the world is as big as you put into it
Dreher’s connection with Japan didn’t begin in 2017, when the brewery became part of the Asahi Group—it started 150 years earlier. So what happened in 1867?
In 1867, the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy was established through the Compromise. Thousands of kilometers away, in Japan—a country closed off to the world for centuries—a new emperor ascended the throne that same year. Mutsuhito (1852–1912), according to Japanese tradition, was posthumously given a name reflecting his reign: Meiji, meaning "enlightened." Indeed, during the Meiji era, Japan’s economy opened up and the island nation began moving toward Westernization.
As two young economies entering international markets with the disadvantages of being newcomers, they sought connections—even across vast distances. Japan’s economic opening also presented an opportunity for Emperor Franz Joseph I (1830–1916). And among the first signs of trade relations was the presence of Dreher beer...
In the autumn of 1868, two ships departed from Trieste, bound for Yokohama, carrying the monarchy’s finest products and diplomats. Upon arrival, the best of Austrian and Hungarian agriculture and industry were presented: Thonet furniture, Haas carpets, a Wertheim safe, fine wines—and Dreher beer! The delegation was warmly received, and soon after, the two countries signed a trade agreement.