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Japan unveils world’s first chu-hai with fresh lemon slice in can so every drink tastes different

Oona McGee Jun 7, 2024
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A world-first lemon sour that lets you bring that izakaya feel home with you.

Back in 2021, Asahi Breweries wowed beer drinkers with a brand new innovation called the Nama Jockey Can. With a special inner coating and pull-off lid that creates tinier bubbles and a better-than-usual, just-pulled draft flavour, the new design turned everything we thought we knew about canned drinks on its head, and now the company is back at it again, using the same technology to give us a “Future Lemon Sour” that contains…a fresh slice of lemon.

▼ Take a look at the new beverage in action below.

Lemon sours typically contain shochu (a Japanese distilled spirit), soda water, and lemon juice, and they’re a popular choice at izakaya (Japanese taverns), where the drinks are freshly poured and often served with slices of fresh lemon.

This new canned version of the drink , which goes by the name “Mirai no Lemon Sour” (“Future Lemon Sour“), takes the popular drink into the future by allowing drinkers to “experience the taste and scent of lemon with all five senses”. As the beverage contains a real slice of lemon, with a sugar-coated rind for extra flavour, each can offers a different taste depending on the individual differences in the lemon and the timing of drinking.

The Future Lemon Sour comes in two varieties — original, which has a fruity flavour derived from lemon, with added sweetness to balance out the sourness…

▼ …and plain, which contains no sugar or flavourings, allowing you to fully enjoy the sour taste of lemon.

The new cans are set to be released at stores in nine prefectures, including Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Saitama, from 11 June, at a recommended retail price of 298 yen (US$1.92). However, those wanting to get a taste of it now can do so at one of three locations in Shibuya ahead of the official release.

▼ Shibuya Parco

This pop-up bar has a futuristic theme that extends to the purchasing procedure, as visitors can buy their Future Lemon Sours from a robot behind the bar.

▼ The second place where you can get a taste of the future is b8ta Tokyo – Shibuya.

At this experiential store, where “b8ta” is pronounced “beta”, visitors can enjoy a toast with Bridgestone’s soft hand robot “TETOTE” and Japan’s first AI robot “Moodie”.

▼ The final location for a pre-release taste of the drink is over at Shibuya Yokocho.

Here you can enjoy the “full-open can technology” in an izakaya environment that encourages visitors to “encounter the unknown”. With this venue open until 5 in the morning, there’s definitely a chance to brush shoulders with the unknown.

As the company that once encouraged us to mix beer and Calpis together, it’s nice to see Asahi continuing to push the boundaries of what we thought was humanly possible with canned drinks. Who knows where they’ll take us to next?

Site Information

Shibuya Parco event space (1st floor and 10th floor) / 渋谷PARCO イベントスペース（1階、10階）
Address: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Udagawacho 15-1
東京都渋谷区宇田川町15-1
Hours: Monday – Thursday 2:00pm – 9:00pm (last order 8:30pm); Friday – Sunday 11:30am – 11pm (last order 10:30pm);
On 16 June: 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (last order 8:30 p.m.).
Open 4-16 June
Menu: Future Lemon Sour with snacks 300 yen

B8TA Tokyo – Shibuya
Address: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Shibuya 1-14-11, Kobayashi Building 1F
東京都渋谷区渋谷1-14-11 小林ビル 1F
Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. (last order 7:00 p.m.), except for 7, 8, 14, 15 June, when it will be open until 9:00 p.m.
Open 4-16 June
Menu: Future Lemon Sour with snacks 300 yen
B8TA Tokyo – Yurakucho will also hold a tasting experience, but on 8, 9, 15, 16 June only

Shibuya Yokocho Rayard Miyashita Park South 1F
Address: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Jingumae 6-20-10
東京都渋谷区神宮前6丁目20番地10号
Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 a.m. (Closes at 11:00 p.m. on Sundays)
Open 4-16 June
Menu: Future Lemon Sour can 549 yen

Source: PR Times, Asahi Breweries via Hachima Kikou
Insert images: PR Times
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