If Niwa-san is the brains of Outsider Brewing, then Mark is the brawn of it. A strange analogy to use but without either of the pair, Outsider Brewing would not exist in its current form. When BeerTengoku went to meet them, we first met Niwa-san, interview here, and Mark walked in confidently about twenty minutes later, sharing jokes with Niwa-san and injecting with funny stories about them both. The biggest compliment a brewer can get is being left alone and trusted with their work, something that Mark strongly pointed out numerous times during our two-hour chat together over some of Outsider Brewing’s beers.
Outsider Brewing had just passed the two year mark when we arrived and like many other small breweries, be they micro- or nano-, they face many of the same problems others did in the slow, and at times difficult, process in obtaining their license to produce beer. Mark had been living in Kofu for the best part of a decade and had owned a bar, The Vault, for the majority of that time (and still does to this day). Having dealt with numerous companies, such as Sapporo and Kirin who have both produced Guinness at times, Mark looked at the expanding craft beer market and tried to open his own brewery.
Mark sent out a few emails on the Japan Brewery Association to try and get some advice about brewing as he had “the faintest of knowledge”. The person who replied? Niwa-san. Under a veil of secrecy, emails were sent between the pair surreptitiously and ideas were put out as at the time Niwa-san was working for Iwate Kura. Mark remembered sitting in Popeye’s in Ryogoku talking to a friend about Niwa-san and being almost spy-like in the conversation until his friend had heard that Niwa-san was looking to move to a place in Kofu, Yamanashi. Outsider Brewing had just taken its first step in becoming a brewery.

Fridges are an essential part of storage. Now imagine if something goes wrong and the bank isn’t being helpful.
Opening your own brewery in Japan is a lengthy process, and Mark was honest about the issues they faced. Kofu, Yamanashi is smack bang in the middle of the wine making area of Japan, though with Fujizakura Heights around the corner, craft beer is possible there. The biggest problem, though, was with banks and loans. Trying to leverage enough money to start a brewery, Mark went to the bank only with a precise cost analysis of everything that was needed. The loan was approved. Everyone was happy. Except the bank neglected to explain about the fees for the loan needed causing more delays and an immediate issue of cash flow problems.
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As for festivals, placement is also very, very important. If they put you out of the way or in some dark corner, you won’t attract so many customers, plain and simple. OUtsider had a really great stout at this year’s keyaki. I like both the outdoor and indoor keyaki festivals. The indoor means you can see all the beer stalls (more or less) and there is seating for everyone (more or less). Plus, if it’s raining – no problem!
However, sadly, no inflatable helium filled elmos are allowed, inside.
Damn. No Elmos. What a shame.
Outsider had a good pitch this year at Keyaki though remember him saying on FB that people were eating but not drinking. Do like the Outsider range – the Sockeye Salmon was a nice surprise back in February.