Popped into my local supermarket last night to buy some more of those cheap Kirin “Aki Aji” (Autumn Taste) Japanese beers that I mentioned in yesterday’s blog post . As I was loading a few cans into the basket I noticed that there was a price label stuck onto some of the cans…
Usual price of beer in my supermarket: 215 yen
Autumn Taste beer price: 208 yen
Price tag stuck on side of beer can: 138 yen…
It was strange because there was no big notice pointing out the low price deal. I checked the can again to make sure it wasn’t the dreaded “happoshu” (mock beer) that people who love their wallet more than their palate tend to drink… No, it was “honto no beeru” (real beer)…
I put three of the cans into my basket and went to the check out. Sure enough, the beers went through at 138 yen each. Bargain!
Back at home, when I poured one of the beers I noticed that it was darker than yesterdays’ brew. A second look at the can revealed the reason: I had bought SAPPORO’s “Aki Raku” (”Autum Happiness”) beer and not Kirin’s “Aki Aji” (”Autumn Taste”) beer.
It was a perfectly good beer, so why was it being sold off at such a big discount and without any fanfair?
Obviously, someone had screwed up!
The beer cans look very similar and even the name is similar – Autumn This and Autumn That. Whoever was responsible for ordering new stock must have mistaken Aki Raku for Aki Aji and is now breaking rocks somewhere in Hokkaido.
Meanwhile, I had three very enjoyable beers for the price of two! Now that is Autumn Happiness!
DH