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.

Fuyu Kirin

See details here for winter 2014 beer battle.

Name: Fuyu Kirin
Launch:
Ingredients: Happōshu (malt, hops, barley, corn, sugars), spirits (barley)
Alcohol content: 5%
Tax category: New Genre (liquor)
Company: Kirin Brewery

Grand Kirin Hop Fruity

Fruity indeed.

Name: Grand Kirin Hop Fruity
Launch date: September 23, 2014

Ingredients: Malt, hops

Alcohol content: 5.5%

Tax category: Beer

Company: Kirin Brewery
Note: Sold at Family Mart only.

Kirin Tanrei Platinum Double

For ranking, check out my Zero/Zero Happōshu post.

 Name: Kirin Tanrei Platinum Double
Type:
Ingredients: Malt, hops, barley, sugars, caramel pigment, spirits, essence, acidifier, processed starch, sweetener (acesulfame K)
Alcohol content: 5.5%
Tax category: Happōshu
Company: Kirin Brewery

Kirin Aki Aji

Full body beer. Give it a try!

Name: Kirin Aki Aji

Launch date: 

Ingredients: Malt, hops, rice, corn, starch

Alcohol content: 6%

Tax category: Beer

Company: Kirin Brewery
Note: Limited edition.

Grand Kirin Mild Rich

Wow! Great summer beer! It tastes kind of minty. I like it.

Name: Grand Kirin Mild Rich
Launch date: Aug. 5, 2014

Ingredients: Malt (barley malt, wheat malt), hops

Alcohol content: 5.5%

Tax category: Beer

Company: Kirin Brewery
Note: Sold at Lawson only. 330ml bottle.

Grand Kirin Browny

Good stuff. If you like ale, you will love this one.

Name: Grand Kirin Browny

Launch date: July 29, 2014

Ingredients: Malt, hops

Alcohol content: 6.5%

Tax category: Beer

Company: Kirin Brewery
Note: Sold at Circle K/Sunkus only.

Kirin Koiaji Tōshitsu 0

The best among light new genre-type beers. It is zero sugar, but at the same time it does have some taste. I'd say this is the best tasting diet beer. For ranking, check out my Light New Genre post.

Name: Kirin Koiaji Tōshitsu 0
Ingredients: Happōshu (malt, hops, sugars, dietary fiber, soy protein, yeast extract, sweetener [acesulfame-K]), spirits (barley)
Alcohol content: 2.5% or more but less than 3.5%
Tax category: New Genre (liquor)
Company: Kirin Brewery

Kirin Ichibanshibori Stout

Sorry, not a dark beer fan. Don't know what to say about it. Average taste. I like the can design though. For ranking check out my All Blacks post.

Name: Kirin Ichibanshibori Stout
Ingredients: Malt, hops
Alcohol content: 5%
Tax category: Beer
Company: Kirin Brewery

Grand Kirin The Aroma

Check out my post on the Grand Kirin first because most of my comment on that brew applies to this one as well. I purchased both beers at the same time to be able to compare them, but to be honest, there wasn’t much to compare. They do taste somewhat different, but I don’t see why they had to launch two versions of the same product.

 

 

Name: Grand Kirin The Aroma

Launch date: November 12, 2013

Ingredients: Malt (barley malt, wheat malt), hops, sugars (lactose)

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

Grand Kirin

Beautiful design and I also like the enlarged bottle opening which makes it easier to drink it straight from the bottle. Although it has great smell, the taste itself is kind of a disappointment. It is good, but nothing really special. In addition, while other premium beers - which are sold in can - are 350ml, the Grand Kirin is only 330ml. Replacing the usual can packaging with a nice-looking bottle is a great idea in terms of design, but it should be 350ml just like other premium beers. Looking at volume to price ratio, now the Grand Kirin is probably the most expensive premium beer on the market, even more expensive than Yebisu which is usually priced a few yen higher than other premium brews.

Name: Grand Kirin
Launch date: June 19, 2012

Ingredients: Malt, hops
Alcohol content: 6%
Tax category: Beer
Company: Kirin Brewery
Note: Sold at convenience stores only. Initially sold only at 7-Eleven.

Kirin Lager Beer

Used to be the king of beers in Japan until Asahi Super Dry came along. Nevertheless, I think Kirin Lager is way lot better than Asahi Super Dry. Kirin Lager is what I call beer. Smells like beer, tastes like beer and has a great can design. Simple, somewhat traditional, but it says it to your face that “I am beer.”

Name: Kirin Lager Beer

Type:

Ingredients: Malt, hops, rice, corn, starch

Alcohol content: 5%

Tax category: Beer

Company: Kirin Brewery

Kirin Ichibanshibori Nama Beer

Good as expected, but to be honest I’m having difficulty telling the difference between the Kirin Ichibanshibori and the Kirin Classic.

Name: Kirin Ichibanshibori Nama Beer

Type:

Ingredients: Malt, hops

Alcohol content: 5%

Tax category: Beer

Company: Kirin Brewery

Kirin Nodogoshi Nama Ice

I really like the can. Great design... but the rest... oh mah gawd! What is this? Tastes like bitter grape juice and smells like tuna. What were they thinking when they came up with this stuff?

Name: Kirin Nodogoshi Nama Ice
Type:
Ingredients: Hops, sugars, soybean protein, yeast extract
Alcohol content: 4%
Tax category: New Genre (other fermented liquor)
Company: Kirin Brewery 

Note: Available only during the summer.

Kirin Classic Lager

Good stuff. Probably my second favorite after Yebisu. Taste-wise, it is pretty close to Yebisu, but still reminds me of the Premium Malt's' somewhat overachieved taste.

Name: Kirin Classic Lager
Type:
Ingredients: Malt, hops, rice, corn, starch
Alcohol content: 4.5%
Tax category: Beer
Company: Kirin Brewery

Kirin Tanrei

One of the very few happōshus on the market. To be honest, tastewise does not really impress me at all. Tastes kinda like a new genre-type beer. Save your money and get a new genre instead of this one. You won't notice the difference.

Name: Kirin Tanrei
Type:
Ingredients: Malt, hops, barley, rice, corn, starch, sugars
Alcohol content: 5.5%
Tax category: Happōshu
Company: Kirin Brewery

Kirin Nodogoshi Nama

Used to be my favorite daily beer after cutting real beers out of my life. Then Super Prime, a Korean new-genre beer, came along and realized that Nodogoshi is no longer my one and only. Now having a can of this for the first time after several years and I'm thinking why I liked it so much. It doesn't even taste like beer. Just for old times' sake I give it two stars**.

Name: Kirin Nodogoshi Nama
Type:
Ingredients: Hops, sugars, soybean protein, yeast extract
Alcohol content: 5%
Tax category: New Genre (other fermented liquor)
Company: Kirin Brewery

Kirin Sumikiri

Although somewhat watery, it is an easy to drink beer. I also like the can design. Simple but sophisticated. I give it five stars***** out of five.

Name: Kirin Sumikiri
Type:
Ingredients: Happōshu (malt, hops, barley), spirits (barley)
Alcohol content: 5%
Tax category: New Genre (liquor)
Company: Kirin Brewery

Kirin Koi Aji

Just like its name says it has a strong flavor. Kirin did a good job on this one. Nice flavor and great design. I give it five stars***** out of five.

Name: Kirin Koi Aji
Type:
Ingredients: Happōshu (malt, hops, barley, corn, starch, sugars), spirits (barley)
Alcohol content: 6%
Tax category: New Genre (liquor)
Company: Kirin Brewery

Kirin Toretate Hop 2013

Support! One yen after each can is used for earthquake recovery of the Tōhoku region's agriculture.

Name: Kirin Toretate Hop 2013
Ingredients: Malt, hops
Alcohol content: 5%
Tax category: Beer
Company: Kirin Brewery
Note: Sold only for a limited time period.