In the previous post, we looked at Kirin Brewery Company's new beers. Now let's see what Asahi Breweries came up with.
In 2015, Asahi brought out six different beers, which they labeled a “Dry
Premium” series, perhaps in an attempt to lure (or keep) loyal Super Dry
drinkers:
Asahi Dry Premium
Genshu Jitate Premium
(Pale Lager) 6% Rating: 2.7
RB Avg. Rating: 2.88
This “premium” has a nose of baking soda, light roast,
moderate fruit. Thin spiky grassiness in the initial taste. Some alcohol
intrudes in mid palate. Gives way to light bittering in final. Thin-medium
body. Not so pleasant. The very obvious alcohol reminds me too much of the
flavors and mouthfeel of daisan
stuff.
(Premium Lager)
6% Rating: 2.9 RB Avg. Rating: 2.97
It has a light grainy nose with a touch of citrus. Fairly
good fruity initial flavor, mild grass and decent hopping. Light-medium body
(heavier than others in the Dry Premium series). The adjuncts (rice and
cornstarch) don’t really interfere much.
Asahi Dry Premium
Zeitaku Kaori Shikomi
(Pale Lager)
5.5% Rating: 2.8 RB Avg. Rating: 2.94
A light fruity nose with some mild hopping. Flavors of gentle
pale malt, some bitter citrus notes. The bittering seems more pronounced than
in others in this series. Thin-medium body. The Amarillo hopping is
interesting, but there is not really enough of it to make much difference.
Asahi Dry Premium
Iritate Koku no Premium
(Imperial Pils/Strong Pale Lager) 6.5%
Rating: 2.6 RB Avg. Rating: 3.05
This higher-alcohol lager has a sweetish, chalky nose, or concrete
powder, and a sprig of grass. A light fruity initial, small roast malt notes,
citrus, and a coating of bittering hops in finish (not entirely pleasant). A
small jump of bittering and alcohol in mid palate and final. Not really as
"dry" as others in this Asahi line.
Asahi Dry Premium
Hatsu Shikomi Premium
(Pale Lager) 6% Rating: 2.8
RB Avg. Rating: 3.07
This was my first beer of 2015 (it was released at the end
of 2014). Damn! My friend posted pics of his New Year bottles of KBS and Goose
Island Bourbon Barrel ... and here I was, opening the year with this one. A
sweet rude fruity nose, which resembled spirits, unfortunately.... A dark
amber/gold color, fat-bubbled head, tiny carb rising. Mild sweet initial, a
whisper of bitterness, some corn starchy notes, very light hop tracks.
Thin-medium. Better than Super Dry... a little. But too sweet with (faux)
maltiness.
(Amber Lager/Vienna)
5.5% Rating: 2.5 RB Avg. Rating: 2.73
Also a late December 2014 release. Aroma of light toasted malt,
a hint of chocolate, and some brown sugar. Orangeish-brown color. Thin dark
fruit initial flavor, water-soaked prunes and plums, and a thinly bitter
finish. A step up from regular Super Dry and Super Dry Black, but that ain’t
saying much.
Asahi also initiated their Craftmanship series with a further six brews, keeping up
with the other majors’ attempts to produce something to attract the growing ranks of craft beer
drinkers.
(Oktoberfest/Märzen)
6% Rating: 2.5 RB Avg. Rating: 2.73
Caramel nose. Orange/amber color, thin off-white head. Sweet
malty initial, light bittering. It soon flowers into more sugary sweetness.
Gentle bitter finish. Medium body, a bit sticky, and not so dry. Some fair
roast malt, but it is largely hidden behind the overly sweet notes.
Asahi Craftmanship
Dry Pale Ale
(English Pale Ale)
5.5% Rating: 3.1 RB Avg. Rating: 2.83
The second entry in Asahi’s Craftmanship series. Yeasty
nose, some toasted malt, and light caramel. Very pretty deep copper color (and not
so pale). Light roast malt, a small sourish fruity tang, late bittering, some
rusty notes, and a light dryish finish. A bit thin. Okay.
Asahi Craftmanship
Dry Saison
(Saison) 5.5% Rating: 2.6
RB Avg. Rating: 2.97
Malty nose, some spice, light yeasty stink, dead lemon
blossoms. Quite malty right off, fruity peachy flavor, and some light citrus.
Light stuff. Doesn’t really seem like a saison. Maybe they felt that true
saison character would be a turn off for buyers? Oh, well....
Asahi Craftmanship
Dry Porter
(Porter) 6% Rating: 2.9
RB Avg. Rating: 2.77
Small roast nose, brown sugar, light coffee, and small
chocolate. Thin translucent brown, small head. Light prune/raisin flavors, a
touch of licorice, some metallic notes, and tiny bittering in finish. Thin
body, a bit watery. Decent but thin flavors. Not totally dry, and , you know ... ’taint
Guinness .....
Asahi Craftsmanship
Christmas Beer Eve Amber
(Dunkler Bock)
6% Rating: 2.5 RB Avg. Rating: 2.65
Tiny bit of light roast malt aroma, sugary sweet, with some light
stinky hops. Dark translucent brown, some lacing. Roast malt, thin caramel, a candyish
toffee note in mid palate. Fades quickly. Duller in flavor than most mild amber
ales. Made with malt and malt extract. Nothing really Christmas-like about
this. Asahi doesn’t put much effort into their "craft" line of beers.
Asahi Craftsmanship
Christmas Beer Merry Gold
(Heller Bock)
6.5% Rating: 2.8 RB Avg. Rating: 2.85
Very light malt nose, some grass, grain, and a bit of
something like spirits. Mild sweetish maltiness, light spicy hopping, jumps of
fruity sweetness, finish is thinly bitter and starchy. Thin-medium body. Okay.
But why the adjunct junkiness?
Asahi The Royal Label
(Pale Lager) 5% Rating: 2.7
RB Avg. Rating: 2.64
Some grass, pale malts, and the typical low-carbohydrate
beer stink. Bright glowing golden straw color. Mild sweet malty initial. The
bittering kicks in too hard in late mid palate. Light sweet finish. Is this
some sort of technical brewing achievement -- making a 100% malt brew with 40%
fewer carbohydrates? Anyway, it is better than most low-carb beers.
Asahi Super Dry Extra
Sharp
(Pale Lager)
5.5% Rating: 2.7 RB Avg. Rating: 2.82
Nose of cardboard, grain, more grain, wet concrete, and a
slight sulfur note (but really so strong, nor as bad as it sounds). Very pale
straw color, thin white head, and some lace. Grass, grain, with a big
carbonation spike in mid palate, then mild malt sweetness, and light powdery finish.
Thin-medium body. Not sure if it’s really "sharp," but it is
definitely crisp and sort of dry. Tastes more or less like happoshu. Maybe a notch up from regular Super Dry.
Asahi Clear Crystal
Clear
(Pale Lager) 4% Rating: 1.7
RB Avg. Rating: 2.23
Spirits stink, light thin fruit, some sewer. Very light pale
gold color. Grain, spirits, and small bittering. Very thin body. A watered-down
version of the already watery Asahi Clear. Summer junk.
Asahi Clear Toushitsu
Zero
(Pale Lager) 6% Rating: 2.2
RB Avg. Rating: 2.5
Lightly fragrant fruity and cesspool aroma. Clear bright
straw color, thin head, and some lace. Tiny grass, cardboard, bit of hopping,
and some harsh chemical notes in finish. Thin body. Some alcohol warmth. Nearly
flavorless, and hence not as offensive as most beers in this vein.
Asahi Clear Aki no
Kohaku
(Oktoberfest/Märzen)
Rating: 1.5 RB Avg. Rating: 2.44
Light roast nose, along with sewerish spirits, cardboard,
dirty used aluminum foil, and hamster cage. Dull brown tea color. Cardboard
initial, light sugary mid palate, spirits, corn, and blah... Thin, harsh body.
Four malts + seven hops = zero (they don’t even begin to cover up the adjuncts
and spirits).
Asahi Clear
Hatsudzumi no Kaori
(Pale Lager) 5% Rating: 1.9
RB Avg. Rating: 2.7
A decidedly spirit-stinky nose, with some starchiness.
Bright gold straw color. Rough green mashy taste, with some added cardboard.
Thin and fizzy. Has Yamagata hops .... but who cares when the result is like
this?
Asahi Style Free 6%
(Pale Lager) 6% Rating: 1.6
RB Avg. Rating: 2.31
Strong chemical-like extract nose, some spirits. Clear
golden straw color. Big cardboard, fat and wet, flattens out into a dull
sweetness, harsh. Alcohol/spirits appear in finish. Thin body. Like insecticide-sprayed
peach skins, or a cardboard fruit box, with dust and alcohol. Junk.
Asahi Smart Off
(Pale Lager) 5% Rating: 2.1
RB Avg. Rating: 2.69
Thin nose with some decided alcohol-infused fruit. Dark
amber color. Bread soaked in spirits, quite vegetal. Thin-medium body. 50% less
carb and … wait for it … 2000mg. collagen! No spirits included, but it has
eight ingredients, including barley extract and yeast extract (is this last one
a new thing?). Weird stuff.
Asahi Fuyu no Kanpai
(Party & Winter)
(Pale Lager) 6% Rating: 2.4
RB Avg. Rating: 2.59
Thin malt nose, bit of caramel hiding amidst the barley
spirits. Dark gold color. Light scratchy malt, spirits in mid palate, light
sweetish finish with a bit of alcohol warmth. Actually, the spirits don’t
intrude too much. Inoffensive. No real evidence of Casade or Citra hopping.
This one won’t get your party started.
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