The Sendai Brewery is completed
The Tohoku region was one of the company’s strategic sales bases and was also the slated site for the construction of a new brewery. In 1962, Kurada, located in Natori in Miyagi Prefecture, was selected from among ten candidate sites for the new plant. Construction began in summer of 1964. However, as the Tokyo Olympic Games came to a close, the Japanese economy fell into a slump. The “1965 Recession” led to a large-scale delay in the construction schedule. Construction resumed in 1968. In May of 1971, the Sendai brewery was finally completed.
Yebisu Beer goes back on the market
The slogan was: “Specialty Yebisu Beer: a delicacy reborn.”
In December of 1971, Yebisu Beer, a pre-war favorite, was brought back on the market. This marked the first time in 28 years that Yebisu was back on the market since the war, when production of all branded beer was halted in 1943. Rather than just bring the old brand back, the company decided to commoditize it in a varied lineup that included a high quality beer and a German-style beer. Yebisu Beer was thus back as Japan’s first 100% malt specialty beer.
What went into recreating the Yebisu brand
Per the 1516 Reinheitsgebot laws in Germany, German-style beer must be made only from barley, hops, and water. This makes German beer 100% malt-based and free of rice, corn, or other additives. However, the braumeister team in those days had been accustomed to using other ingredients in our beer, so this was a major hurdle for them. They had never tried their hand at a 100% malt brew. Yet they overcame the adversity and developed a rich and complex brew.