Wasabi Beer & Green Tea Beer / ビーワサのルービーとお茶姫

I debated about adding these two drinks to my Japanese Microbrew Tour label, but they just didn't seem like real craft beers. I purchased both of these bottles at the Jyukkoku Ridge souvenir shop. I just couldn't pass up the novelty of the flavors. Wasabi and Green Tea. They also had a strawberry and one other fruit flavors but I've tried anoth fruit flavored beers to not think of them as a novelty.

日本地ビールツアーのラベルとポストにするのを迷ってが、何だか本物の地ビールという感じがしなかったので、Novelty Drinksというラベルを付けました。 箱根にある十国峠のお土産屋で発見しました。凄い変わった味のビールです！わさび味の「ビーワサのルービー」と香るお茶の葉の「お茶姫」を購入しました。他にストローベリー味とべつのフルーツ味のやつもありましたが、フルーツ味のビールはそんなに珍しいと思ってないので、この二つに決定。

Wasabi Beer / ビーワサのルービー

OMG! This was one of the most godawful tasting beers I've ever had. Yep, beer with wasabi or the Japanese name of "Biwasa no Ruubii". I've had wasabi ice cream and wasabi flavored potato chips which I rather like but adding wasabi to beer is just plain wrong! It's worse than that American made chili beer which I don't particularly like either. This doesn't belong with other craft beers, its in a position all on its own.

ゲッ！これは最低に不味い！今まで飲んだ地ビールで一番の不味さ、地ビールと言うのも地ビールに失礼と思う。なぜか業界用語で“ビーワサのルービー”という名前もなんだろうね？わさびアイスやわさびポテトチップスなど食べて美味しいと思いますが、これは異常だ。静岡県の名物のわさびでもわさびビールはないな。でも頑張って飲みほした！

Green Tea Beer / お茶姫

I know what you're thinking. Green tea and beer? Now there are two things that don't belong together...so you would think. But then again, I didn't think this could be any worse than the wasabi beer. But as I ventured my first sip and thought...huh? So I took another long swig and thought...hey, this is pretty good! In fact, this is quite delicious! Beer with a scent of tea leaves. The flavor wasn't as strong as wasabi and it the tea actually does give the taste an accent. Now, this I could recommend to my friends and can even consider it a decent microbrew. And how can you not love the labels (even the wasabi beer one).

考えてる事分かってるよ。お茶とビール？ 合わないと思うでしょう。ま、わさびビールより不味くはないだろの感覚で一口。えっ？ 何これ？と思い、次はおおめに飲んでみた。あれれ？これ、なんだか旨い！本当に美味しい！嘘ではない。お茶を香るビール。これってあり？ ありあり。お茶はわさびほどの強さではなかったか、結構合います。友達にもお勧め出来る位の美味しさ。地ビールと言っても良い。ラベルも可愛い （わさびビールのラベルも）。