If you translate the Japanese word iki, it means something like “positive life”. Beer helps keep life positive, so the name iki Beer is quite apt for a brewery.
Asia meets Europe
iki Beer comes from the Dutch town of s'Hertogenbosch and is a very special brewery. In times of globalization, borders are becoming more and more surmountable and the world is moving closer together. Distances of a thousand or more kilometers are no longer a reason to travel for days and you can cover entire continents in a single day. The Internet connects the people of the world and there is a lively exchange of cultures. The team behind iki Beer was inspired by the spirit of the times and with their idea connects two worlds: European brewing art meets Asian tea culture. The brewing craft of the Netherlands is enriched by the heavenly aromas of Japanese Sencha tea. Green tea is supported by the varied and exotic tastes of Asia. iki's beers are made with hand-picked ingredients from certified organic farming.
Inspiration from the land of the rising sun
Founder Arjen Hemelaar spent a few years of the new millennium traveling around the world and getting to know distant countries and cultures. He was so fascinated by Japan that he spent three years in a Japanese monastery and got to know the country's customs in his daily life. He discovered the structured simplicity of Japan, learned to appreciate the country's minimalism and pure, simple aesthetics and fell in love with its diverse cuisine. Green tea is a large part of the local culture and is drunk and used in large quantities. Sencha was one of Arjen's favorites and gave him the idea of combining the Japanese's favorite drink with that of the Europeans. His research revealed that no one had yet married beer and green tea. With beer being the most popular drink in much of Europe for centuries and green tea reigning supreme in Japan, a combination of the two was obvious to Arjen. With this idea in hand, he returned to the Netherlands and, together with graduates from Wageningen University, developed the first beer with green tea. There are now a handful of different varieties that are seasoned with different ingredients from Asian cuisine and have long attracted international attention.
The Japanese-Dutch beer spans a bridge between Asia and Europe and harmoniously combines worlds of taste. In keeping with the Japanese teachings of harmony and order.
