Tatsuo Aoki, owner of the Tokyo bar Popeye. The Finance Ministry imposes higher taxes on drinks with greater malt content. So the biggest breweries, including Asahi Group Holdings and Kirin Holdings, sell knockoffs, called "happoshu," or third beer, that may use peas, corn, or soybeans to reduce the amount of flavorful malt. (Bloomberg)
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A lot of time, energy, and money has been wasted coming up with some really bad drinks—and it’s because of the tax system.
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Aly Rustom
That's a bizzare tax.
BertieWooster
Spot on! The ridiculously high tax on beer has been holding down Japanese beer quality for too long!
GW
Aoki san, you DAMNED got that RIGHT!! Happoshu is utter crap, the only reason for its sad existence is because the economy is LOUSY & the beer tax system, so they invented cheap high alcohol swill for the poor masses to keep their buzz on, nasty stuff.
Folks have one GOOD beer rather than a few of these nasty cheapies with the booze factor cranked up!
knowitall
Should read “happoshu” AND third beer.
Happoshu is like a really bad beer. "Third beer" is like... urine.
Wakarimasen
how is some bloke who owns an unknown bar suddenly an expert on this stuff. J beer isn't that bad.
JeffLee
Popeye isn't "unknown." It's a mecca for Tokyo's craft-beer drinking community.
GW
Article isn't about J-beer which is ok, but thank goodness there are now lots of J-micro brews & also some great imported micro brews!!
The beer culture in Japan is MUCH better now than it was when I first washed up & Yebisu was the best you could find locally!
Tony Alderman
The Family Mart near my house always has some great beers from smaller Japanese breweries.
theFu
"The power to tax is the power to destroy."
Daniel Webster to the US Supreme Court.