You know that autumn is coming soon, despite the cloying heat of the dog days of summer in Japan when the shelves in the beer section of your local Japanese supermarket fill up with Kirin’s special autumn season brew, “Aki Aji” or “Autumn Taste” Japanese beer.
The brew has a higher malt content than the standard range of Kirin beers, and slightly higher alcohol content (6%) and so it is said to offer a refreshing change that is in tune with the change in season that will soon be upon us.
The cans are decorated with red maple leaves, which are symbolic of autumn in Japan – “red leaf viewing” is almost as popular in autumn as cherry blossom viewing in spring.
The “RICH TASTE OF AUTUMN, LIMITED BREW” was on offer at only 208 yen for a 330ml can (compared to around 215 yen for a standard 330ml can of Kirin beer) so it was really too good to resist! But then, I’m a sucker for seasonal beers. Sapporo’s Fuyu Monogatari (Winter’s Tale) is another beer that I look out for towards the end of the year.
Producing seasonal, or limited season products is a great way to refresh your customers’ interest in your products and to bring in new business. Japanese beer breweries understand this concept very well. The seasonal beers do not replace the regular beers but are sold alongside them.
DH