Following the notion that taste buds deteriorate with alcohol.
Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!Perhaps I needed a few more of the good to not notice the poor, yet even among Japanese 'beer', rather than Happoshu, there is worse. Had I drunk the Yebisu first I would have thought it merely tasteless, not unpalatable, but would have liked the Coedo more. There is no good way to drink good and poor beer in the same sitting.
As good a way as any for me to comfort myself about never having been in an onechan sandwich... (And the group sex thing, since a man will take longer each time, yet get more tired, someone gets the short end of that, er... stick).
Oh, that Nest beer you linked to is lovely stuff. I've kinda sorta maybe got a post on that coming up as well. I generally steer clear of anything claiming to have 'flavour' if it comes in a can, though for what it is (mass produced lager to be drunk cold and quickly) Kirin Ichiban isn't bad; it certainly stands comparison to anything available back home.
ReplyDeleteI thought Yebisu was the more drinkable of the Japanese mega-brewers, and my wife bought me some as I had so, which is to say I have a good wife, sometimes. You're not Canadian as I am, but your point stands: Japanese mega-brews are no worse, and often better. However, real beer it ain't when it comes from a mega-brewery, here or there.
DeleteI have had the best luck with Hitachino Nest, and others that are good enough but a notch below are:
- Yona Yona
- Ginga Kogen
- Echigo Beer
You'll find one or another in the odd grocery, in cans at a small premium over regular real-malt beers, but canned beer sucks. I have found all of these on Amazon, but you pay double when bottled. 500y/bottle is worth it for taste, so long as you drink few enough to be drinking for taste.
Too bad my wife is a lightweight, breastfeeding, and we have a toddler besides, as I want to make a trip to Hitachino Nest, outside of Mito, and hit the Kairakuen in plum blossoms, which is soon. http://www.kodawari.cc/?en_home.html
Yebisu is fine with me if I'm drinking at home or just chugging with friends. I do prefer craft beers, and coming from Portland, OR, I'm pretty much spoiled when it comes to beer. However, there's a growing number of good craft brews in Japan. Baird's is nice, and the Harajuku Taproom is a cool little place for putting 'em down.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, if any of my friends show up to a party with happoshu and drink other people's beer and leave that shit behind, they're not my friends and might be killed if I see 'em on the street.
Feb 18th marked 4 years since I touched a drop of booze.
ReplyDeleteThanks Happoshu!!!!
drink 30 per day for 4 straight days, take 100mg of Zoloft as well and then take sleeping pills x2 (because the Zoloft creates mania and it dulls the dulling effect of booze) Some famous folks have died with Zoloft being one of the contributors....and sit in front of the local super shotgunning beers through the eye hole of a Nosferatu.
The Dr said I shoulda been dead based on my toxicology. I was taken off the meds immediately and went through shaking tremor filled withdrawals for 2 days. Worse than coke or Meth......not even close.
I'm done. Shoulda died didn't decided to live.
I think Ebisu is a real decent effort compared to the other mass produced Japanese samey same beers out there. I just wish it didn't carry such a high price. It's nearly as expensive as a jibiru. That's just silly.
ReplyDeleteI ended up trying Yona Yona and found it to be a refreshing change although a bit too flavorful for my tastes. I blame happoshu and mega Japanese beer brands for dulling my senses. I also really like the eichigo beer brand but the price makes it a bit cost prohibitive to be able to drink those as often as I'd like.
Chris, do not let me tempt you. It tastes terrible! Really. All booze in Japan! More seriously, I've been blessed I have only a mildly compulsive, not an addictive, personality. Not that I am trying to diagnose you: you know your own demons. Glad you are still with us. I only drink, and mostly in moderation. What little illicit stuff I have done has not agreed with me: even pot fucks me up badly.
ReplyDeleteScott, with you on Y/Ebisu. One way I moderate my drinking is spend a fixed amount (more or less), but drink better quality in less volume.
^^ is a total beer snob. Price and selection are excellent for where I live. So there is no excuse for having to go with Bud Ice or something equally vile. Unless of course you are a high schooler who had to coerce a bum to buy you some 40's at the local 7-11 with your saved allowance.
ReplyDeleteMy hubs on the other hand is more about quantity not quality. Which more often than not, I don't share my good beers with him at home. If he wants to catch a buzz and drink fast he can get nasty beers for those purposes.
I used to subscribe to the quantity vs quality, but it was more because I had just moved out and I went CrAZy~@!!
DeleteI switched back to quality after my last binge when I looked in the fridge and saw only 6 left and thought another 18 might do the trick.
That top one actually does look not too bad to me. I wonder if they sell that brand at the local japanese market.