A 5-minute walk from Nagoya Municipal Subway "Fushimi Station", the beer bar BRICKLANE stands in the business district. It is a popular shop where you can enjoy handcrafted hamburgers with handmade buns and patties, as well as draft beer from overseas barrels.

The craft beer imported directly from the United States is so popular that it sells out within a few days when the arrival information is posted on SNS. The beer they stock varies according to the season, so no matter how many times you visit, you will never get tired of it.

brick lane entrance

Casual atmosphere

Mr. Junya Morita, the owner of Brick Lane, is also active in a wide range of activities, such as running a Used like new beer store, selling craft beer at an online shop, and publishing a craft beer map of Nagoya every month. And now he is working hard to launch his own brewery.

This time, we asked Mr. Morita about the appeal of Brick Lane and its future prospects.

Brick Lane Owner: Junya Morita

You can always taste 8 to 9 types of barrel draft beer
BRICK LANE

-How did you come to open Brick Lane?

Mr. Morita: “Brick Lane opened in July 2014. I used to work at a British pub in Tokyo, but after getting married, my wife and a friend were talking about wanting to open a restaurant. I'm from Aichi Prefecture, so I wanted to open a store in Nagoya.

I had always been involved with beer, so I thought it would be nice to have a craft beer shop, but I was shocked to find that there weren't many places to drink foreign craft beer in Nagoya at the time. However, I decided to open a store because I felt that there was room for growth because it was small. ”

-After 7 years, do you feel that there are more craft beer shops now?

Ms. Morita: "Yes. We create a 'Nagoya Craft Beer Map' every month, and when it was first published in 2015, there were 8 stores, but now there are 28."

"Craft Beer ZINE" with the Nagoya Craft Beer Map

Go to U.S.A. and negotiate directly!
Commitment to craft beer

-What is your commitment to the craft beer you serve at Brick Lane?

Mr. Morita: “Brick Lane mainly sells craft beer from overseas, and we carefully select the ones that are fresh and reliable in terms of quality. It can be sold out in a day.
The beers we import directly are two breweries on the west and east coasts of the United States, and I actually went to the United States to negotiate. ”

- Direct negotiation! ? It's amazing.

Morita-san: “Around 2016, a style called New England IPA or Hazy IPA was born on the East Coast of the United States, but we could only find out about it on social media. I actually went to the U.S. and contacted a company that made New England IPA.However, at that time, it was just beginning to gain popularity as a new style of beer in the U.S.A. Even so, I contacted various companies and managed to make a deal.”

Hazy IPA characterized by turbidity

-What are the characteristics of New England IPA and Hazy IPA?

Morita: "IPA was originally made on the West Coast of the United States. It uses lots of hops to create bitterness and a citrus aroma, and is characterized by its clear color. In contrast, New England IPA and Hazy IPA were created on the East Coast in an effort to create original IPAs, which have a strong visual impact due to their "cloudy" appearance, which is considered illegal in conventional IPAs. It is also characterized by its freshness and juice-like taste with a much lower bitterness than IPAs that use a lot of hops to adjust its characteristics. For this reason, New England IPA has a short shelf life and must be handled with care.

Beer is transported by air in a refrigerated state, and when it arrives at Central Japan International Airport, we pick it up ourselves and take it to the store (refrigerator). ”

Craft beer that can be drunk on tap is attached to the wall. Places with empty numbers are sold out

Brick Lane always has 8-9 types of craft beer, and you can choose the size from Hlaf (half: 270ml), Medium (medium: 350ml), and Pint (pint: 473ml) (*). Also, if you want to enjoy a little bit of different beers, we recommend the "Tasting Set" (1,550 yen, tax included) where you can choose 4 kinds of your favorite beer.

* The size that can be selected varies depending on the beer.

The beer in the photo is the following lineup from left to right. (Taken at the end of July 2021)

① Nectarous/Four Winds (style: dry hopped sour ale)

A refreshing and gorgeous beer reminiscent of peach, pineapple, and passion fruit. Although it is a sour beer, it has an exquisite balance that you can drink without getting tired of it and feel the hops.

② TOPCUTTER IPA / BALE BREAKER (Style: IPA)

A beer with a refreshing aroma of pineapple and lemon, and a clear, sharp taste. It has a faint sourness, a sticky pine-like umami, and a moderate aroma of malt. IPA with a sharp bitterness and sharpness overall.

③ TOP ROPE／2SP BREWING COMPANY (Style: Hazy IPA)

Hazy IPA with New Zealand hops Rakau and Motueka. Powerful, fruity and smooth to drink.

④ RISE UP STOUT/EVOLUTION CRAFT (Style: Caribbean style stout)

A stout beer made by steeping coffee beans roasted at Rise Up Coffee in Maryland, the brewery's hometown, and adding coffee flavor. It has a firm body and a rich, fruity aroma.

Buns and patties are homemade,
Excellent hamburger

Lunch menu cheeseburger set (with fries and drink) 1,100 yen (tax included)

-Hamburgers are also popular at Brick Lane.

Mr. Morita: "All of our hamburger buns are homemade, from preparation to baking in the restaurant. We pay attention to the fermentation conditions and make sure the buns have the right firmness to match the texture of the patties. The 100% beef patties are also homemade, and we don't use any sauces so that our customers can enjoy the slightly sweet buns and the natural flavor of the meat."

Burgers can be topped with various toppings such as avocado, chili meat, salsa sauce, bacon, and cheese. Find your favorite original burger.

Extensive food menu other than hamburgers

In addition to hamburgers, there is also a wide variety of food menus, from light snacks using vegetables to hearty snacks such as chicken and sausages. It is a shop that is easy to use whether you are alone or in a group.

A casual bottle shop
USED LIKE NEW BEER

−What kind of shop is “Used like new beer” near Kamejima Station (Nagoya Municipal Subway Higashiyama Line)?

Mr. Morita: "This store opened in 2017. When we started importing beer, we needed a warehouse, and at the same time, I had always wanted to open a bottle store, so we created this store that serves both purposes. It's hard to make drinking craft beer in a restaurant like Brick Lane a part of your daily routine. I felt that I wanted to offer beer suggestions that were as much in line with my daily routine as possible, so I thought this style would be just right.
At "Used like new beer", we sell mainly domestic craft beer and handmade sandwiches. We offer to-go as well as dine-in options."

-How many types of beer do you sell?

Mr. Morita: "We have roughly 80 kinds of beer on tap. There are many domestic breweries that we want to support and many that are not well known yet. So I think people who like craft beer, as well as those who are not familiar with it, can have fun choosing from the label designs."

- Exciting looking sandwiches and much-talked-about maritozzo look delicious.

Mr. Morita: "The bread for the sandwiches is the same recipe as Brick Lane, with a slightly sweeter crust. We also cook the ingredients in the restaurant. The variety of our sandwiches changes depending on the time of year, so I encourage customers to check our Instagram for new releases."

Utilizing the know-how,
Try craft beer brewing!

The company's own zine reports on the progress and recent developments of the brewery project.

-Are there any new initiatives or challenges you would like to take on in the future?

Mr. Morita: "Actually, we have been working on a project to launch our own brewery for about two and a half years. We've had to backtrack and hit a few dead ends due to various problems, but we're finally at the point where we're ready to get it off the ground."

-Will the beer you make be available at Brick Lane?

Mr. Morita: "Of course that is the plan. The head brewer who makes the beer is currently studying at a brewery in the U.S. We will start brewing as early as this winter and may be able to start serving beer next year. Once we have our own beer, we plan to hold a giving back event first."

-What is a giving back event?

Mr. Morita: "This is our way of repaying those who supported us when our store was severely damaged by the COVID-19. Last year, when the first state of emergency was declared, we didn't have any deposit or cooperation money to receive and we couldn't import beer, so our sales were greatly reduced. At that time, we sold meal coupons that could be used semi-permanently on our website, and many people from all over the country bought them, which helped us a lot. Along with the meal vouchers, we also offered a sticker that said, 'When we have our own brewery, we will hold an event. Anyone with this sticker is invited." I hope we can make good on that promise."

- You've been supported by many people. What kind of beer do you envision making at the brewery?

Mr. Morita: "We are thinking of beers like the ones we have been importing. There are three types of beers: New England IPA/Hazy IPA-type beers, sour beers with lots of fruit, and beers that are aged in whiskey or wine barrels."

-Lastly, please tell us about the concept and thoughts behind your own brewed beer.

Mr. Morita: "Craft breweries often use local ingredients or make beers that are unique to the region, but we aim to be a brewery that can compete on a global scale. We will be establishing a brewery in Nagakute City (behind IKEA building), but rather than putting a local flavor all over the place, we want to build a strong brewery brand that will give people pride in the fact that a world-famous brewery is in their hometown. I have learned a lot about the beer market and what kind of labels sell well, since I have been involved in everything from importing beer to sales and store management. I would like to make the most of the experience and knowledge I have accumulated so far while focusing on quality and creating a beer that will be the culmination of all our efforts."

-Morita-san, thank you very much!