I was all set to do a rundown on another budget beer when the earthquake hit. More on the earthquake in a moment. One of the beers that I had purchased was Kirin Ichiban. A 24 ounce can costs $2.00 which fits exactly into the price goal of 12 ounces for $1.00 or less. And an import to boot. Well, not exactly an import. The research department here at Beerliving (i.e. The Google and I) came up with some interesting information.
Most of the Kirin Ichiban beer sold in the United States is not imported from Japan. Instead it is brewed under license by Anheuser–Busch in Los Angeles, CA. Leave it to a mega brewer to get their malty fingers into as much of the international beer pie as possible. By the way, the other Japanese beer commonly found in the US, Sapporo, brews their beer for the North American market in Canada. I guess technically that still makes it an import.
And how does Kirin Ichiban compare to other cheap beers? It is above the midpoint in terms of taste. A little more color and body than other $1.00 beers. You could do lots worse than this one.
Here are a few other Kirin factoids. The Kirin Beast is a mythical creature that’s half dragon and half deer with the tail of an ox. Known throughout various East Asian cultures, the beast is considered a good omen bringing serenity and prosperity wherever it goes. It is often depicted covered in flames. Hmmm, nothing like a flaming half dragon to bring serenity… And for all you bourbon drinkers out there (which I am one), the Four Roses Bourbon brand is also owned by Kirin Holdings, which is the parent company of the Kirin Brewery. The alcohol world is indeed a small place.
It may be a good thing that Kirin allows their beer to be brewed under license in many countries. After the terrible earthquake and tsunami in Japan this last week, a Kirin brewery in Sendai was damaged. This brewery accounts for 10% of Kirin’s beer production in Japan. The photo below shows collapsed holding tanks, foaming lager, and evacuated employees on the roof.
Kirin Brewery damaged by earthquake, Sendai Japan