Japanese Beverages

Pepsi Strong 5.0GV

2017-08-01T02:13:00.000-07:00

About
Pepsi Strong 5.0GV is the world's strongest carbonated Pepsi that was released by Suntory in 2016. The carbonation is so strong that it comes in a reinforced bottle. The drink also has an added characteristic of having more caffeine than regular Pepsi.

Taste
The taste of this cola is just like regular Pepsi, but just with more carbonation.

Honey Lemongina

2016-06-03T06:43:00.000-07:00

About
Honey Lemongina is a carbonated lemonade-like drink sold by Suntory. It is based on the original Lemongina which originated in France and is now sold by Suntory. Despite its name, Honey Lemongina not only contains lemon juice but also grapefruit and orange juice.
What makes Honey Lemongina unique is not surprisingly, the honey that it contains.

Taste
The taste of honey is noticeable and the grapefruit and orange juice seems to add depth to the taste unlike regular lemonade. The carbonation is slight but is a nice addition that helps quench thirst. There is a slight bitterness to to the drink as well; perhaps deliberate as it contains lemon peel extract.

Check out our review on the regular Lemongina!

Ito-en Oolong-cha(Oolong Tea Drink)

2015-08-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

About
Ito-en's Oolong Tea was first born in 1980, and sold soon after in March 1981 as a canned Oolong Tea drink. It was claimed by Ito-en to be the world's first Oolong tea drink. In 1986, the PET bottle version of the drink was sold, also a world first.

Taste
The taste is surprisingly good and makes for a good refreshment.

Kirin Tropicana Coconut Water

2015-08-11T18:25:00.001-07:00

About
Kirin Tropicana Coconut Water is a non-carbonated sweetened drink that contains 15% coconut juice. This "renewed" version was first sold on April 21st of 2015, after the previous version was sold on July of 2014.
Kirin Tropicana is a joint venture between Kirin, a famous Japanese brewer and the famous PepsiCo of the United States.

Taste
The taste is smooth and velvety, just like what you would expect from coconut juice. It is a bit sour, compared to regular coconut juice, perhaps due to the citric acid.
Since I've tasted real, 100% coconut juice, I must say that this drink is a bit watery and sour in comparison. However, if you look at it as "coconut water", the wateriness can be justified.

Kirin Tropicana Squeeze - Valencia Orange

2015-08-03T05:21:00.000-07:00

About
Tropicana Squeeze Valencia Orange is a carbonated soft drink sold by Kirin-Tropicana, a joint venture between Pepsico, Inc. and Kirin Holdings Company, Limited.
The drink contains 12% Valencia orange juice and uses only sugar as a sweetener.

Taste
The drink is not very sweet and the taste of the orange is not so strong either. It seems that the juice is a bit diluted by the carbonated water. However, this may be good on a hot summer's day where you would want to quench your thirst with something more watery than plain juice.
The carbonation is sufficient and not too strong or weak.

Overall, I would describe it as "orange-flavored carbonated water"; it's just short of being called "carbonated orange juice". See also : Tropicana Squeeze Key Lime.

Zeitaku Yogurina(Yogurt-flavored Water) - An Unexpected Hit! - Taste & Review

2015-07-20T02:55:00.000-07:00

About
"Minami Alps Tennensui & Zeitaku Yogurina" (Translation: Southern Alps Natural Water & Gorgeous Yogurina)is a yogurt-flavored water which contains real whey inside. The drink was released on April 14, 2015 by Suntory, a Japanese brewer and beverage company. It is part of Suntory's lineup of "Minami Alps Tennensui"(Southern Alps Natural Water).
The drink contains whey from Hokkaido that is fermented to give it a yogurt-like taste, a hint of mint extract, and mineral water from the Southern Alps of Japan. The drink is sweetened with sugar and honey.

It's transparent but tastes of yogurt

An Unexpected Hit
Upon the release of the yogurt water, the drink instantly became a hit and distribution was promptly ceased 3 days after release because the supply could not keep up with the demand. Distribution was resumed on April 30th.

Taste
The taste, unsurprisingly, is that of yogurt. Despite its transparent appearance, the taste of yogurt is actually quite strong. It is not viscous at all, and feels just like plain water. The sweetness is a little on the excessive side, but just a little.
Overall, it's a nice, very unique drink, but due to the sweetness, I do not think I will buy it for a second time.

For another Suntory hit, visit our, "Lemongina - Does it taste like dirt? - Taste & Review" article.

Kishuu Ume Mix - Kagome Yasai Seikatsu 100

2015-07-13T05:07:00.001-07:00

About
Kishuu Ume Mix is a vegetable and fruit juice made by Kagome and is part of their lineup of "Yasai Seikatsu 100" vegetable juices.
The drink uses "Ume"(Japanese apricot) harvested in "Kishuu", a former province that is now mostly Wakayama prefecture, hence the name "Kishuu Ume Mix". On the package it is claimed that they use Nankoubai, a brand of ume grown mainly in Wakayama prefecture. The drink also claims to contain 1000mg of citric acid.

Taste
Although "Kishuu Ume Mix" contains 21 different vegetables which make up 50% of the juice, it's not viscous at all and seems just like fruit juice. The other 50% of the juice is comprised of 3 types of fruit, apples, ume(Japanese apricot), and lemon. The taste of the ume is particularly strong and adds a nice, sour accent to the drink.

The drink is a seasonal drink sold for the summer so it's likely that it will be phased out after the season.

Fruit List
Apple, ume, lemon.

Vegetable List
Carrot, bell pepper, spinach, asparagus, komatsuna, cresson(watercress), pumpkin, red cabbagge, broccoli, petit vert(hybrid between brussel sprouts and kale), beet, red perilla, celery, lettuce, napa cabbage, kale, parsley, eggplant, onion, radish, cabbage.

Kirin Tropicana Squeeze - Key Lime

2015-07-12T23:49:00.000-07:00

The drink recommends that you flip
it upside down once before drinking.

About
Tropicana Squeeze Key Lime is a carbonated soft drink sold by Kirin-Tropicana, a joint venture between Pepsico, Inc. and Kirin Holdings Company, Limited.
The drink contains 11% lime juice and uses only sugar as a sweetener.

Taste
The drink is not so sweet and the taste of the key lime is fragrant and strong. The slight bitterness of the zest can also be tasted as well. It tastes natural, and does not taste artificial at all.

Review
Overall, I got the impression of a gourmet drink, a drink you might find in a restaurant or bar, made with freshly squeezed lime. I think it's definitely worth buying for the price.

Caffeine Zero Namacha (カフェインゼロ生茶)

2015-07-12T06:25:00.000-07:00

About
Namacha is a brand of bottled green tea sold by Japanese beverage company, Kirin. Namacha was first sold on March, 2000 while the caffeine-less version was sold on April, 2014.
Shown here is the "Caffeine-Zero Namacha". On the label, it is printed that they now use 1.6 times more tea leaves than before and brew the tea at 70°C. It is also claimed on the label that Namacha is the world's first bottled green tea to have less than 0.001g/100ml of caffeine.

Taste
Compared to other bottled green tea brands, Namacha seems to have a smooth, velvety taste and also has a subtlely sweet aftertaste. It's a good drink, but don't expect bottled green tea to taste like freshly brewed green tea; the taste is a little different. The same can be said for other bottled green tea brands as well.
Compared with the normal Namacha, there seems to be no difference in taste.

Ninjin 100

2015-07-08T00:44:00.000-07:00

About
Ninjin 100(にんじん100) is a can of 100% carrot juice manufactured by Maruha Nichiro Kitanippon's Furano factory in Furano, Hokkaido. The drink uses carrots produced in Furano and has a bit of lemon inside as well.

Taste
The taste is rich, and is almost "creamy". I've tasted many brands of carrot juice but this one tastes the best.

Health
The drink is healthy as well; it contains 300-1200ug of vitamin A and also contains 4-11mg of beta-Carotene inside.

Note:"Ninjin" means carrot in Japanese.

Gokuri Grapefruit

2015-07-01T04:38:00.000-07:00

About
Gokuri Grapefruit is a fruit drink sold by Japanese beverage company, Suntory, under their "Gokuri" lineup of fruit drinks. It is one of the most popular Gokuri flavors and has been a long-selling item.
The drink used to contain 30% grapefruit juice, but now contains 22% grapefruit juice.

Taste
The drink is sweet and bitter much like when you eat a real grapefruit. The drink also contains fibers from the fruit, which gives the impression like you are drinking a freshly-squeezed grapefruit. Overall, it's a very tasty drink.

Jurokucha - Taste & Review

2015-06-30T06:53:00.001-07:00

About
Jurokucha is a tea blend that was originally developed by Chanson Cosmetics in 1985 and was sold Japanese brewer and soft drinks company, Asahi as a bottled beverage in 1993. According to Chanson Cosmetics, the idea of Jurokucha is based on the philosophy of Kampo(Traditional Chinese medicine in Japan) and is marketed as a healthy drink.
In Japanese, "Juuroku" literally means "16" while "cha" means, "tea". The naming derives from the fact that the drink is brewed using 16 ingredients. The blend of ingredients change from time to time, and the ingredients inside the newest version(2015) are as follows:
Job's tears(hato mugi)
Barley
Habu
Brown rice
Germinated barley
Loquat leaves(biwa leaves)
Corn
Black Soybeans(Kuromame)
Chamecrista nomame
Germinated Brown Rice
Kelp
Shiitake mushrooms
Guava leaves
Mulberry leaves
Jujube
Young balrley leaves

Coca Cola Japan's "Sokenbicha", a blended tea drink similar to Jurokucha, was released following the success of Jurokucha.

Taste
The taste of the drink is much like barley tea but the added ingredients give the drink a distinct and sophisticated flavor. It is non-caffeinated and makes for a good drink on hot summers.

Reference
http://www.chanson.co.jp/product/16/16cha.html

Gokuri Rich Apple

2015-06-28T14:01:00.000-07:00

About
Gokuri Rich Apple is a fruit beverage sold by Japanese brewer and bevrages company, Suntory. It is one of the products that make up their lineup of "Gokuri" drinks.
24% of the drink consists of apple juice, so what sets it apart from plain apple juice?
The answer is the apple fibers that are inside the drink. The fibers give the impression that you are actually drinking freshly squeezed apple. These fibers are what all the Gokuri drinks share in common with each other.

Compared with the other Gokuri drinks, Rich Apple may not have as much impact, but it still is a good drink.

KIRIN World Kitchen - Salty Lime Soda

2015-06-27T22:03:00.001-07:00

About
Salty Lime Soda is a carbonated drink sold on June 16 of this year by Japanese brewer and beverage company, KIRIN.
The drink draws its inspiration from Mexico, where lime and salt are often added to drinks and cuisine. The label's design is inspired from "papel picado", a type of decorative paper from Mexico.
Inside KIRIN's Salty Lime Soda is lime and grapefruit juice, with rock salt from Lorraine. The drink also claims to have 1700mg of Vitamin C inside.

Taste
The drink has a strong flavor of lime but is not very sour. You can taste a little salt inside, which adds a nice accent to the drink. Although the drink is sweetened, the sweetness is just right and not excessive at all.
Overall, it's a well-balanced and tasty drink.

KIRIN World Kitchen - Harecha

2015-06-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

About
Kirin Harecha is an unsweetened tea drink sold by KIRIN under their "World Kitchen" brand. Inside Harecha are four herbs, lemongrass, mint, rosemary, and geranium, mixed with green tea.
On the label is a passage about how housewives in Greece include lots of herbs inside their cooking. This is supposedly where the inspiration of this drink came from.

Taste
The taste is slightly bitter and you can definitely taste the herbs that are inside the drink. I could clearly taste the mint and rosemary, while the lemongrass was quite subtle. I could not distinguish the taste of geranium since I do not know what it tastes like.
Although very unique as it is unsweet, the taste wasn't unexpected at all.　It tastes like what you would expect an herbal green tea to taste like.

Lemongina - Does it taste like dirt? - Taste & Review

2015-06-24T13:49:00.002-07:00

Although it has the French national flag printed on the label, Lemongina is available only in Japan. It was sold on March 31st, 2015 by Japanese brewer and beverages company, Suntory, which also owns the Orangina brand of beverages. Suntory claims that its researchers, in association with Orangina Snapple, spent over two years in France developing a lemon peel extract suited to the tastes of the Japanese consumer.

Taste
Upon release, many consumers claimed that the taste of Lemongina resembled that of "dirt". However, I did not taste "dirt" in the drink; instead, I felt a strong lemon peel flavor, and a genuine lemon taste, much like that of homemade lemonade. My theory is that since lemons are not so widely used in Japan, many people may have associated the flavor of the lemon peel with their experiences of smelling "dirt".

Lemongina contains actual lemon juice, along with grapefruit juice and orange juice, and is not so sweet. Although many carbonated drinks taste artificial, Lemongina tastes very natural and does not have much fizz to it.

In conclusion, I would describe Lemongina as "carbonated homemade lemonade".

References
http://www.suntory.co.jp/softdrink/news/pr/d/sbf0228.html

Teas' Tea Bergamot & Orange Tea

2014-10-21T07:23:00.000-07:00

Teas' Tea is a brand of tea drinks sold by Ito-en, a Japanese company specializing in tea and soft drinks.
This is "Teas' Tea Bergamot & Orange Tea" and contains both bergamot orange and plain orange juice. It also claims to contain orange flower, to give it an accent. The drink is also 90% decaffeinated.

Taste
The drink is considerably sweet and the taste is basically tea with orange juice and sugar mixed in. You can also taste the bergamot orange in there but only slightly. Despite the tea-like appearance of the liquid, I would say the drink is not "tea" but more like orange juice with a little tea flavor added in.

Fanta Mango　ファンタ豊潤マンゴー

2014-09-23T05:34:00.000-07:00

Fanta Houjun Mango is a mango-flavored Fanta drink sold in Japan since 2014.

Taste
Despite having no mango juice inside, the taste of the drink is not artificial at all. This maybe due to the drink not using any artificial sweeteners. Overall, it's a fruity drink that tastes like carbonated mango juice.

KIRIN World Kitchen - Vitamina

2014-09-22T04:55:00.000-07:00

KIRIN World Kitchen's Vitamina is a non-carbonated drink made with 5 types of berries, blackcurrant, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and cranberries. The drink also contains grape, grapefruit, and acelola juices and contains 450mg of vitamin C.
On the label of the drink, there is some text that describes how a mother in Sweden makes a syrup called "Saft" from berries picked during the summer. It goes on to say that Vitamina is made by mixing water and other fruit juices with Saft.

Taste
The drink is sufficiently sweet and has a very strong berry taste. Out of the berries, I found the raspberry to taste the strongest. Overall, it's an unusual and interesting drink to have.

Gogo No Koucha(午後の紅茶) Straight Tea

2014-09-19T08:21:00.000-07:00

Gogo No Koucha, which literally means "Tea in the Afternoon", is a line of tea drinks sold by KIRIN in Japan, mainland China, and Taiwan.
The "Straight Tea(ストレートティー)" is one of their main products in their lineup and has been sold in Japan since 1984, the year Gogo No Koucha was first introduced into the market.

Ingredients & Taste
Gogo No Koucha Straight Tea uses 100% Ceylon tea leaves from the Dimbula region in Sri Lanka. It also contains a hefty amount of sugar so it's quite sweet. KIRIN claims that the Dimbula tea has a rose-like flavor, and I must admit, the product actually does have flowery and rose-like taste.
Overall, it's a well-made drink, and the flowery taste goes well with the sweetness from the sugars. For those who don't like sweetened tea, there is also Gogo No Koucha Oishi Mutou, which is unsweetened.

HI-C Peach

2014-09-16T05:59:00.001-07:00

HI-C Peach is a non-carbonated, sweetened, peach drink sold by Coca Cola Japan. The product was reintroduced in 2014.

The drink contains 20% peach juice, and is very fruity as a result. The sweetness of the drink is just shy of being too sweet, which makes for one nice drink to consume when chilled.

Gokuri Sweet Pineapple

2014-09-06T03:58:00.000-07:00

Gokuri Sweet Pineapple is a fruit drink sold by Suntory in Japan, and is part of the "Gokuri" series. The drink contains 15% juice consisting of pineapple and lemon juice, sugar, fruit fibers, and fruit extract.

Taste
The fruit fibers give the drink an impression of freshly squeezed pineapple juice. However, since the drink is not 100% juice, it is not as viscous and is easier to drink than pure juice.
This makes the drink an excellent thirst-quencher during the hot Japanese summers.

Calpis Welch's Crush Muscat

2014-08-31T06:58:00.001-07:00

Calpis Welch's Crush Muscat is a carbonated, muscat-grape-flovored drink sold by Calpis in Japan. It's quite unique in that it contains 20% real muscat grape juice; most drinks only have a few percent of juice contained inside.

Taste
The first impression I got from the drink was that it was a very fruity drink with a strong muscat flavor. The drink contains sweeteners and is very sweet; personally, I find it a little too sweet. There is some fizz to the drink, but not much.
Overall, I would describe it as "sweetened carbonated muscat grape juice".

Ramune Desuyo

2014-08-27T07:47:00.001-07:00

"Ramune Desuyo" is a Ramune drink sold in PET bottle form.

What is Ramune?
The word "Ramune" comes from the English word, "lemonade", and in the past, Ramune actually used to taste like lemonade. Nowadays, "Ramune" is distinguished from "Lemonade" and has a unique taste of its own.
Ramune usually comes in a distinctive glass bottle where a marble must be pushed down to open it. The bottle for this drink however, is made from plastic whereas the marble is glass like it usually is.
Ramune is usually consumed in the summer and is often sold in matsuri and firework festivals.

The glass marble inside

Taste

The taste of "Ramune Desuyo" is what it is, Ramune. With a refreshing and somewhat-citrus taste, it goes well with the hot Japanese summers.

Mitsuya Fruit Cider Lychee

2014-08-27T04:35:00.000-07:00

Introduced in June of this year, this drink is "Mitsuya Fruit Cider Lychee" sold by Asahi.

Taste
Despite the fact that the drink only contains 1% lychee juice, the taste of lychee is strong and goes well with the taste of Mitsuya Cider. The carbonation is not that strong, which makes for one easy-to-drink soft drink.
Overall, it's one fruity and tasty drink that I might consider buying again.