Suntory Premium Malts

Brewed by Suntorys Limited
Style: Premium Lager
Osaka, Japan

Serve in Lager glass

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Bottled at Christchurch, NZ. Clear Pale golden colour. Quite awfull taste, acid and malty. Maybe too old bottle?

Can from local supermarket (Izumiya). This is the re-launched version, with deep blue lettering on the can. Soft malt with grassy pils aroma and mild touch of hops. Clear straw color. Persistent, lively carbonation with a constant quarter-inch of foam.Light bready flavor, salt & sugar, Very smooth transition to a light bitter final. Thin body with light carbonation. One of the better mass market macro lagers in Japan -- more body, aroma, and flavors than most have. I wonder about the punctuation in the name: "Malt’s" = malt is? or malt was? or malt has (something)?...

Bottle at 37 Curry in Tokyo. Deepish yellow colour, relatively full bodied, malty and a bit sweet, short finish. Not great but one of the better Japanese macro brews I’ve had.

Can on JAL flight 402 from Heathrow to Tokyo. Colour is clear amber, with a little tinge of orangeness. Nose is strong straw, dry grass, and grainy sweetness. Taste is grain malt sweetness, touch of metallic and a crisp lager bitter tang.

Can (rated Apr 2008). Head is mostly diminishing. Body is medium yellow. Aroma is lightly to moderately malty (toasted grain), lightly to moderately hoppy (flowers, herbs), with a hint of lemon zest. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately bitter. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. Aromatic, flavorful, balanced, clean. Very good example of a lowly pale lager...I think I actually drank the whole can. After having this and the regular Malt’s, plus a bunch of other macro Japanese lagers from Sapporo, Asahi, and Kirin, it would seem Suntory is the best of the swillin’ breweries.

Yellow body, white head. Aroma of malty alcohol and almond. Flavour has intense alcohol almondyness. Hints of citrus, but just a little bit.

Had this one before at Ken’s. Pours a frothy head which disappears quickly. Colour is as expected, golden but unfortunately it was served in a cold glass which I dont like. Malty aroma. Smooth initial taste and strong aftertaste slightly acidic and cardboardy. Not memorable or terribly exciting. Would be a great summer drink.

Can, Chez Martin, Yonago, Japan. Lime gold with a generous, spittle-like foam collapsing fast. Some surprising grassy and herbal hop, almost lemon peel or parsley notes. Bathfoam, powdered coriander-like aroma. Biscuit linger. Decent for a tinned J macro I suppose. And at the current exchange rate about £20 a sixpack.

UPDATED: MAY 16, 2013 Good lager. Pours yellow with quickly dissipating head. Nose is malt ( gasp) and sweet. Taste is again malt and sweet with a bitter aftertaste. Elements of toffee and nut can be found. Finish is quick yet crisp. I’m a massive fan of Japanese lagers and I didnt drink this for ages as the can and name put me off. I can see myself drinking this from the 7-11 when I’m in the mood for something with more bite than Super Dry. Stronger than most Jap beers with a bitter edge, but seems sweeter on draught ( had it in many a yakitori place in Tokyo). The more I drink this the more I enjoy it.

Enjoyed this the other night at my favourite Japanese yakitori restaurant in Adelaide. Went very nicely with Black Angus beef sashimi. A good, malt driven lager, one of the better mega-brewed lagers from Japan.