Rice Lagers for Delivery or Pickup

Rice lagers are brewed like American lagers, but brewers add rice to the typical grain mix used in the brewing process. Rice lagers are light-bodied and have a very light color. You're not likely to taste a strong hops flavor, particularly since the grain helps balance it with some sweetness. The taste is refreshing, and rice lagers have a dry finish. They also tend to be more carbonated than other styles of lager. Most rice lagers have a lower alcohol by volume (ABV) range, typically averaging between 4-5%.

Some critics believe adding rice is only intended to cut costs and produce a lower-quality product. However, the rice changes the color and taste of the lager, often creating a clearer and lighter product that's easier to drink without altering the taste too much. The rice does tend to add a bit of crispness and sweetness to rice lagers, but not enough to significantly alter the lager's original flavor. Depending on the hops used for fermentation, rice lagers can smell bready or floral and taste herbal or floral with notes of plum, green tea, or lemon.

Enjoy your rice lager outdoors, perhaps while lounging in a lawn chair to enjoy the fresh outdoor air, to maximize your tasting experience. It's an excellent drink for summer because it's often meant to be enjoyed outside while relaxing outside. 

Rice lagers can incorporate a range of flavors, some of which are inspired by their Japanese roots. Yuzu is an excellent example of a note you might taste in rice lagers. Yuzu is a citrus fruit typically found in East Asia, and adding it to a rice lager produces a citrus note. Rice lagers may have a stronger or lighter sweet taste, depending on the brewer and the notes added to the lager.

Most rice lagers tend to have a low international bittering unit (IBU) rating, so any rice lager you drink will probably be very mildly bitter if it's bitter at all. If you want to avoid a bitter drink, however, look up the IBU for any rice lager you consider to find one with a lower rating. The IBU scale is imperfect, but it can give you an idea of which drinks will most likely be less bitter than others. Remember that perceived bitterness is very personal, so a rice lager with a higher IBU rating could taste less bitter to you than one with a lower IBU rating.

Rice lagers also tend to have a lower alcohol content, but you can look at the ABV percentage to find one that's lower if you'd prefer a rice lager with less alcohol. You can often find the ABV on the packaging or from the manufacturer directly. Some websites also list ABV for popular brands. Some brands of rice lager to consider include Sapporo, Asahi breweries, Hearthstone breweries, or Kiuchi.