A Classic Japanese Beer
Written: May 09 '01 (Updated May 09 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Full bodied, hoppy, great with food.
Cons: None come to mind.
The Bottom Line: This is a classic Japanese beer, one of the best Japanese beers imported into the USA.
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| Bruguru's Full Review: Yebisu Super Premium |
Brewing, like any other business, is conducted in a rather strange fashion in Japan. Until recently, you couldn’t open a brewery in Japan unless said brewery began production at a level of 2 million barrels per year. That’s a lot of beer, and it’s quite a risk to establish a new business not knowing whether you’ll get stuck sitting on a million or so cases of unsold beer.
This law, like many in Japan, was designed to protect the large established brewers such as Sapporo and Kirin. Import laws were similarly crafted. I recall in the mid eighties talking with a Portland, Maine brewer who was trying to sell his beer in Japan. The Japanese had maintained at the time that one reason why they ran such huge trade surpluses with the United States was the inferiority of American goods. That certainly wasn’t the case with our beer, as this brewer’s beer, Portland Lager, was a delicious Vienna-style lager that was far more flavorful than the beers the Japanese were sending us here in the States.
The kicker was that at the time the US tariff on Japanese beer was 10 cents a case, while the Japanese tariff on a case of US micro beer was about $25. Hey, I’m a Bruguru, not a Tradeguru, but I just don’t buy that inferiority argument.
Fortunately, the brewery size restriction was lifted in Japan in 1994. Even before that, however, excellent beer was being brewed here. Sapporo, brewers of Yebisu, operate a beer garden on the site of their original brewery that produces a variety of styles including an excellent Schwarzbier, Scotch ale, Altbier, and Pilsner.
Yebisu Stout Draft is a classic Japanese beer that is brewed with German hops and resembles a Dortmunder Export. The beer has been brewed since 1887 and one should not be surprised at its European character, since the Dutch traded extensively with the Japanese during the 19th century and German culture was venerated here during World War II. Yebisu is sold here in the United States in 16 ounce bottles and is brewed in Japan, rather than being contract brewed in North America as some Japanese beers are.
Yebisu Stout Draft pours to a cloudy golden color with light, fizzy carbonation and a very malty nose. The palate is very rich and surprisingly full-bodied; this is no light Japanese lager but a very respectable and malty brew. The finish is quite bitter too and makes the beer very drinkable. This is an excellent beer to be sure, well balanced and very flavorful. I enjoyed it tonight not with Japanese cuisine but rather with Mexican, homemade tostadas with beans and rice. Yebisu was an excellent companion to the meal, and has enough body to stand up to any food in my estimation.
Recommended:
Yes
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