Beer Challenge: 003: Asahi Super "Dry" Extra Cold Draught

I am sorry, but my love for Japanese beer cannot be stopped.

This week challenge, also one of the big four beer companies, is the Asahi Super Dry "Extra Cold" Beer

Asahi Breweries is the largest beer companies, with a 38% of market share, in Japan according to wiki. But you can clearly see how popular Asahi beer is in your daily life.

Like the other two companies (Suntony and Kirin) we went through, Asahi produces and imports lots of products including sake, wine, whisky, soft drinks, and others.

But for the product line and history of Asahi, I shall write another detail post after I have done researching (Learning Japanese for it now!)

Well, then, let's get back to the topic.

Asahi Super "Dry" Extra Cold, as the name of it tells you how does it different from the normal Super "Dry" Beer.

As you can see here (the products of Asahi Company) or down below, most of the beer are called Super "Dry" (スーパードライ)(Pronounced as: Su-Pa-Do-La-E). So, Super "Dry" basically is the standard, the normal version that we drink.

(Should try all of them...yum..)

We should then focus on the term - Extra Cold ( エクストラ コールド).

What is Extra Cold?

"Using the most advanced temperature management system with dedicated server(the tap), the beer is served below freezing, -2 degree to 0 degree."

So honestly, it is just the standard Asahi Super "Dry" Beer served in a very low temperature. Possibly the same as I put my beer in the snow during winter for 30 min.

BUT, now you can taste it in summer.

Let's take a look of the commercial.

Obviously the Extra Cold "most advance temperature management system" is the secret and not able to find any information about it (yet). However, I think we just need to know what it is for now (Well, we are make Extra Cold in winter too, aren't we?)

I tried this at the Shinjuku Station (新宿駅) in Japan. The store was in the middle of the station on the second floor, and no reason needed, I was attracted into it (Possibly it is not there anymore)

I did not order any food that they provided as they were so expensive as I wasn't hungry at that time, but I probably should if I have another chance.

You could see the foam was great, full and smooth, and nearly 8:2 ratio. Though the container was a plastic cup, it did not lower your eagerness to drink this. (I like glass for beer, but this time was ok, glass would be more perfect)

So from my unprofessional tasting test, it was:

- VERY fresh

- Cold (until the last sip), light, which you can hardly taste the hop

- You can still taste the malt, not much, but enough for the beer

In R scale, I rated it as 9/10. It was an awesome drink for gathering with friends, chit-chating, and definitely a good one after work.

Hmm..I am thinking what I should add in the coming posts, please comment if you are interested in anything about beer!

Well, let's call it a week then ! Cheers! and drink safe!

Beer Challenge: 002: Kirin Nodogoshi Beer 500mL Can

This week, a different beer, a different company, but from the same country, is presenting to you:

Kirin Nodogoshi <Nama> Beer キリン のどごし <生>





First thing first, the name of the company.


Kirin, is a mythical chimerical creature known in Asian culture. As you can see in the logo, Kirin has the head of dragon, the body of horse and the tail of ox. It can breath fire, and call like thunder. Kirin represents prosperity or serenity in ancient China.


But if you use google translate, it tells you kirin is a giraffe.


Well, that is basically because of there was no Kirin in the western myth and all they could imagine is giraffe.


Anyways, the Kirin beer attracted me by its name when I first saw it. (Actually all animal names or logos do)


Skipping the history of the company (as I would write one about it in later future), this company produces different beer products, including Lager, Stout, and with other favours. And Nodogoshi is then one of them.



Nodogoshi is different from other beers.


The name, again, means more than name.


What is Nodogoshi (のどごし)? It means the feeling when the beer goes through the throat, that special moment you feel the freshness in your body. (Nama means draught)


So drinking the beer does not only drink its taste with your tongue, and also the Nodogoshi by your throat.


The other thing that makes this beer special, is the beer is gluten-free, yes, which means it is free of gluten and no gluten involved. Yup, you did not see something wrong, the beer has no gluten.


Oh, come on, don't ask me what is gluten (I wikied for you).


Which means the ingredient of the beer is not barley or wheat, but soybean.


One of the great things is people who have coeliac disease can also enjoy the specialness of beer. I just cannot imagine how am I going to survive without beer. (Thou I almost certain I would keep living).


As I have never tried another beer of soybean before, I cannot tell how much different from it, but definitely the differences from the normal beer.




According to the official website, Kirin Nodogoshi Nama embodies a crisp and full-bodied taste.


And from my unprofessional tasting test, it is

- Actually tasted like barley or malt.

- The sweetness of the beer fulfilled the whole oral cavity once swallowed, and

- The bitterness came in after 5 seconds, the aftertaste stayed for a while until the next sip.


In R scale, it would be 8/10. Definitely worth trying it.






And in May 2015, a product of Nodogoshi has been published, which the ingredient changes from soybean back to barley AND wheat.


How would that different from the soybean one or the normal beer, we will find that out.



At last, just cannot ignore, and can't deny Japanese's creativity and earnestness.





This is the experiment of the Japanese scientists using electromyogram to test the muscle movement when drinking different drinks, including cold water, carbonated water and room temp water.


And I did not read thru the whole article coz im lazy (Yes, they published it - "Effects of taste solutions, carbonation, and cold stimulus on the power frequency content of swallowing submental surface electromyography" Chem Senses, 2009 May; 34(4): 325-31 Eoub 2009 Feb 16"


But check that out if you are interested.



Cheers, drink safe!