Asahi Super Dry - Dry Premium - Kaoritate Koku no Premium

Not impressed at all. Asahi is going for the impossible and miserably fails. I have a feeling that their product philosophy is to maintain the Asahi Super Dry taste but at the same time come up with something new. Limited design freedom results in limited success.

Name: Asahi Super Dry - Dry Premium - Kaoritate Koku no Premium
Launch: Feb. 17, 2015
Ingredients: Malt, hops, rice, corn, starch
Alcohol content: 6.5%
Tax category: Beer
Company: Asahi Breweries Note: Limited edition.

BrewDog Punk IPA

Judging by the can design, I didn't expect much. Uh, but was I wrong? It smells great and tastes even better. Kinda pricey, but give it a try.

Name: BrewDog Punk IPA
Ingredients: Malt, hops
Alcohol content: 5.6% 
Tax category: Beer
Origin: Scotland  
Notes: 330ml can.

Chang

Not bad. Slightly sweet, typical Southeast Asian beer.

Name: Chang
Ingredients: Malt, hops
Alcohol content: 5% 
Tax category: Beer
Origin: Thailand
Notes: 330ml can.

Asahi Craftmanship Dry Porter

Wow! Truly great brew. I am not really into porter, but this one might just change my mind about it.
The can design is kind of simple, but it is still a nice change compared to the usual "ASAHI and same paint slapped around it" type of design.

Name: Asahi Craftmanship Dry Porter
Launch: Feb. 10, 2015
Ingredients: Malt, hops
Alcohol content: 6%
Tax category: Beer
Company: Asahi Breweries
Note: Sold at convenience stores only.

Topvalu Barreal Rich Taste

 Uh...rich taste. Rich cardboard taste.

 

 

 

Name: Topvalu Barreal Rich Taste
Ingredients: Happōshu (malt, hops, starch, barley), spirits
Alcohol content: 6%
Tax category: New Genre (liquor)
Origin: Korea

Note: Topvalu is the store brand of the Aeon Group.

Helios Tenshi no Red Ale

Wow! Great brew. Huge surprise. Just like the can says, "Awa made oishii bīru desu." (Delicious beer, down to the foam.)

Name: Helios Tenshi no Red Ale

Ingredients: Malt, hops
Alcohol content: 5%
Tax category: Beer 
Company: Helios Brewery 
Location: Nago city, Okinawa prefecture 

Oranjeboom - Imported Premium

Ehh! Tastes like cheap Korean imports. Giving a bad name to European beers. Get this guy off the market!

Name: Oranjeboom - Imported Premium
Ingredients: Happōshu (barley, makt, hops), spirits (barley)
Alcohol content: 5% 
Tax category: New Genre (liquor)
Origin: Germany
Notes: Sold at Seijō Ishii. 330ml can.

Orion Ichiban Sakura

 Pretty good stuff. Tastes kind of like Asahi Super Dry.

Name: Orion Ichiban Sakura
Ingredients: Malt, hops
Alcohol content: 5%
Tax category: Beer
Company: Orion Breweries 
Note: Available only during the spring.

Primus

 Good stuff. A bit on the pricey side though.

Name: Primus
Ingredients: Malt, hops, corn
Alcohol content: 5% 
Tax category: Beer
Origin: Belgium  
Notes: Sold at Seijō Ishii. 330ml can.

Radeberger Pilsner

 Nice Euro beer. A bit on the bitter side though.
 

Name: Radeberger Pilsner
Ingredients: Malt, hops
Alcohol content: 5% 
Tax category: Beer
Origin: Germany
Notes: Sold at Seijō Ishii. 330ml can.

Super Bock

Low-price beer from Europe. It's OK, but not something I would recommend.

Name: Super Bock
Ingredients: Malt, corn, sugars, hops
Alcohol content: 5% 
Tax category: Beer
Origin: Portugal Notes: Sold at Liquor Mountain. 330ml can.

Grolsch

Great stuff. One of the best low-price imports I have ever had.

Name: Grolsch
Ingredients: Malt, hops
Alcohol content: 5% 
Tax category: Beer
Origin: Netherlands 

Notes: Sold at Seijō Ishii. 330ml can.

Eurohop

New genre beer made in Belgium. Despite being a no brand beer, it is actually it is not that bad at all.

Name: Eurohop
Ingredients: Happōshu (malt, barley, corn, starch, hops), spirits (barley, rice), carbon dioxide
Alcohol content: 5% 
Tax category: New Genre (liquor)
Origin: Belgium Notes: Sold at Seijō Ishii. 330ml can.

Orion Zero Life

ZERO LIFE. Scary name for a beer, especially from the happy islands of Okinawa. Below the name the slogan goes like: "Orion 'Zero Life' will make your life more happy and active." And finally the banner tops it off with "Smart life, zero life." Wow, need I say more? Actually I need. How about renaming it from Zero Life to Zero Taste...because that's what it is.

Name: Orion Zero Life
Ingredients: Happōshu (malt, hops, sugars, caramel pigment, dietary fiber, yeast extract, soybean peptide, sweetener [acesulfame K]), spirits (barley)
Alcohol content: 3% or above but below 4%
Tax category: New Genre
Company: Orion Breweries

Otaru Bakusyu - Pilsner

Hard to come by some good pilsner in Japan. This one has a bit of watery aftertaste, but overall it is pretty one. Give it a try!

Name: Otaru Bakusyu - Pilsner
Ingredients: Malt, hops
 Alcohol content: 5%
Tax category: Beer
Company: Hokkaidō Brewing
Location: Otaru city, Hokkaidō

Echigo Beer - Summer White

Having a Summer White in the middle of winter. The best low-malt beer I have ever had.
 

Name: Echigo Beer - Summer White
Ingredients: Barley malt, wheat malt, hops, wheat, sugars, coriander, orange peel, ginger
Alcohol content: 5%
Tax category: Happōshu (malt content 25% or above but below 50%)
Company: Echigo Beer
Location: Niigata city, Niigata prefecture 

Grand Kirin Bittersweet

Compared to the other five Grand Kirin products, probably this one is the worst. It is called Bittersweet, but to me it just tastes Waytoosweet. Unlike many Southeast Asian beers that have a hint of sweetness, this one leaves a massive milky sweetish aftertaste. Brrr...

Besides, Bittersweet seems to destroy the original concept of selling the proto Grand Kirin product at all convenience stores and the four other ones at a specific convenience store. It is sold at 7-Eleven stores along with its older brother The Aroma.

Since only Bittersweet and The Aroma contain sugars among the Grand Kirin lineup, could it be the Bittersweet will replace The Aroma? Let's wait and see...

Name: Grand Kirin Bittersweet
Launch date: December 2, 2014

Ingredients: Malt, hops, sugars (lactose)

Alcohol content: 5.5%
Tax category: Beer
Company: Kirin Brewery
Note: Sold at 7-Eleven only.

Japanese brewers turning to craft beer

Major Japanese brewing companies are stepping up development of craft beer amid falling domestic demand. Domestic beer shipments declined for 9 consecutive years until 2013 when they hit a record low. One reason is that younger drinkers are choosing other beverages. In an effort to reach new markets, beer companies are developing craft beers with unique flavors and aromas. They're produced mainly in microbreweries. Kirin Brewery will set up small brewing facilities at its plants in Yokohama and Tokyo. The company will start selling 10 varieties of craft beer online later this year. A Kirin official says craft beer accounts for less than 1 percent of Japan's beer market, while it amounts to around 14 percent in the United States. He says there is potential for growth. Asahi Breweries plans to launch 4 varieties of craft beer beginning in February. Sapporo Brewery is also considering increasing production of craft beer this year.

 

NHK World (January 2, 2015)