The Grog Blog

When we went to Hakone a few weeks ago, we caught an 8am train from Tokyo. By 9am, about 60% of our carriage had cracked open a tinnie. Whether this is simply harmless holiday psychology or a serious social problem is yet to be decided, but it goes half way to explaining why we fit in so well here.

Japan is a land of seasoned drinkers. A bit of an oxymoron, this, as a good majority of these 'seasoned drinkers' are catatonic after one aforementioned tinnie. The truth is that Japanese alcohol is sensational shit. And the goodness lasts, long after its drunk. Just ride on any Yamanote train carriage after 7pm on a Friday night and you'll smell what I mean.

At this juncture let me explain some of the unique alcoholic bevs this land has to offer (ordered highest to lowest by SF [Souse Factor]):

Awamori (and its reptilian counterpart - Habu-shu)
Local Okinawan firewater. The exact ingredients of awamori are a jealously guarded secret, but it involves mouldy rice and frankly, I've had enough of mould in this country. Once upon a time an enterprising Okinawan popped a snake (the deadly Habu) into a vat of this mouldy liquor, called it 'habushu', and the rest is history. Bloody expensive stuff (10,000 yen + per bottle) however, having imbibed the fabled habushu I must confess it tastes suspiciously like a cross between smelly socks and cheap vodka. And it gets you drunk 10 times quicker.
[SF = 5/5]

Shochu
Liquor brewed from rice, which, ironically, is very expensive in Japan (the rice that is, not the liquor, which is disturbingly inexpensive). Let's just say the Martha Stewarts of Japan recommend shochu for cleaning tatami mats.
[SF = 4.5/5]

O-Sake
Oh honourable rice wine. Most of the 'top' sakes are best served chilled, but there's nothing like a hot sake on a cold winter's night. Warms the cockles of the heart and lightly steams the brain-cells. The perfect bev.
Pick of the Grog - Hakkaisan
[SF = 4/5]

Beer
The quality of Japanese beers varies widely. Most beers are up there with the Coopers of the brewing world, but some (not mentioning any names, Asahi Super Dry) have sunk to the stygian depths of VB and XXXX. For some reason, the beer one quaffs inside a karaoke booth seems infinitely more potent than the beer one quaffs outside.
Pick of the Grog - Kirin Black and Yebisu.
[SF = 3/5 outside karaoke bar; 3.5/5 inside]

Happoshu
Tastes like beer. Looks like beer. Not beer. Apparently not brewed according to the beer nazi brewing protocol. And really, who cares that its not beer, at 5.5% alcohol and 130 yen a can???
[SF = 3/5]

Chu-hai
Sounds like a chick's sneeze and this is the chick drink of choice. Also, the drink of choice for boys who want to get chicks drunk. Chu-hai is shochu mixed with flavoured soda. Peach, lemon, cherry, pear, you name it, you get a flavour of it.
[SF = 3/5]