Asahi 318

Formerly brewed at Asahi Breweries
Style: Premium Lager
Tokyo, Japan

Tested all of the Asahi yeast-series beers the same evening, thanks to Kjetil at NØ. The most interesting aspect with these four beers experiment is the fact that they are all made identical. The only difference is the type of yeast. The beer itself is a commercial lager and not very interesting itself. You have to dive deep inside the glass (and yourself) to search for greater variations. All of them are golden pale with a small head. Compared to 111 this one has a slightly more malt sweetness and a bit more reckonable bitterness. Still a thin weak body.

Can. Not much diffrence fromm 111. thin beer. thiner and a hint sweeter than 111. But very little diffrence.

Can. Not much differenced from 111, but it is slightly darker pale golden and the aroma has a hint of alcohol. Also the flavor is much the same as 111, slightly sweeter and a more pronounced bitterness. Same thin body. (060301)

Huge, white coarse head over a clear light yellow body. Aroma is light, clean, faintly sweet, and faintly hoppy. Little malts in the aroma, it’s more floral. Taste is very light initially with faint maltiness and hints of sweetness, then quite hoppy and bitter in the aftertaste. Very well balanced, and extremely clean, but not much character. Lovely hop profile in aftertaste.

This is one of a four beer set from Asahi. The beers are numbered with the strain of yeast used to make them. They’re all "Premium Lagers" with 5% ABV. Here’s a link http://www.asahibeer.co.jp/products/beer/koubonumb I did a side by side with the four of these. None were really noteworthy, in fact they were all rather similar being clear light -medium Gold with a small white head. 318 was the sweetest of the four, a crisp front and a good feel to it. If I had to pick the best of the four, this would be it.