Asahi Creamy Premium

Japanese Name: アサヒ クリーミープレミアム
Brewer: Asahi
Release: Apr. 23, 2013
Type: Japanese Beer
Alcohol: 6%
Purchase Price: ￥217 @Lawson

Tasting Notes:
Japanese convenience store chain Lawson has procured a very nice 100% malt beer brewed by Asahi. Asahi Creamy Premium boasts all malt, partially of German origin, German hops, and a brewing process imposing a creamy head as if from the tap.

Straight after the pour (don’t let sit), the head is very light and it does have a smooth texture on the tongue. However the fun does not last long, as the head goes away after your first gulp. The flavor is quite bitter on the front end, and the bitterness sticks around well after the brew goes down the hatch. There’s a fair bit of acidity, a little citrus, and not much sweetness at all. Creamy Premium finishes as a medium to full bodied Japanese lager.

For a limited production conbini limited brew, Japanese beer fans should check out Asahi Creamy Premium before they’re off the Lawson shelves. It has a very unique taste, and will keep your taste buds interested. Thumbs up!

Free beer from Asahi

This was a real score, a 6-pack of the limitedly shipped Asahi Super Dry fresh packs! Asahi offers regional drawings for these fresh packs for filling out a questionnaire online. I was one of the lucky winners last month. Free beer is awesome, thanks Asahi!

Sapporo Swag

A few months ago, Sapporo renewed its Mugi to Hop brand, and started putting “new” stickers on the cans. A quick check on the website and I found out they were giving away a free glass by sending in 45 of the stickers. That’s 45 cans of beer! Well, I drink the stuff, so it was just a matter of collecting the stickers.

90 cans of beer later, and I was ready to send off the postcard. I could have selected a beer server, but the glasses were needed.

A few weeks down the road, two of these boxes were waiting for me at the front door.

The outer non-assuming brown box, may have been mistaken for pr0n by the postman, but actually was protection for two more brown boxes. One containing the Mugi to Hop branded glass and the other housing a speaking coaster.

Here we have the two Mugi to Hop glasses and matching coasters. The coasters say a variety of things and play annoying music so they must stay turned off. The glasses hold about 300mL of liquid and are frosted so you’ll always look like you have a cold glass of beer.

Cheers!

Kirin Sumikiri

Japanese Name: キリン 澄みきり
Brewer: Kirin
Release: May 14, 2013
Type: Liqueur (発泡性)
Alcohol: 4.5-5.5%
Purchase Price: ￥100 @Aeon

Tasting Notes:
At an after tax price of ¥100 at the grocery store, Kirin’s new entry on the new genre scene cuts the competition’s by at least 5 yen while at the same time boasting all malt and malt byproduct brewing. Let’s see how Kirin Sumikiri tastes.

Kirin Sumikiri is a light straw color, your average lager fare. It has some nice effervescence with very mellow malt and hop flavors, finishing dry with a little bitterness. The bitterness is somewhat of a pine-like flavor, not terribly pleasant though.

With summer around the corner, the big four is putting out their lighter brews. Kirin Sumikiri is meant for summer consumption with its light flavors. It tastes good up to the end where personally, I taste a hint of mediciney Pinesol, which is off putting. Nice try, but I’ll pass on opening a second can.

Asahi Clear Asahi (STYLiSH BOTTLE)

Japanese Name: アサヒ クリアアサヒ スタイリシュ ボトル
Brewer: Asahi
Release: Apr. 23, 2013
Type: Liqueur (発泡性)
Alcohol: 5%
Purchase Price: ￥128 @Sankus

Tasting Notes:
Clear Asahi is Asahi’s major player in the new genre market, and don’t quote me, but it is quite popular among the budget beer drinkers. Up until now, I have never reviewed Clear Asahi, just because I’ve never gotten around to it. With the release of the conbini limited 320mL “STYLiSH BOTTLE” cans, it was a good opportunity to put my thoughts down. Here goes!

Clear Asahi pours out quite light as the name would imply. It’s your run of the mill light straw lager color. There’s not much on the nose, a little malt I guess, smells like a light beer. My first gulp gives off a nice effervescence around the mouth, there is some malt a hint of hops, but nothing else. It’s very clean, not much bitterness, the Asahi dry finish.

In the third tier category, you have no idea what you’re gonna find. Asahi makes your choice nice and simple: a decent tasting malt beverage at a good price that the majority of beer drinkers will enjoy on a daily basis. While I prefer a little more bitterness, I would not hesitate to drink Asahi Clear. Just do yourself a favor and get the extra 30mL in the standard can.

Asahi Royal Pils

Japanese Name: アサヒ ロイヤルピルス
Brewer: Asahi
Release: Apr. 23, 2013
Type: Japanese Beer
Alcohol: 5.5%
Purchase Price: ￥198 @Aeon

Tasting Notes:
Released in tandem with Suntory Royal Blend, super grocer/retail chain Aeon put the handcuffs on one exclusive Asahi Royal Pils. Is this even legal? Let’s find out!

In contrast to the Royal Blend’s tan color, we have Asahi’s Royal Pils pouring out a light straw… at first glance its you average brew, but wait! Hmm… we have a hint of citrus coming out of the glass, it’s fresh and hoppy… interesting. Your first gulp will embrace your mouth with a well rounded full bodied flavor, with the bitterness hitting the back of the throat.

Asahi’s Royal Pils is a very nice brew indeed, well rounded is the key here. You have your malt flavors up front, bitter hops on the back, with citrus notes. It’s a perfect brew to toast the coming of summer! Get yours exclusively at your nearest Aeon grocer, while supplies last.

Asahi Super Dry: STYLiSH BOTTLE

Here we have a specimen of Asahi Super Dry’s “STYLiSH BOTTLE,” in all its 320mL glory. While its stated “charm point” is the option to sip and recap, your average beer drinker will hardly have the need. Pop the top, one or two gulps and it’s time to twist the top on another STYLiSH BOTTLE. Only at your local conbini.