Happoshu: Expertly Crafted Non-Craft Beer

Posted on June 10, 2015 by travelingrant

Any Japanese supermarket or convenience store has a dizzying array of beer options. However, a closer look at the labels will reveal that most of these beers are in fact “happoshu” (発泡酒 ) a low malt beer variant that could be compared to warm dishwater. Why would this sort of product have more shelf space […]

Hops Without Beer: Japan’s Green Shower

Posted on July 9, 2014 by travelingrant

Japan is pretty well known for creating things with very unusual flavors. From Cucumber soda to mayonnaise and wasabi chips to fish ice cream to black garlic beer it sometimes seems that nothing is too weird for this country. So it wasn’t too shocking when hop flavored sparkling water appeared. Even though it isn’t beer, […]