FOOD NEWS
Ranking Japanese Beers That Are Available In The US
BY FLETCHER HUNTLEY
13. Kirin Ichiban
Japan is home to a thriving beer industry, with many options available in the States, but if you're new to the market, Kirin Ichiban shouldn't be your first taste.
Although it's from one of Japan's oldest breweries, Kirin lacks personality, with a mass-produced taste, a light body, and a lack of any memorable nuances.
12. Asahi Super Dry
When fermented, super dry beer leaves little residual sugar, meaning it has little sweetness, which produces a clean, mildly malty aroma.
Overall, the beer lacks any noticeable flavor with a bitter aftertaste that lingers longer than desired, but its light flavor makes it a good pair with sushi in a pinch.
11. Sapporo Premium
Sapporo Premium is a lager-style beer that's affordable and easy to find in the U.S., but like others on the list, it's pretty unremarkable on the whole.
From the weak scent to a foam head that almost immediately collapsed, Sapporo was disappointing from the get-go, with a flavor like many other light, American lagers.
10. Sapporo Reserve
Unlike the Sapporo Premium, the Reserve has a strong malty aroma and a study foam head, which is unsurprising considering it's an all-malt lager.
While it doesn't stand out, the Reserve has a malty flavor with a light, smooth finish, lacking any bitter aftertaste, making it a decent option.
9. Orion
Brewed on Okinawa Island, Orion is a rice lager, meaning rice is included in its mash, resulting in a distinct sweetness and pleasantly crisp flavor.
It has a light malty aroma with hints of citrus and a flavor that balances notes of barley with subtly sweet rice without any bitterness, making it good for a mass produced beer.