Japan turns to beer alternatives (BBC)

According to the BBC, Japan is increasing turning to beer alternatives. By this, they mean drinks that taste like beer even though they aren't beer. I remember my geography teacher at school saying, "Beer tastes horrible, but men like it because we're all basically masochists!" He was probably overstating the point, but too often in Britain this seems to be the case. So why do Japanese like the taste of beer so much?

Well, Japanese beer doesn't actually taste that bad. It's always cold, very, very fizzy, and often quite sharp. You get used to it quickly. Yes, compared to beer in other countries, you're often (usually) short-changed because the head is so large that the glass can be up to half empty. (Japan's oh-so-keen consumer groups haven't got around to weights-and-measures yet.) But, at least for a glass or two it tastes pretty good, and, as with everything in Japan, the quality is consistent and you know what you're getting. The only downside is the MSG. A regularly beer drinker from Europe is not going to get drunk quickly on Japanese beer, especially as Japanese only ever drink while they're eating, but 3-4 glasses in, and you get this very distinct, and rather unpleasant after taste. That's the MSG kicking in. MSG was invented by the Japanese and I remember the mother of my very first homestay family telling me, "You must put Ajinomoto in everything" (Ajinomoto being pure chemical MSG of course).

So perhaps making drinks that taste like beer isn't so strange after all. Japan's modern foods are now highly synthetic anyway and no one cares. Taste can be controlled, so the important thing is variety. Doesn't matter whether it's good for you, all that matters is that it's different.