Japas Matsurika: A Jasmine Pilsner From Brazil's First Women-Owned Brewery

Almost everything on our beer list comes from Japan, with a couple of Italian exceptions.

This one comes from Brazil, and it belongs here more than that makes it sound.

Who Japas Are

Japas Cervejaria was founded in 2016 by three brewers, Maíra Kimura, Yumi Shimada and Fernanda Ueno. All three are Brazilian Sansei: third-generation Japanese descendants, born in Brazil.

Japas is Brazilian slang for a person of Japanese descent. They took the word and put it on the label.

It's Brazil's first women-owned brewery, in a beer scene where that hadn't happened before. Their own framing is about reconnecting with their roots and breaking stereotypes at the same time, Japanese-Brazilian, and women, in an industry that had very few of either.

Brazil has one of the largest Japanese diaspora populations in the world. This beer is what that looks like in a glass.

Matsurika

Matsurika is the Japanese word for jasmine.

It's a Bohemian-style pilsner brewed with jasmine flowers, inspired by the use of jasmine in Japanese teas. Crisp and easy-drinking, with just enough fragrance to notice.

It's their best seller in every market they're in, which makes sense. It's a well-made pilsner first and an aromatic beer second, and that order matters.

Why We Pour It

Because a Japanese izakaya on the Lower East Side pouring a jasmine pilsner brewed by Japanese-Brazilian women is not a stretch. It's the same idea from a different direction.

We're a Japanese restaurant in New York run by people who live here. They're a Brazilian brewery run by people whose grandparents left Japan. Everybody's making something out of two places at once.

Pair It With

It's a pilsner, so it goes with everything. But the jasmine makes it especially good with delicate things, handrolls, salmon ikura don, seaweed salad, agedashi tofu.

Also excellent with spicy edamame, where the sambal has something clean to land against.

Try It at Juraku

Japas Matsurika is on the beer list at Izakaya Juraku, Lower East Side.