To celebrate the launch of Blue Moon, the number one-selling craft beer in the United States, in Japan, Blue Moon Brewing Company head brewer Keith Villa visited Japan and held a launch party in Daikanyama.

Based on the belief that "beer brewing is an art," the party was catered by cutting-edge food creators griot. and EATRIP. A one-off menu was served, including dishes featuring Blue Moon by griot.'s Kurumi Arimoto and a dessert with orange and spices by EATRIP's Yuri Nomura.


Prior to the party, Keith Villa held a discussion with beer critic Hiroyuki Fujiwara. Fujiwara commented, "I was blown away when I first tried Blue Moon. It's smooth and flavorful. Craft beer's market share is still low in Japan, but I believe Blue Moon will become a black ship in the craft beer world." Kenichi Yano, president and CEO of Molson Coors Japan Co., Ltd., the distributor of Blue Moon, said, "In recent years, the Japanese beer market has placed too much emphasis on price, and has not nurtured beer as a culture. Blue Moon has steadily gained support and achieved its position as the number one craft beer, despite not having a strong marketing support background in the United States. The beer's natural image is highly compatible with fashion, and we would like to collaborate with fashion brands in the future to promote it as a lifestyle." Blue Moon was first brewed in Denver, Colorado, in 1995 by Keith, who earned a PhD in brewing science from a university in Belgium. Blue Moon Belgian White, a take on the classic Belgian White, won a gold medal at the World Beer Championship in 1995. In the 17 years since its release, it has won numerous awards and was the number one selling beer in the United States in 2008.

The taste is influenced by Belgian craft beer, and is characterized by a subtle sweetness created by the use of Valencia orange peel, and a smooth, creamy aftertaste created by the addition of oats and wheat. To enhance the citrus flavor of the orange, the recommendation is to finish the drink with an orange garnish.

Keith says he often gets inspiration from fashion. On this day, he was wearing a Ralph Lauren suit and a Breitling watch.