Beer in Japan is produced by four main producers: Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo and Suntory. Most of them are about 5% ABV pale lagers like Pilsner, but there are local beer drinks like happoshu (malt) and happosei (no malt) that are cheaper thanks to reduced taxes. In addition, happoshu (happoshu) and happosei (happosai) are easy to drink and hardly intoxicating. There are also private microbreweries in the country, and bars with craft beer from local producers, American and European companies are popular in large cities.
The history of Japanese brewing began in the 1603th century, during the Edo period (1868-1868, a time of economic prosperity), when Dutch merchants opened a pub for sailors sailing between Japan and the Netherlands. In the 1912th century, during the Meiji period (XNUMX-XNUMX, westward orientation, economic restoration), European beer was imported, some brewers themselves came to the Land of the Rising Sun to produce an intoxicating drink right on the spot.
In 1869, the Norwegian-American production was opened, which later became the famous Kirin brewery. After 7 years, Sapporo appeared, and in 1892 – Asahi.
In 2006, almost two-thirds of all alcoholic beverages consumed in the country were beer.
Features
Japan is one of those countries where barley beer was never invented. Archaeological finds confirm that light alcohol was brewed in these lands already in the XNUMXth century, but rice and sorghum served as raw materials, while Western ale was not known here.
The lion’s share of today’s market is occupied by imports, national producers were also founded by foreigners and are based on the German-Czech brewing traditions.
Classification and species
The peculiarities of taxation in the country are such that the amount of deductions directly depends on the content of barley malt (barley is imported and is considered a strategic product). Accordingly, in Japan, there is a distinction between beer itself and the lightly malted drink happoshu.
By law, Japanese beer must contain at least 67% malt, the remaining 33% can be various additives: rice, corn, sorghum, potatoes, sugar, etc. In happoshu, the malt content varies from 66% to zero, and the main raw materials are local cereals. As a result, many brands of Japanese beer and beer drinks are slightly sweet in taste.
There is also a soy “beer” called “new genre” or “third beer”. The fact is that the government is constantly striving to change the tax system in such a way as to equalize the price of happoshu with traditional beer. The way out was a “new genre” – happosei, made without malt at all, based only on soy, peas or wheat.
Japanese beer brands
- Asahi is a Tokyo-based manufacturer and market leader in low-alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages. Specializes in lagers, dry varieties, also produces stout.
- Kirin (Kirin) is the largest concern operating in various fields: pharmaceutical, automotive, food, etc. Produces regular and dry lagers.
- Sapporo is the oldest Japanese beer brand. Produces well-known subsidiary brands Yebisu (Ebisu) and Sleeman (Sleeman). The product line includes dark and pale lagers, cream ales.
- Suntory (Santori) – produces not only beer, but also whiskey, gin, rum, tequila and other strong alcohol, owning world famous brands.
- Orion (Orion) – the youngest in the list of companies. It relies on the American style of brewing, thanks to which it retains a part of the Okinawan market. Produces lagers, specialty varieties, cider.
In 1987, Asahi introduced dry beer to the market, and this was the beginning of the “dry war”, when all major producers began to make similar varieties and fight hard for the favor of consumers.
Do not confuse dry beer with powder beer! We are talking about a camp in which, thanks to a longer fermentation, there is no sugar at all, that is, the term “dry” is used here in the same sense as when describing wine. Due to the reduced calorie content and the absence of glucose, the drink is also called “diet beer” and “beer for diabetics.”
Japan has also developed a tradition of brewing seasonal beer, for example, autumn beer, which is characterized by an increased strength – 6% versus the usual 5%.
How to drink
In Japan, you can consume alcoholic beverages not from the age of 18, but from the age of 20. Drinking beer together is part of social activity – often colleagues after work do not go home, but to the nearest bar to establish informal relationships and strengthen working ties. Toasts are optional, but not forbidden. As an appetizer, traditional Japanese cuisine and seafood are most often used.
In restaurants, beer is served in jugs or glasses, sometimes directly in bottles.