Image photo of Beer Talk kick-off event dialogue
What do you think of "young people leaving beer"?

It's been a long time since "Youth beer away" has been sung. In July, the Brewers Association of Japan, in which five major companies participate, launched the "BEER TALK" campaign for young people to disseminate the appeal of beer through SNS.

At the kick-off event, a symposium on the theme of "Youth Beer" was held. The speakers were Toru Mizutani, the representative director of the Brewers Association of Japan, Yohei Harada of the Hakuhodo Brand Design Youth Research Institute, known for "Youth Research," and Seinan Shimabukuro, the "Youth Representative."

What do they think of "youth beer" at different ages and positions?

Beer Talk Kickoff Event Dialogue
From the left, the moderator, Mr. Shimabukuro, Mr. Mizutani, Mr. Harada

What do you think about "young people leaving beer"?

Harada: I think there is something going on. However, I think that the number of people who do not drink at all is not increasing, and it is largely because the amount of alcohol intake itself is decreasing, such as drinking until morning.

The number one cause is that the vertical society is decreasing. Beer is bitter at first, but when my seniors drink it, I gradually remember the taste and it becomes delicious. There was.

Mizutani It's a complicated feeling. However, when I was talking to a college student, I wanted to drink (beer). Some people say, "I want to be able to drink." After all, I think that seniors must do their best to convey how to enjoy alcohol and the deliciousness of beer.

Not limited to Harada beer, it is often said that young people today are conservative. It's not always a bad meaning, for example, it was a long time ago that I thought that I would be disliked if I invited him to drink, and the number of children who wanted me to invite him unexpectedly increased.

Even in the article I posted on En-eating before, many answers to that effect were received. It may not be that I hate going out for a drink. On the other hand ...

Shimabukuro Some people of the same generation around me don't like or hate drinking alcohol and getting drunk, and when asked why, they say, "If you get drunk, you can't play games on your smartphone." There are people who are reluctant to do that. Also, if you are widely connected through SNS, the state of the drinking party will be spread, and I'm sorry for those who have not invited me, and I do not know who to invite, so it seems that there are many people who do not have a drinking party after all.

Harada : It's hard to live 24 hours a day, paying attention to people other than those you are with, and recognizing how they are viewed.

"Peter tongue" who is not good at bitterness

The topic is the "taste" of beer. The reason I hate beer is often said to be "bitter" ...

Harada : There is no doubt that "Peter Tan" (a person who has grown up with the "tongue" of a child / advocated by Mr. Harada) is not good at bitterness. For example, even if you go to Starbucks, you're just drinking Frappuccino, young people.

There is data that seems to symbolize such Peter Tan. When asked about their favorite alcoholic beverages for men and women in their 20s, beer was lower than the average for all generations, and many answered that they were canned chu-hi, plum wine, and cocktails.

Beer Talk Kickoff Event Dialogue, Favorite Alcoholic Beverage Graph
Do young people like sweet sake?

As for Mizutani beer, each manufacturer is really making efforts, and there are many beers that have a wide range of tastes and do not feel bitter depending on the brewing method. I want young people to try various things without thinking "beer for the time being" and experience "I like this" and "I could drink this".

There are also beers that have gained the support of young people and those who are not good at beer. "Boku Beer, Kimi Beer." Released in 2014 by Yo-Ho Brewing, which handles "Yona Yona Ale". It was for a limited time, but now it is sold as a regular product.

Harada Also, although it's not surprisingly known, there are so many young people who drink Shandy Gaff (note beer divided by ginger ale). In other words, it's not just about drinking sweet cocktails, it's also about bitterness, but if the beer is used as it is, it's bitter, so I'm sure I couldn't find the right beer.

For example, there was such a thing. At our institute, when I said, "I'm going to make a toast, please use a pitcher," the students get angry, saying, "Mr. Harada, that's not the case for today's people, please ask each one." However, the next day, when I looked at the student's SNS, he said "Oktoberfest Nau" and put a picture of him drinking beer.

So, while the beer in the izakaya was classical to her and didn't suit her, I thought the drink at the festival would suit her. It's a contradiction from my point of view, but she doesn't feel much contradiction.

Are there any measures to prevent "beer separation"?

Harada: There is no special effect in the first place, and among various things, the first one is that photos and videos are emerging as new motives.

At Mizutani Beer Garden, we have something that you can take face-to-face (note probably an Instagram-style photo frame), but that spreads on SNS. I think it's important that the scene of drinking beer and having fun spreads like that, and I want to try it too.

As Mr. Harada Shimabukuro said, I think that a package that looks good on SNS is very important. For example, when you do BBQ, if you have a cool design, you can upload a photo to SNS along with the grilled skewers, and I feel that beer will become a fashionable item. Therefore, I would like to make a choice of "special beer" instead of "beer for the time being".

Harada Another thing is that development is important, saying, "This is a beer for young people." Today's young people have a fundamentally strong awareness that they are not the protagonists of society. So, if you say, "The beer company is doing it seriously," I think it will come.

It was impressive that the word "not" beer "for the time being" came from both the beer maker and the "young people", and the word "SNS" that came up many times. Beer may be changing in the midst of rapid changes in social conditions.

If anything, it is the younger generation, but for the author who likes beer, I hope that the number of people who "dislike not eating" will decrease and the number of people in the same generation who will feel free to drink beer that "fits me" will increase.