CNN report on third category beer in Japan

CNN’s Kyung Lah discovers third category beer:

Japanese beer makers have been offering imitation beer as a cheap alternative to the real stuff for years, and sales of third category beer have been growing steadily ever since it hit the market in 2004.
—-

Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
Kirainet.com – A geek in Japan (Subscribe)

12 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - March 4, 2009 at 10:53 am

Categories: General Japan Tags:

http://www.japaneconomynews.com/ Ken

A few things about this video are not quite right, starting with the text “Suntory tastes like beer…” under the video.
Roger

Are they talking about “happoshu”? Or have they come with yet a new idea? If it is happoshu, I prefer proper beer but happoshu is not too bad. A lot of the tap beer you get in various cheap chain izakayas are often happoshu these days while labeling it as chu jokki so people think it is proper beer.

LB

Yes, Happoshu. Must be a slow news day for Kyung Lah and CNN.

Next up: “How much happoshu does one have to imbibe so that Kyung Lah looks attractive through the happoshu-goggles?”

Answer: Enough so that Suntory has to put in a third shift to cover the spike in demand…

OsakaGuy

I was curious what the second category was and some googling revealed this cache-only MDN news article which says happoshu is in fact 2nd category, and the 3rd cat. stuff is even cheaper:
http://tinyurl.com/happoshu

The Wikipedia article on “Happoshu” also says:
“Beer-flavored beverages collectively dubbed “the third beer”(第三のビール, dai-san no bīru) by the mass media have been developed to compete with happoshu. These alcoholic products fall under categories not yet as highly taxed. The third beer beverages either use malt alternatives, or they are a mix of happoshu and another type of alcohol. When comparing 350 ml cans, the third beer brands can be 10 to 25 yen cheaper than happoshu.”

http://whatjapanthinks.com Ken Y-N

They are now up to 4th Sector Beer, so I hear, which I think refers to these beers with added effect, such as the Tanrei W with low Purine and high Polyphenol.

xin

Sorry, but what are the differences between beer and the beer like beverage? Less malt? Less alcohol? What are the numbers?
binbiru

Definitely a slow news day for cnn whats next washlets?
koy

I had some last time I was in Tokyo.
I was just looking around for some cheap beer, not knowing that it’s not actually the real beer I’m used to.

And I must say, it’s the most disgusting “beer” I’ve ever had. Even 0.2€ a bottle beer from back here tastes better than happoshu. In any circumstance I’d really rather pay the extra for something that’s at least drinkable.
Pingback: Mundo H ~ ¡La primera web hispana de noticias y reseñas hentai!
D

Wow, in the US of A we call that “Coors”
Dangomushi

Personally I’m less interested in the taste or what it’s made with and more interested in the alcohol content and “drunkification” effect it has!! Thus the reason why I’m often found drinking things like Steel Reserve here in The States where I live.

If it has positive effects of getting me trashed for a cheap price, I think that alone could help me foster a love for it… no matter how it tastes.
http://www.zdwonline.de Haf

Lol, you can really hear the difference when pouring the beers in. ^^

I’m not a big drinker, but I still think it’s too bad that real beer is taxed so high in Japan.

CNN report on third category beer in Japan

Recent Comments

Further Reading

South Korean Government Demands That International Hydrographic Organization Use “East Sea”

Japanese Documentary About Sea Shepherd’s Protest Activities in Taiji (English Subtitles)

Babies Born on March 11th Receive Special Present

Washington Times Freelancer Slams Former Employer, Fails to Ethically Disclose Relationship?

Christopher Johnson Attempts to Silence Criticism of His “Gaijin Gulag” Article (Legal Threats!!!)

Tabloid Reports About Yu Darvish’s Love Life: Kirara Asuka & Miho Koga?

Does K-Pop Group KARA Have Ties to North Korea?

Tokyo Gate Bridge

Sara Errani Admits She Avoided Tennis Tournament in Tokyo: Feared Radiation

Chinese Workers Who Survived March 11th Tsunami Return to Tohoku

Categories

Archives

Subscribe

Japan Blogs

Korea Blogs

Linkroll

Other Asia Blogs