It seems that just about everyone I know is going to Japan lately and for good reason – it’s a great place.
The people are fantastic and polite, the food is fantastic and the beer is just bloody amazing.
However, if you can’t get to the Land of the Rising Sun, don’t worry, there seems to a rise in the land Downunder in the popularity of Japanese beers and not just from the big brewers.
Many smaller Aussie breweries are taking up the challenge with impressive results.
I have to confess that my love affair with Japan and Japanese beer started back on 2012 while visiting the country as part of a Golden Oldies rugby tournament.
The major sponsor was Asahi and while I was familiar with the Super Dry, I knew nothing of the Super Dry Black.
I was hooked from the start. It’s smooth dry black, full of flavour and body, leaving the palate with a fresh crisp aftertaste.
By the end of the tournament, about half the players were also fans of ‘the black’.
Happy days when I discovered you could buy it in Australia – and I did, often.
However, those times are over with Asahi Super Dry Black no longer gracing our shelves or if it is, it’s hard to find and you may have to order it online (and at a price).
Being partial to black beers, image my delight when I found a couple of Queensland breweries making Japanese black lager.
The Heads of Noosa has established itself at the forefront of Japanesestyle lagers.
Not only do they have Japanese Style Lager, a clean, lightly floral brew, made with rice that gives it that signature Japanese crispness.
It’s good but for me their Black Japanese Lager is the winner. It has more body, is smooth with a slight roasted quality which offers up subtle coffee and chocolate notes.
And don’t think that black beers make you feel bloated – not all of them anyway – and this drop has great sessionability all year round.
Not to be outdone, Burleigh Brewing on the Gold Coast has carved out its own niche with a beer that’s earned serious international respect.
Their Japan Black took home “Best Black Beer” at the World Beer Championships, and it’s easy to see why. It’s silky, balanced, and layered with roasted malt character — yet still finishes crisp, in the finest of Japanese tradition.
Again, it is a brew which is very close to my beloved Asahi Black.
There are a growing number of breweries around Australia “turning Japanese” and depending where your travels or taste buds take you, here are some worth exploring or tracking down.
Yulli’s Brews (NSW)
Yulli’s has always marched to the beat of its own drum, and their Japanesestyle lager is no exception.
Karaoke Kingu Japanese Rice Lager uses Australian malts and New Zealand hops to create a light, sessionable lager with a whisper of citrus and a crisp, snappy finish. It’s a great thirst-quencher, refreshing and easy to drink.
White Bay Beer Co (NSW)
White Bay has built a reputation for technical excellence, and their take on the style shows it. The Super Dry is a bottom-fermented lager designed to be lean, clean, and offers good malt character. The use of Pacifica hops add a slight floral note but doesn’t distract from retain that dry, crispness which is a trademark of many Japanese lagers.
4 Pines Brewing Co. (NSW)
There’s a touch of Tokyo to this 4 Pines brew. Their Japanese Style Lager is a dry rice lager that’s crisp, bright, and built for easy drinking. It’s definitely well-suited to the warmer month and goes down very easy.
So, what makes these styles of beer as popular as they are?
For me, it’s a question of balance.
Japanese-style lagers are crisp without being boring, lighter in body without being watery and flavoursome without being overly complicated.
In many ways, Japanese beers don’t try to be too fancy, they don’t “assault” the taste buds,
they “respect” them – which is exactly what I love about Japan – respect.
The county and people respect each other and that comes down to making beer as well – campie (cheers)
Bob
