WEEK 215---TOKYO 2023--KANDA/ AKIHABARA

Into 2024, let's continue with the Tokyo beer trip weekly column article published on the last day of 2023 before putting the Tokyo articles( 2 more to go) on hold to accomodate for the customary 2023 Most Memorable beer/mead list come next blog posting.

进入2024，由于报纸专栏是双周刊，所以把这期2023最后一天刊登的東京啤游记上载後，接下来还有两期的東京啤游记会稍缓押后让位给年度酒单。

Here's we go:-

Yamanote JR Line is a vital link to Tokyo rail system & a very useful guiding route for first time visitors to Tokyo, personally this is the easiest reference point/guiding light for the seemingly complex (or intimidating to first timer) Tokyo rail system. Along the circle of Yamanote Line, Kanda & Akihabara are next to each other--in fact within walking distance if you wish to sober up or shake off some calories after say drinking at Akihabara and wanted to continue drinking or eating at Kanda or vice versa. Of course, if you don't wish to walk then it's easy--just hop on a train since the bars mentioned below are all quite close to JR stations.

山手线是東京重要的一条环状电车路线，是很多本地人和游客都会使用的日常出行路线，无论是内环还是外环线路基本都可以到达城里大部份地区，而且站和站之间距离有时候用走路方式就可到，像秋叶原站和神田站之间就是直接能走到的，意思是如果在其中一区喝了酒然后想到另一站其他酒吧喝的话，以漫步消耗一些酒精卡路里的方式走着去是个不错选择,当然要是不想走路去，电车站就在附近很是方便。

Beer Ma Kanda

Been to this bottle shop/bar place prior to Covid blank us all from travelling overseas--this is a branch out from their start-up shop at Kita Senju where it started as a purely for take out bottle shop--the original shop has also evolved into a bottle shop/bar set up now.

This Kanda shop has 2 levels--step in and it's a bar with 8 taps + small kitchen for some bar food. Go 1 floor up and that's where all bottles/cans are stored in a long line of fridges--you can either drink down stairs or upstairs--no issue if you only wanted to pick beers from upstairs bottles/cans and drink downstairs--or have your order from taps sent upstairs.

This is a revisit after about 4 years--good to see that the place did not got stuck in time in terms of breweries/beer styles choices--besides some in trend Japanese breweries choices--they do have some newer/sought after US/European choices.

这是家本店位于比较远离市中心地区（北千住）原本只是较大型瓶子店的转型分店，从之前本店只卖外带瓶子罐子变成可以坐在店里喝酒吃点东西也可以只来买外带啤酒的酒吧瓶子店。

店分两层，楼下是酒吧模式有啤酒泵酒单选择也可以点些酒吧轻食，上楼即可看到一排长长的冰柜内列各种来自欧美以及一些日本在地酿坊瓶子和罐子选择，想在楼上开喝也可以，楼上楼下是通用的。意思是可以点楼下啤酒泵版本到楼上喝，也可以拿楼上瓶子罐子到楼下喝。

这家的选酒还有店内氛围是很在地，实际上几年前已来过，这次是旧地重游，观察到的是店里选酒并没有守旧停滞不前而是与时俱进，一些新晋欧美或日本酿坊作品都能找到。

Mikeller Kanda

This is the 2nd outlet in Tokyo and been around for quite a while--this time around somehow did not visit the Shibuya first bar as i went to the fairly new 3rd outlet operating from a lobby floor of a hotel the other side of Shibuya--as i was at Kanda and it's within short walking distance between Mikkeller & Beer Ma--only logical to visit both on the same evening.

Rather small place but with 3 floors--all with sitting facilities--step in its more of a small kitchen than a bar as the taps are located at 2nd floor--3rd floor with more sitting places--the only concern here is the steep wooden steps to climb up & down--be careful of your steps especially if you have had one too many....

There are 12 taps--including Mikkeller's own+ guests beer choices--did not notice a fridge or asked for a bottle list so assuming none( but don't take it from me--ask if you are curious or want to find out)--went on a weekday evening--place was quiet and cosy.

米吧在東京开的第二家酒吧，至今已开了好几年，这次终于有机会去看看坐坐喝喝。酒吧开在距离神田站不远小巷子里，店面分三层，楼下是轻食小厨房，吧台啤酒泵在二楼不过要是选择坐在楼下的话可以楼下直接点酒，侍者会帮你拿点好的啤酒下来，不得不提的是要注意上下二楼和三楼的木梯很陡，要是喝多了真的需要注意小心移动。

酒单选择基本和涉谷本店方针一样，意思是吧台12个啤酒泵除了有Mikkeller 本身不同作品也会有其他友好酿坊作品选择，因为没看到冰柜选择所以很大可能并没有瓶子或罐子可选喝，不过要是去到感觉好奇的话还是可以问一下酒保的。

IBrew--Akihabara

One of the bars suggested by my Tokyo beer friend while deciding where to meet on the first day--apparently they have a few bars in and around different areas of Tokyo( 1 at Yokohama too)--good thing is you can check online what's on tap currently since they have different choices available at different locations even though this is essentially a "chain-store" sort of bars with same name.

This one is further away from the usual bustling anime area/crowd of Akibahara--but not too far to walk to--in fact if you know which JR station exit to come out from then it's even easier/shorter to walk.

Located on the ground floor of a commercial building--from the outside this bar look kinda like a temporary wooden shack--once inside it's bigger than what the outside might have suggested--and rather cosy too--there's bar area as well sitting areas--with a rather big kitchen too. Taps with all those temp control on board looks quite impressive--but most important to a geek is all about selections available--came for some in trend Japanese breweries choices including Uchu x GreenCheek collab brew on tap--as well Amakusa Sonar Beer--all good. Perhaps only miss out was not trying any food as I came in after food.

東京啤迷朋友第一天约见面时建议到的其中一家就是这个品牌酒吧，上网看了才知道原来是在城里不同地区包括银座，惠比寿，新橋还有横滨等地有好几家分店的“连锁式”酒吧，不过每家分店当日选酒不尽相同，所以去之前看一下官网的当日酒单才决定哪一家分店会有帮助，实际上市场行销观点来说这也符合了不同喝酒人各取所需的要求。

去的这家距离秋叶原最热闹商区有点路程但走路可到，店开在大路旁巷子里铁路高架桥对面一栋建筑楼下，乍一看还有点临时搭出来小木屋感觉，走进去的直观感受明显比外观宽敞舒适，这是有厨房的酒吧，店内有用餐座位也有吧台位，啤酒泵一字排开看起来很有架势，除了因为数量多也因为上面密密麻麻的都是温度控制装置，当然最重要还是当日选酒，虽然日本不同地区在地酿坊选酒占了大多数但其实符合了个人这次不刻意寻找欧美酿坊作品喝到心态，在这里喝到了几款不同日本人气酿坊的高质量新鲜作品。