Why the inverted commas? I guess the beer inside is actually quite wet so perhaps they indicate that the word dry is used illustratively. "Karakuchi" is (apparently) Japanese meaning "dry taste" so native speakers are catered for. Who knows?
Anyway, when these showed up at work it was a given that I was going to bend the elbow. Ever since I discovered that many beers I had assumed were imported - Asahi, Sapporo, Goose Island, etc.... - are actually brewed in Australian suburbs under licence, I've been interested in tracking down the genuine articles and doing the comparison.
This has proven the worthiness of the endeavour. The 500ml cans are the genuine imported product. The Asahi in stubbies (I have now learnt) is brewed in Australia. I imagine the idea is that you're not supposed to be able to taste the difference, but you totally can. There's no doubt. After tasting the two products side by side, the Australian-made product comes across as what the producer wants Australians to think Japanese beer tastes like. It's more heavily malted. It has a sweet aftertaste despite the super dry label. It's alright, but that is all. The import leaves it for dead.
The Japanese import just tastes like really good beer. It's drier, lacks the flowery notes and the sugary aftertaste. It's more delicately malted with a few more hop notes to the fore.
I'll continue to seek local brewers to support with my hard-earned but if I'm ever in the mood for an Asahi, I'm going to be looking for the imported product.
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