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Asahi is the beer most closely associated worldwide with Japan. The brand is owned by Asahi Breweries, the largest producer of beer, happoshu, wine and soft drinks in the Land of the Rising Sun. The company is part of Asahi Group Holdings, based in Tokyo. The flagship brand, Asahi Super Dry, held 2017% of the Japanese beer market in 48,8 and shipped to more than 70 countries.
Historical reference. Asahi’s predecessor, Osaka Brewery, was founded in 1889 with the sole purpose of producing world-class beer in Japan. Using time-tested German brewing techniques, the company began to produce Asahi beer: by 1903 it had become the best-selling beer in the country.
Asahi Breweries, Ltd was established in 1949 as part of the post-war reforms in Japan aimed at stimulating the economy. The next milestone, which was of revolutionary importance, was the introduction of Asahi Super Dry to the market. In 1987, Asahi launched a product that propelled it to the top of the market and changed the beer industry in Japan. Since there was no phrase that could adequately describe the new variety’s uniquely smooth taste, the company began to describe it with the term “dry” (“karakuchi”) commonly associated with wines.
Awards
World Beer Cup, Philadelphia:
- 1998 – Bronze (Asahi Kuronama) medal;
- 2000 – Bronze (Asahi Super Dry) medal;
- 2014 – Gold (Asahi Super Dry) medal;
- 2016 – Silver (Asahi The Dream) medal.
World Beer Championships, США:
- 2009 – Gold (Asahi The Master) medal.
International Brewing & Cider Awards, Лондон:
- 2011 – Gold (Asahi Super Dry) medal;
- 2013 – Bronze (Asahi Super Dry) medal;
- 2017 – Gold (Asahi Dry Premium Hojo) and Bronze (Asahi Super Dry) medals.
World Beer Awards, London:
- 2014 – Gold (Asahi Dry Black) medal.
Brussels Beer Challenge:
- 2012 – Silver (Asahi The Master) medal;
- 2015 – Gold (Asahi Super Dry) medal and Certificate of Excellence (Asahi Stout);
- 2016 – Gold (Asahi The Dream) medal and Certificate of Excellence (Asahi Super Dry);
- 2017 – Gold (Asahi Super Dry Shunrei-Karakuchi) medal.
International Taste & Quality Institute, Brussels:
- 2017 – Gold (Asahi Clear Prime Rich), 2 silver (Asahi The Dream, Clear Asahi) and bronze (Asahi Dry Zero) medals.
Australian Liquor Industry Awards, Сидней:
- 2015, 2017, 2018 – Gold (Asahi Super Dry) medal.
Australian International Beer Awards, Балларет:
- 2016 – Bronze (Asahi Soukai) medal.
International Beer Challenge, London:
- 2012, 2017 – Bronze (Asahi Super Dry) medal.
Interesting Facts
The Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee has announced Asahi Breweries as the Gold Partner of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In 2017, the brand received the main award of the Japan Designers Association – for the development of an easy-to-open mini-jar, addressed to an audience of customers over 50 years old. As noted in the presentation, “the effort, which is the load when opening the container, was reduced by 25%.” 135 ml jars are especially popular among the elderly in Japan, and with increasing life expectancy and a rapidly aging population, such packaging will become increasingly popular.
On the eve of the 30th anniversary of Japan’s #1 beer, the Asahi Super Dry, the company teamed up with another heavyweight in the business, the ASICS Tiger, to release a limited edition running shoe. Only 30 pairs of athletic shoes were produced in five different designs reflecting Asahi’s history. Both iconic brands follow the Japanese practice of “kaizen”, or continuous improvement, proving to be innovators and perfectionists in their respective fields. All proceeds from the sale of exclusive sneakers were donated to the New Zealand Red Cross.
The craft beer boom is forcing major brewers to look for new ways to win customer loyalty. To this end, Asahi engaged advertising agency Monkeys Melbourne, who filmed the outrageous commercial that has already won several awards. The one-minute mini-blockbuster takes the viewer into a dystopian world where scenes take place involving a giant squid, geisha robots, brutal samurai and zombified office workers.
Types of Asahi beer
Asahi Super Dry, 5%
The best-selling Japanese beer in the world, holding its position for over 30 years. Since its introduction in 1987 as the first “dry” beer, Asahi Super Dry has effectively set a new standard in Japanese brewing. The recipe, in addition to traditional ingredients, includes rice. Thanks to microfiltration and a long maturation period, purity and freshness of taste are achieved. It is poured in a golden color, crystal clear in the light. When a dense head of foam descends, it opens up the opportunity to inhale the aroma – malty, with light honey tones and herbal hints. The drink is gastronomic and goes well with seafood, edamame, yakitori.
Asahi Dry Black, 5,5%
A Japanese vision of a dark European lager, but in a brighter interpretation. Coca Cola beer with a creamy head. The aroma is dominated by notes of coffee, toasted toast, dark chocolate, raisins. You can enjoy the taste for a long time: there is a dense “body”, caramel tones, a long aftertaste with a slight bitterness.
Asahi The Dream, 5%
KokuKire is a word coined by Asahi to describe a new diet beer with 50% less carbs. The product is claimed to contain 1,2 times the usual amount of malt, giving it a particularly deep flavor (Koku), while its tangy, dry taste (Kire) comes from a specially bred strain of the brand’s yeast. The drink is light amber in color, the bouquet has a refreshing mix of citruses, apples, corn.
