#sushi pair

If you’ve ever had a drink with someone who’s Japanese, then you would know how much they love their beer. They seem to have perfected that balance of flavors in beer. From the rice lager of Sapporo, to the pale lagers of Asahi and Kirin; (based on experience) the taste of their beers, whether crisp or flavorful, full-bodied or clear, are always  ”just right”. 

There’s one particular Japanese beer, though that has caught the attention of beer aficionados: the Ginza Brown. This one-of-a-kind limited edition beer, produced by Sapporo Breweries, is actually in its third year. Of course, it has been sold in limited capacity, available only on selected charity promotions at department stores, Sapporo Lion shops, as well as their online store.  Evidently, they sold extremely well.

  photo courtesy: japantoday

  So what exactly is so special about the Ginza Brown? What made is sell so extremely well?

The Ginza Brown

Believe it or not, the Ginza Brown Beer by Sapporo is a little more than your typical barley malt, water, and hops: the magic is in the bee yeast. Yes, you read that right — Sapporo’s delicious new brown ale is made with a little bit of help from hard-working honey bees.  So why is it called “Ginza Brown” and not “Honey Beer”? The Ginza district in Central Tokyo was actually the location of Sapporo’s main office for many years, and is also where Sapporo opened the very first beer hall ever in Japan(1899). Since then, Sapporo has had (and still has) strong ties with the Ginza district. But this beer wasn’t made just to support the district or catch the public’s attention. This ale was actually made to promote awareness on the importance and potential of honey bees, in support of the Ginza Honey Bee Project.  

It is said that this brown ale from Sapporo has a rich amber color and a light cinnamon scent. If you want to find out for yourself, you can now pre-order this limited edition beer from the Sapporo online store in either six or twelve packs. Now you can get a buzz while saving the bees.