BrewDog plans Japanese expansion

Scottish brewer BrewDog has announced plans to continue its global expansion by opening its first bar in Asia, early next year.

Using funds raised during its recent “Equity for Punks” crowd funding scheme, BrewDog is opening a bar in the Roppongi district of Tokyo in March next year.

The bar will be the brewer’s second international bar for BrewDog, following the opening of a bar in Stockholm earlier this year. The brewery has also begun development on a new site in the Pinherios area of Sao Paulo which is due to launch early 2014.

BrewDog co-founder James Watt said: “Launching bars outside of Europe is a huge step towards taking the craft beer revolution global. The craft beer scene has really blown up in some unexpected destinations in recent years and it’s amazing how people from around the world have taken to a small brewery from Aberdeen. Three years ago we never imagined we’d now be planning to open a bar in Tokyo or Sao Paulo, and it’s a testament to the passion and loyalty of our beer fans and Equity Punks.

“The funds raised through Equity for Punks has given a huge boost to our expansion plans, allowing us to accelerate the development of awesome new sites all around the world. With over 12,000 Equity Punks now on board, the craft beer revolution has never looked stronger. BrewDog Tokyo is one of many huge global plans for the coming months, and it’s awesome that our loyal beer fans are at the heart of our success.”

In November BrewDog opened a bar in London’s Shepherd Bush, which is its twelfth bar and there are plans to open five more in the next six months, both in the UK and overseas. A fake BrewDog bar was spotted in China recently, and Watt added: “It will be a painstaking operation to ensure that our Tokyo bar delivers the authentic BrewDog experience, but we know the result will be awesome. The fake BrewDog in China was pretty bemusing, but there’s something that says ‘you’ve made it’ when a weird replica of your craft beer brand is peddling beers somewhere in the world’s biggest country. BrewDog Tokyo will be the real deal: 100% official BrewDog.”