The beers of Iwakuni: Asahi Super Dry Dry Black

Tonights beer is another one I picked up from the YouMe. I could have sworn I've done a review of Asahi "Super Dry" lager, but I guess not. I suppose it makes some sense, It was not quite as common on Okinawa as some of the other major beers. It is quite common in Iwakuni though, which is to be expected as they have 38% market share in Japan. I can't really find any extensive history on the brewery though, most of what I can find is from Wikipedia. Asahi started out as Osaka Beer Company in 1889 and throughout most of it's history (like every major Japanese brewery) mimicked German beer styles. They merged with Sapporo, and Japan Beer Brewery Company (now Kirin) in 1906 to form Dai-Nippon beer company. Interesting note:during the first WW1 the Osaka brewery was partially staffed by German prisoners, which wasn't illegal at the time. Dai-Nippon would maintain almost complete dominance of the Japanese beer market until the end of WW2. In 1949 Dai-Nippon split into Asahi and Nippon brewerys. In 1892 Osaka Beer Company came out with Asahi Draft ( Asahi meaning "morning sun"), and it is likely from this beer (which they still brew) that the newly re-formed company derived it's name. In the late 1980's (or laeightys as I call them) Asahi came out with the " Asahi Super Dry" lager, the name denoting its full attenuation, gave the beer industry the term "Dry beer". Asahi Super Dry is currently their most popular beer, taking over from their previous flagship beer Asahi Gold. It's popularity led other Japanese brewers to introduce their own Dry beers to capitalize on it's popularity leading to a period of time is now referred to as the Dry wars.

It got so intense Suntory actually got Mike Tyson to pimp their beer

Tonight's beer is the Black Lager version of Asahi Super Dry.While most of what is written on the black and gold can is in Japanese characters, there is a little bit of English endorsing the beer as having "DRINKABILITY AND EXCELLENT RICHNESS, SATIN SMOOTHNESS". I noticed that it also says "KARAKUCHI" in dark grey letters against the black background of the can. A quick internet search reveals it just means "dry flavor". This can truly has a multitude of fonts, I've counted at least 11 different fonts they have used to mark this can, which is unusual even for Japanese products. At least it looks cool.

Obviously I didn't write this post to talk about fonts, TO THE BEER! Nose from the can is a little bit of malt with nuttiness, pistachios to be specific, but it's not heavy. This beer looks like Coca-Cola when you pour it, having the exact same red and caramel hue. Nose from the glass is similar to that of the can, but the nuttiness has mostly evolved into a licorice. On first sip, it's roasted malt flavor with licorice, a little dark chocolate, and a dry finish. It has a lower mid body and a little acidity. 

 

As I'm sure you've all heard, Kimbo Slice died. I find it hard to put into words how I feel about this. It's just disturbing knowing he's gone. I've been watching this guys career since I was in high school. He was this giant guy from the streets that just beat the living crap out of people in someones back yard, but even when he towered over his trash talking opponent, he had kind of a home town hero persona about him. Kimbo was the kind of guy you could actually know, and unless you live the most white bread existence imaginable, you know somebody like Kimbo. I remember watching the video where he knocked that guys eye out (for which he was named Kimbo Slice) in Mr. Coggins typing class (obviously without Mr. Coggins knowledge), dude that was just gnarly, that guys eye was popping out like my brothers dying hamster. Those were the real cowboy days of the internet. Security was a joke, Limewire got you any file you wanted through the Gnutella network, Peacefire could get you past any of those primitive blocks, a true pirates paradise. I remember watching those fights recorded on some handycam down in Florida and thinking that this was some true internet underworld stuff and I was in on it. Of course now we have the "deep web" which I've never felt the need to access (I've felt the need to learn how, just never went through with it). Sorry, I have no need of torture porn, drugs, or someone else's "untraceable" crappy homemade firearms. That's not to say I don't check in on the pirate world from time to time to make sure I know my way around our digital Tortuga. You never know when the establishment will really become as draconian as we always feared. 

 

I remember when Kimbo got into the UFC. He was the local boy from our internet underworld making good, it was unbelievable. Sure he didn't do so great, but what home town hero ever does?

Rest in peace you beautiful disaster.

Final thoughts, it's an OK beer. It doesn't really offer anything that regular Asahi Extra Dry doesn't offer. If you ever find you're self in a Japanese convenience store or supermarket, I assure you there will be better beers for the same price right next to this one.