Monday, May 07, 2012

[jules' pics] From every corner of the kingdom

Our Japanese friends wonder why Asahi Super Dry hasn't really taken off in the UK. In this small supermarket one finds the answer, with beer from all five corners of the kingdom; Cumbria, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Scotland, and even some from Down South. Foreign beer is relegated to the top shelf.



--
Posted By Blogger to jules' pics at 5/08/2012 01:24:00 AM

9 comments:

Hank Roberts said...

> top shelf

You must be _how_ tall to buy foreign beer in Japan?

David B. Benson said...

In the May 2012 issue of Notices of the American Mathematical Society, vol. 59 #5, there is a review of "The Theory That Would Not Die: How Bates' Rule Cracked the Enigma Code, Hunted Down Russian Submarines, and Emerged Triumphant From Two Centuries of Controversy". Even I learned some things from the review and the book appears to be quite a good piece of history. Recommended.

And I'm sure this has something to do with selecting a beer.

guthrie said...

The British supermarket selection of real ales has improved greatly over the last 15 years or so. I suppose that is down to greater demand, and the supply chains supermarkets have now allow them to source from all over the place.

I wonder if British beers get into Japan very much?

James Annan said...

Some standards are widely available (Guinness, Kilkenny, London Pride, bottles of Newky Brown). There is actually a decent range of local craft beer here but you have to go looking a bit, it's not commonly sold in normal restaurants and izakaya (bars).

David,

Ah yes, the famous Reverend Bates, I remember him well, but I wouldn't go so far as to call myself a Batesian - except perhaps by accident :-)

chris said...

Yup British bottled beer is astonishing in its variety and quality. It's very much admired on the continent and no doubt is a boon to the tourist industry.

And how are we celebrating this wonderful homegrown stuff as we welcome millions of summer visitors to the Olympics...?

...by selling the "official Olympic beer" rights to Heineken. If you go to the Olympics and want a beer, it's innocuous lager or nothing...

Rattus Norvegicus said...

Heinekin, the Budweiser of European beers.

James Annan said...

Ugh. Maybe they are trying to dissuade people from drinking?

guthrie said...

Silly Chris, you do know that the whole point of the Olympics is to advertise big brands?

I thought that there were plenty of beers on the continent as well, or is it that they are not usually available in bottles?

EliRabett said...

If you want Ashai just wander into a Sushi place. OTOH, if you want beer go to a good pub with a bunch of beer pulls.