A staff member from Japanese jewelry brand Ginza Tanaka pours beer into a solid gold tankard during a demonstration at its unveiling ceremony in Tokyo on Wednesday. The tankard, which is 13.5 cm tall, with a diameter of 10 cm and a weight of 850 grams, is worth 5 million yen.
© Japan Today
Golden ale
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some14some
Blurred image? No Liquor, I'm trying to find something in Lady's Eyes !
nutsagain
Bubble age flashback JT?
grafton
Anybody remember the block of gold that you were allowed to touch & then someone walked out with it? I wonder how long it will be before someone walks off with this?
Beelzebub
If you're looking for "tasteless" examples of the use of precious metals for publicity purposes, there was a museum in Shikoku built back in the 1990s by a sanitary pad maker that featured a solid-gold commode. It was nicknamed the "Tower of Bubble."
Hopfly
Personally I do not know any beer drinkers who could afford a 5 million yen tankard. Do they expect it to sell?
inakaRob
Japanese beer. over 45 brands. all the same lager. all the same taste. the only way to make things slightly better. put it in a 50,000$ cup.
neverknow2
Agreed 100%
FryingMonkey
It's called selective focus, let's happy drinking!
Proffesor
inakaRob and neverknow2, I totally disagree with you. I assume you are not really into beer because I can tell you, I have been all over the world and Japan simply offers one of the best brews you can ever find.
saborichan
Who pours a drink at shoulder height?
TheGeneral
Hogwash. I don't know what Japan you live in but there are plenty of great beers here. Granted, you're not going to find them in the conbini.
If you want to try a few (or 40), visit a place like this: http://www.lares.dti.ne.jp/~ppy/english/EnglishTopPage.html
The Great Japan Beer Festival is also a good place to learn about Japanese beer.
Sarge
"The tankard... is worth 5 million yen."
Something is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it.
MeanRingo
Inaka and neverknow... 45 brands of beer? What? Name them. No way is there 45 brands of beer in Japan. No way. I dare you to name them ALL. You can't do it. 45 don't exist in Japan.
Otherwise I wonder if she poured the prerequisite 30 percent head. Nama is a rip off. Buy the bin.
Nice cup though. If I had the money I would drink from it.
Noripinhead
There are a lot of local microbreweries in Japan, not just the major brands. Hakodate and Yokohama have quite a few, for starters.
IchyaWarFare
MMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....beeeeeeerrrrrrrr....damn, have to wait till I get off work...
SebastianFlyte
I just checked and found 35 Jpanese beers right off!
rondh69
Ah c'mon guys, what's wrong with a solid gold pimped beer tankard? Just needs a few large rubies and emeralds to make it real classy. I can just picture the Emperor with some of his merry men in the Imperial Palace quaffing back a few with these...
nath
She doesn't know how to pour a beer. The gas from that bottle would push the beer all over that mug and onto the table. Best place for any booze made from rice, peas, beans: in other words, most J-booze.
5m yens - just for the mug. And here I was, thinking beer's kinda pricey here.
What's the point? Does the third-type beer-like fluid taste better going down your neck out of this thing?
45 brands? 35 brands? What's a brand? Are you talking breweries here or names on a tin? I'd like a lunchtime throat wetter, but all the boozers are shut.
Tetsujin
Japanese beer is great, as long as it isn't Happoshu...
You seriously can't compare Yebisu, Asahi Super Dry, or Kirin to American counter parts like Budwiser or Michelob. Japanese beer blows American beer out of the water. I live in the states now and the Japanese grocery store in my area sells a 12 pack of Asahi Super Dry for $7.99. When I go to a party and people are serving American beer, I just go without drinking because it tastes so horrible. Its kind of like eating sushi in American... it sucks!
fairyprince
What about Sam Adams beer Tetsujin?
I agree otherwise, but Sammy A is amazing and imo beats out all Japanese beer.
fairyprince
Let me further clarify in saying that Sammy A's Cherry Wheat is king.
taiko666
Japan does indeed have some great microbreweries. I'm very happy that my favourite Japanese ale, Yona Yona, is becoming widely available in supermarkets and Natural Lawsons. However, I've only seen 'real' beers like Yona Yona sold in a few foreign-themed pubs. The vast majority of Japanese watering holes limit themselves to the same old yellow, fizzy, frothy, over-sweet p1ss from the 4 main breweries.
Moderator: Back on topic please.
gogogo
50,000 dollars, actually seems they priced it correctly, usually Japan overprices everything when it comes to over the top stuff like this. Would give an example but I would go off topic.
funkyfresh
Cup is about worth about 2.5million yen, so 2.5million in labour? I want this job.
ebisen
funkyfresh - was about to say the same - the cup is valued at 2-3 mil yen in gold only - and yes - it takes a lot of labour to make such a thing...especially considering it's uniqueness.
OhioDonna
One can kill brain cells and people with a paper cup full of beer just as well as a golden tankard.
Picture this: Officer, I drank my beer from a golden tankard.
I lost several close family members because of those who had one or two beers so I am not a fan of alcoholic beverages. Drinking and driving do not mix.
TheGeneral
Nor do drinking and scuba diving.
Your point?
Moderator: Please stay on topic.