Beer of the Weekend #858: Yebisu (Premium)

I’m back in SoCal this week, visiting Zee German. And despite the fact he does not drink, he had a beer waiting for me in the fridge, a gift given to him by Japanese clients direct from Japan: Yebisu (Premium), brewed by Sapporo Breweries Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan.



The color is clear, clean gold. A finger of bubbly, white, fizzy head dissipates very quickly and leaves a broken skim and a buttery ring. Bubbles rise from the bottom. (No, it’s not ideal glassware, but it’s what Zee German has. I did not feel like packing a pint glass just for this beer and whatever I have Friday.)

The aroma is very fruity and reminiscent of wheat beer. It’s very sweet. There are scents of apple, wheat or grass, bubblegum, strawberry, and some yeast. It is very much like a kristallweizen.

The flavor mostly mirrors the aroma with flavors of apple, strawberry, bubblegum, light grass, and yeast. It does not have much body which may be a side effect of being very dry. Though rice comes to mind, the beer is apparently all-malt. I did not know what to expect from this beer, but I did not expect a German beer from Japan.

Fun facts about Yebisu (Premium):

• Style: Dortmunder. Needless to say, it has been a long time since I had a Dortmunder. Interestingly, Zee German had never heard of DAB. Granted, he does not drink, but I expected that he would have at least been familiar with the name or logo. Nope. It must not be a big, national brand in Germany.

• Alcohol content: BA pegs the ABV at 5 percent.


The Quiet Man’s grade: C.

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