. It’s a male dominated country. Just don’t do #2 because it is a desecration and will land you in jail. Oh Yeah, If it’s still available, stay away from the bombers of Red Horse Ale imported from the Philippines. I recall blistering hangovers from it. Fusel alcohols out the wazoo. Enjoy the diving, yaki soba etc. Yakatori (chicken dick on a stick) 
Semper Fi!
Oorah, you brewed up a Chesty Puller ale yet?
Don’t forget to try the “weird” stuff they’ve got over there too - there’s a great after dark food scene, lots of izakaya have interesting things on the menu.
Not yet! ;D
I’ve been looking over the mail order brew supply places and right now I don’t see anyone that ships over seas. Has anyone dealt with this before, and maybe know a good supply company that ships to Japan?
No APO? I know there are some out there that’ll ship to an APO.
My dad’s not too far from these guys, and he asked them about international, apparently they do it: http://www.highgravitybrew.com/ APO/FPO shipping should be way cheaper than UPS or FedEx, I’d think.
Got a recipe for that? I’d love to brew it for my dad and uncle who are Marines. Although, they’ll snivel about drinking beer brewed by an Army puke, lol.
I live in Seoul, South Korea and work on the Army base at Yongsan. I get my supplies online from Williams Brewing (williamsbrewing.com), Mountain Homebrew (mountainhomebrew.com), and Hops Direct (hopsdirect.com)… I’ve also gotten supplies from High Gravity Brewing someone mentioned earlier. You should have an APO AP address, so as long as your stuff isn’t over 70 lbs or over a certain size limit. I’ve ordered 55-lb bags of two-row malt from Williams with no problems at all. You just might want to do something nice for your mail person… give them a few beers maybe!
Sure: the idea is Maroon and Gold, i.e. a red ale brewed with wheat.
Chesty Puller Maroon and Gold OoorahAle
OG: 1.054
FG: 1.017
36 IBU
18 deg SRM
4.9% Finished ABV
Grain bill:
7 1/2 lbs Wheat Light Malt
3/4 lbs American Caramel Malt (60L)
1/2 lb Victory Malt (~72L)
3/4 lb CaraMunich III
1/2 lb CaraMunich I
2 oz Roasted Barley
Hops:
1oz Liberty @ 60mn
1oz Vanguard @ 30mn
1oz Challenger @ 5mn
(See the trend?)
Yeasties:
WLP862 Cry Havoc
I think some Aussie and New Zealand homebrew supply shops ship to Asia.
Finally moved in here in Okinawa. I guess now I need to see if there are any local homebrewers here on the island.
Any AHA forumers around these parts?
Regarding mail order, this place gives a 15% military discount: http://www.hoptech.com/
Never ordered from them before, but I’ve heard their ads on the BN…
Cheers
My dad was in the Air Force when I was born till I was 12 (then he went to work for NASA). We lived on Okinawa from 1960 to 1965, so I was there from age 5 - 10. We lived off-base in Awasi for a year, then lived on base at Kadena AFB the rest of our time there. I’m sure things are completely different now, but back then it was a great place to grow up! Okinawa was a US possesion back then. If you called an Okinawan Japanese they would correct you, “i am Okinawan not Japanese!”
We loved to go to Ishikawa Beach on the weekends. As a kid that’s what I lived for. I learned how to fish from the docks at White Beach.
Funny thing - I have quite a few Okinawan friends here on Hawaii Island who have never been to Okinawa. They think it’s cool that I lived there and ask me what it was like to grow up there. Many things here remind me of Okinawa. That’s part of why I like it here so much. I can get real Okinawan kine yaki soba here!
I didn’t start homebrewing till 24 years after I left there so I can’t help you much on that front.
I hope you enjoy your time there. Thank you for your service!