Beer is made up of 90% water, so the type of water directly influences the quality of the beer.
One famous example of this is the story behind Pilsner beer, which was first produced in 1842 in Pilsen, Czech Republic. They invited brewers from Munich to brew lager beer, the same way they did back in Germany, but the local yeast of Pilsen produced a lighter colored beer compared to the dark amber color typical of the Munich style.
With this unanticipated difference in color, they assumed the whole experiment was a failure. But after taking a sip, they were amazed at the smoothness of the beer and its delicate creamy foam. It wasn’t a failure, but rather the creation of a whole new golden beer, all thanks to a difference in the water. While Munich has hard water, the water in Pilsen is soft. That one difference changed the beer dramatically.
Pilsner, also known as pale lager, is now a beer that is popular all over the world, including Japan. Craft Beer brewery Moon Light's "Tama no Izumi" is also a golden pale lager that’s light-bodied and easy to drink. It’s said to have been named after the headwaters of the Tama River.
Moon Light often names their beers after different regions in Japan. Besides “Tama no Izumi”, they also have “Edomae” and “Masugata Castle,” which refer to the old-Kawasaki city and a castle in Tama Hills respectively. They actually derive their beer names from suggestions from the locals.
Moon Light Craft Beer has gone the traditional route and uses the handmade brewing methods of Europe and the United States instead of machines. By using small barrels called Unikeg that only hold up to 5 gallons (19 liters), they can age and ferment their beer in a small space, and even fit the kegs inside a normal fridge when they need to control their temperature. By doing so, they can produce a variety of beer in a limited space. Moon Light brews more than 10 types of beers in a space smaller than 6 square meters, or 64 square feet.
Another way they make effective use of their limited space is by brewing specialty seasonal beers. These seasonal beers use local ingredients such as Tamagawa pear and blueberries, and they are very particular about finding the right farmer and taste. For example, the farmers who grow the Tama River pears for the appropriately named “Tama River Pear Beer” study in detail about soil conditions, and this dedication shows through in their product.
"Moon Light is a brewery for the locals. I want to make beer that’s loved by its people,” said the owner. It’s a brewery that takes pride in local production for local consumption.
