Beer of the Week: Kirin Ichiban

Grade: C-

Kirin Ichiban is a Japanese Rice Lager with a lightly sweet malt taste and obscure, undesirable aftertaste.

The Good:

Japanese Rice Lager beers aren’t the easiest to come across, so the ease of finding Kirin Ichiban is very convenient for the adventurous/explorative beer drinker.

The brew feels good in your mouth; it’s medium carbonation and light body complement each other well.

The Bad:

Kirin Ichiban’s aftertaste is very reminiscent of the bitter and undesirable aftertaste found in some of the less-prestigious American macro-brewers. Additionally, the taste is nothing special, tasting similar to a light American lager.

Price: $7.99 for a six-pack

The Recommendation:

If you want to try a Japanese Rice Lager beer, try Sapporo instead. Sapporo has a much smoother taste to it and lacks the strong, bitter aftertaste of Kirin Ichiban. Sapporo is almost as readily available as Kirin Ichiban.

The Bottom Line:

Kirin Ichiban doesn’t bring anything particularly interesting or special to the table. It’s mediocre at best and will only appeal to oriental beer enthusiasts.