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Sapporo to sell beer-like drink that leaves 'cool sensation'

TOKYO —

Sapporo Breweries Ltd said Wednesday it will market a new “third-category” beer-like drink, which the company claims leaves a chilling and refreshing feeling in the throat after being consumed because of a special aroma ingredient. The new beverage, called “Reisei Sapporo (Cool Sapporo),” due to debut March 25, is expected to retail for around 140 yen per 350 milliliters.

Sapporo senior managing director Fumiaki Terasaka said, “Third-category products will surpass (more expensive) regular beer and low-malt ‘happoshu’ beer in terms of not only sales volume, but also value in the consumer market in the first six months of this year.” Sapporo products have been selling well this month thanks to the popularity of another third-category drink named, “Mugi to Hoppu (Barley and Hop),” company officials said. Third-category beverages, including those made of nonmalt ingredients, have been growing in popularity due to their lower prices than regular beer and happoshu.

© 2009 Kyodo News. All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission.

9 Comments

  • blvtzpk at 08:24 AM JST - 29th January

    Beer already gives me a 'cool sensation', so...

    Oh right, it's just another marketing gimmick! Got it!

  • geronimo2006 at 10:25 AM JST - 29th January

    Yeah Its a gimmick. Will the 'cool sensation' result in a nasty hangover? Probably! The truth is the cool sensation could be the vomit in the throat. Avoid third catergory beer. I dont blame the beer companies. The govt should change its crappy tax system so average people can afford to drink the real stuff.

  • telecasterplayer at 11:39 AM JST - 29th January

    Sapporo to sell beer-like drink that leaves 'cool sensation'

    That's good. I've heard that burning sensations tend to be quite unpleasant.

  • GW at 12:00 PM JST - 29th January

    the company claims leaves a chilling and refreshing feeling in the throat after being consumed because of a special aroma ingredient

    wud that be antifreeze by any chance........sounds cancer causing to me...yuck!

    To those of you who need to force yourselves to drink this 3rd category well water I suggest just stop drinking that crap just aint worth it, downright nasty!!

  • Altria at 01:16 PM JST - 29th January

    They're probably adding Listerine.

  • NuckinFutz at 01:17 PM JST - 29th January

    "3rd catagory beer-like" ? Where I come from that's called PISS!

    Too bad they have to go this direction to get business. Japan has many great REAL beers and they do a respectable job on whiskey as well. Stop wasting time with these fad beverages.

  • buggerlugs at 01:41 PM JST - 29th January

    It might be a cold beer?! Think I'll give this one a miss.

  • Nessie at 03:49 PM JST - 29th January

    I'm getting shivers just thinking about it.

    Now, off to my wine...

  • Ke11iente at 02:15 AM JST - 30th January

    "special aroma ingredient"= menthol

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