Essential Info
- Color: Very pale gold
- ABV: 4.5%-5%
- Commercial Examples: Asahi Super Dry, Sapporo Premium Beer, Kirin Lager
If you’ve eaten at a Japanese restaurant and had a beer with your meal, there’s a strong chance it was a Japanese Rice Lager. Like certain American or Macro Lagers, Japanese Rice Lagers are made with a large proportion of “adjunct” grain added to the malted barley (in this case, though, rice is used exclusively). The result is an ultra light-colored beer with a lighter flavor profile that might have some residual sweetness balanced by a subtle bite from hops. Higher carbonation is common, as is a drier, refreshing finish.
