Since the trains were out yesterday due to the typhoon and it was difficult to get around, we decided to stay in and do some beer testing! We did a 6 beer challenge, with Yebisu going for it's first title defense since winning top spot earlier this year.
Defending Champ
Name: Yebisu
Origin: Tokyo, Japan
Alcohol: 5%
Price: USD2.56/can USD0.73/100mL
This beer won convincingly, beating out 12 other beers in the last Royal Rumble with a solid score of 8/10.
Challenger 1
Name: Suntory Super Blue
Origin: Tokyo, Japan
Alcohol: 5%
Price: USD1.25/can USD0.36/100mL
This beer is meant "For Refreshing Times". And it claims "Original Clear Taste". Well, if by "clear" they mean it tastes like water, then yes, it does. Another light and tasteless 3rd grade beer. Final score 6.2/10.
Challenger 2
Name: Kirin Golden Moment
Origin: Tokyo, Japan
Alcohol: 5%
Price: USD1.33/can USD0.38/100mL
With a name like "Golden Moment", you'd expect this beer to be the best memory of your entire life. It supposedly "delivers you a great harmony of refreshing and full body taste." However, this 3rd grade beer was a bit wheaty and although it had a bit more flavour, it wasn't exactly memorable. Final score 6.65/10.
Challenger 3
Name: Suntory Clear Strong
Origin: Tokyo, Japan
Alcohol: a whopping 8%
Price: USD1.27/can USD0.32/100mL
First of all, the can's design is pretty ugly. It should get minus points just for that. It was another bad sign when it sounded fizzy coming out of the can, like pouring a soda. And the foam looked like soap suds. All this, and we hadn't even had a taste yet. The very first thing you notice when you put it to your lips - it tastes sweet!! Like someone poured sugar into it. Upon closer inspection of the ingredients, there are a lot more things in it than just water, hops, and barley. Among them, yes, sugar. This was the beer equivalent of competing on steroids! How else would you get up to 8% so inexpensively? Pump it full of other crap! It definitely had a kick to it, but tasted like sugar water, soda, and beer mixed together. Final score 1/10.
Challenger 4
Name: Kirin Stout
Origin: Tokyo, Japan
Alcohol: 5%
Price: USD2.13/can USD0.61/100mL
Now I'll be the first to admit that comparing light 3rd grade beers to stouts is like comparing apples to oranges, but it's a battle royal! Anything goes! I should also remind you that my judgments are biased against stouts, because in general, I'm not really a fan of that heavy, bitter taste. As well, I usually like drinking my beers quickly, while they're ice cold, and stouts aren't meant for that. Nevertheless, I am trying to be as open-minded as possible. This one claims that it's roasted aroma and creamy foam will "enrich your precious time." And in fact, it did have a nice malty aroma and was very smooth. As stouts go for me, this one was not bad. Final score 7.5/10.
Challenger 5
Name: Yebisu Premium
Origin: Tokyo, Japan
Alcohol: 5%
Price: USD2.54/can USD0.0.73/100mL
I thought I would at least put 2 stouts together, so that you could get a comparison. Now this has to be the slickest looking beer can ever. Too bad I don't like dark beers, otherwise I would be buying this all the time based purely on the packaging. Taste-wise, pretty much the same as the Kirin, except just a little fizzy for a stout, making it kind of a hybrid, and perhaps slightly more familiar for some people. Final score 7.65/10.
So although the 2 stouts completely destroyed the other challengers and they were pretty even between themselves, Yebisu remains the defending champ.
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