Mame Mame Beer is a nano brewery started by a husband and wife team on Shodoshima in the port of Sakate.  Located in a quiet village with nothing but nature and the local ingredients to inspire them, they have been combining foods made from locally sourced materials with beers with as many local ingredients as they can find.  Being a popular destination for cyclists, their main brewery has a beautiful outdoor seating area to rest your legs and suds to recharge your batteries.

Interview

Taihei:  What does Mame Mame mean?

Nakata-san:  The name comes from Shodoshima’s kanji (小豆島) which includes bean (豆: Read as ‘mame’), but also “carefully making beer” (まめまめしくビールを造る: Read as ‘mame mame shiku beer wo tsukuru).

Taihei:  What is the meaning of your logo?

Nakata-san:  In a nutshell, it is a map of Shodoshima’s Sakate area.

Taihei:  What is your brewing background?

Nakata-san:  I worked at Okayama’s Kibidote Brewery.

Taihei:  Why did you choose Shodoshima to open your brewery?

Nakata-san:  I knew that drinking beer in Shodoshima would be delicious.  The sea and the mountains; essentially one can enjoy the great nature as there are almost no concrete buildings.

Taihei:  Is the craft beer scene friendly in Shikoku? Do breweries help each other out?

Nakata-san:  Yes.  We are close (I would say).

Taihei:  What kinds of beers do you want to make?

Nakata-san:  To be honest, I don’t really consider styles when brewing (sorry), but I always want to use at least 1 ingredient from Shodoshima.  I’m always thinking about how to use the various ingredients of Shodoshima to make good beer.  Lastly, I think the environment of Shodoshima is a key element in helping to make my beers more delicious.  I always put 100% into my beers, but I think the environment helps push my beers to be 100%.

Taihei:  What are your regular beers?

Nakata-san:  My regular beers are: Aka (red) Mame Mame, Kuro (black) Mame Mame, Kin (gold) Mame Mame, and Shiro (white) Mame Mame.  (I don’t really consider the styles of beer I make, as I don’t really know them.  lol)

Taihei:  What are your favourite types of beers?

Nakata-san:  I like any good beer, so I like them all!  Basically, I don’t think too deeply about beer, but I like what I like.

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