A Taste-Test Comparison of a Popular Japanese Beer and its Synthetic Analogue

A Taste-Test Comparison of a Popular Japanese Beer and its Synthetic Analogue

McArthur, C. S.

Abstract

In a blind taste-test, a cheaper, beer flavour alcoholic drink was rated better than the real thing. However, this study lacked statistical power, and further research is needed.

Introduction

Despite heavy taxes, Japan consumed 45 litres of beer per capita per in 2010 [1]. A range of beer-like drinks that avoid the higher taxes on beer are also popular. They tend to be pretty bland, but so do the real beers, and price-conscious consumers are often unsure about whether the extra cost of real beer is justifiable.

Procedure

Figure 1: Asahi Super Dry on the left, Mugi to hoppu on the right

On the day of the trial, two 350 ml cans of drink were purchased from a supermarket. One contained beer, and the other contained an alcoholic drink which, judging by its placement and labelling, was intended to mimic the beer. (See figure 1.)

The beer was Asahi Super Dry Black: a drink for folk brought up on flavourless Japanese beers who want to try something a little more Guiness-like. Its usual price is 210 yen.

The beer flavour drink was Suntory Mugi To Hoppu (Suntory Barley And Hops). Its usual price is 150 yen.

The cans were chilled in a refrigerator at 8°C for 4 hours.

The subject, an unpaid volunteer, labelled identical glasses P and Q with a black erasable whiteboard pen. The experimenter then opened the cans and poured one drink into glass P and the other into Q, without revealing which was which. The subject sipped from P followed by Q. He then cleansed his palette with water and rice, and sipped Q followed by P. He then stated his preference. The experimenter then revealed which glass contained which drink, and sampled them herself.

Results

Both experimenter and subject agreed that the Asahi Super Dry Black was surprisingly watery for something that looked like a stout, and that the Suntory Mugi To Hoppu had a superior, richer taste and odour.

Conclusion

If the results of this small sample are representative, the food chemists appear to have beaten the brewers at their own game. However, the small sample size and lack of double blinding mean that firm conclusions cannot be drawn from this exploratory study. More research is needed, with more varieties of beer and more subjects.

Declaration of Interest

Both the experimenter and the subject are very interested in drinking beer. The experimenter is also very interested in getting the subject onto the cheap stuff.

References

1. Kirin Holdings Company Ltd. Global Beer Consumption by Country 2010, Kirin Institute of Food and Lifestyle Report, 33 (2011)