Asahi Black (Kuronama)

beer pours a very pretty black-tinted ruby-red (rather like a very ripe bing cherry), with a nice, off-white head that retains and laces well. nose is rather mild, with sweet caramel notes and perhaps a very light chocolate note. flavor is very clean, with a starting caramel maltiness that turrns into a distinct licorice note in the finish. overall a very nice beer that is quite refreshing and easy to drink.

Jan, 2007 334ml bottle from BeersOfEurope. Roasted malts are noticeable, along with the thin lager body, and the forced carbonation. Smells old - BBE March, 3 months away, so this isn’t fresh, but it’s well within tolerance. It’s a drinkable lager with some pleasant roasty notes adding more interest than is normal for a global lager. This is better than the standard Asahi lager, but not by much. It’s vague, it’s old, it’s confused. It has a thin, watery mouthfeel, and odd flavours of corn, cheap chocolate flavouring, cardboard, tin, fridge ice, and watery tinned raspberry juice, amongst others. It has to be better than this when fresh in Japan, because this is a generally poor tasting product. [1.7]
July, 2009 Cafe in Whitstable. Rose perfume, licorice, clove, very dry, caramel, a drinkable dark lager. A medicinal element with something musty, adds to the interest. [3.0]

A strange schwarzbier - kind of a cross between a flat coca-cola and a cold cup of coffee. Sweet malt and grain, very thin body and a plastic-like quality. Served ice-cold with oysters sitting on a bed of crushed ice and sliced lemon then, maybe yes. Otherwise, no thanks.

Can @ A Taste of Japan, Markham, ON: Didn’t even know such a thing existed when I saw it on the menu tonight, and at almost half the price of Sapporo why does anyone bother with the corn water? The waiter poured it for me - directly into the centre - leaving 2/3 head that took some time to go away. The aroma is basic roasted caramel malt and some tin, presumably from the can. Flavour is somewhat basic for the style, nothing at all spectactular. You’re looking at very light caramel roasted malt, some sweet cane sugary element, and no real hops to be found. Light years better than Super Dry, but not my favourite schwarz.

Bottle. Pours black with a medium off-white head. Aroma is light, of slightly sweet roasted malt and caramel. Flavor is similar, with some roastiness up front and some caramel in the finish. Fairly light body. Pretty good overall, especially for a Japanese macro.

A dark, black beer with mahogany flashes, topped by a thickish white head. A light, and sweetish toasted malt aroma, coffee, and a hint of hop. The mouthfeel is a bit thin and fizzy, but the flavour is smooth, malty, coffee, burnt sugar and dark chocolate. The finish is smooth and malty.Very refreshing, almost as if somone has made a Guinness shandy! (Bottle - courtesy of Mark & Marie @ The Fox & Hounds, Heacham, Norfolk).

Bottle. Nice black colour. Some sweet aroma with roasted malt, bit chocolatish with a touch of coffee. Great flavour of the nice roasted maltiness, bit sweet and the coffee is also there. Somewhat thin mouthfeel though and average aftertaste. Good black brew though bit thin. I mainly know it being available in a so called "steiny bottle". When in Japan I always drink plenty of these.

Pretty good. Black in colour with a sweet, malty taste. Easy to drink and refreshing - doesn’t taste strong, which may or may not be a good thing. I would say a cross between lager and Guinness, if such a hybrid is possible?