Kirin Ichiban

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Pale lagers are not my first choice but I was interested in sampling a beer from Japan. It was a good pairing with the lobster roll and sushi. I was more interested in its first press process that I researched after I drank this beer. Intriguing. If I would label it with one descriptor it would have to be "sweet." Read this about the name of this beer: SYMBOL OF KIRIN "The Kirin is a creature from Chinese mythology. It is described in books on folklore as having the body of a Deer, the tail of an Ox, and the hooves of a Horse, with a single horn on it's head and a pelt of five colours. According to legend, this amazing animal refuses to step on living plants and will not eat living things. Considered a harbinger of auspicious events, a Kirin is said to have appeared at the bedside of the mother of Confucius as she was about to give birth to her son. As a symbol of well-being and good fortune, the Kirin was an ideal choice for the label of Kirin bee." Excerpt from the website: http://www.kirineurope.com

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Clear yellow with lasting white foam head. Slightly sparkling, not too bitter, fresh. Nothing too special about this beer, but great with Japanese food. (Arnhem 201204)

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 5

pours clear with a pale straw color with small white thin head with little lacing or staying power. The aroma was light pale malty sweetness, with a hint of grassy hops. The taste was missing flavor overall a fairly typical lightweight lager beer, with a balance of slight sweetness and a low bittering element. The mouthfeel was crisp and refreshing.

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 5

Anoma is malty. Taste is kinda bland. Finishes off fairly dry. Overly expensive. Not much to say about this one. Not even brewed in japan, another Anheiser Busch swill. Only good on hot days, everyday else pass on it.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Pale golden color with nice white top. Aroma is quite malty and hoppy with some hints of flowers and fruits. Taste is nice and smoothly round. Has some cookies and strong hops in it. Aftertaste is refreshingly bitter. Nothing really special, but not bad either.

Aroma: 3 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 3

Japanese swill. Looks, smells, and tastes like a Budwesier. If it wasn't for the label on the bottle, they could have told me it was Budwesier and I would have believed it. It's that close.

Aroma: 3 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

355ml bottle
5.0% ABV (as written on the bottle)
Brewed in America by Anheuser-Busch, under license from Kirin
I tried this beer on May 19, 2011 at "Smokeless Joe" in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The beer poured a translucent pale yellow with a medium sized white head. The aroma was grass, weak hops, and sour stuff. The mouthfeel was medium bodied with medium carbonation. The flavour was sour grains, weak hops, and bitter.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

It pours a clear yellow-golden with an inch-thick white head and some strands of lacing. An aroma of ordinary malts, hops, lemon-citrus, and some spice. The mouthfeel is smooth and rich. Flavors of fresh malts, light hops, bitterness, lemon-citrus, and spices. Good! It sort of has a classy taste to it.

Aroma: 3 | Appearance: 3 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 3

Pours out very clear yellow with little to no head. Aroma is also very weak. Taste is weak too. Just nothing special here at all. Got the impression that this is pretty much the Japanese equivalent of bud.

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 4

Very clear straw colored. Bright white head that was very fizzy with little retention or lacing. This looks like a "macro" for sure. Several bubbles streaming to the top. The aroma was corn and grain. Some malt character. Maybe a faint biscuit. Every thing was very faint. The taste was of a cereal grain and corn. Some minute bitterness. Not a real pleasing taste. Tastes like a "macro" also. Getting a stale, metallic taste too. The mouthfeel was light and watery. It is refreshing and crisp. Doesn't leave much aftertaste at all. This might be fairly refreshing if it was 110 degrees in the shade. I probably wouldn't want this under any other circumstances however. I could finish it, which is always positive I guess. Does have a cool little label on the bottle though.