Why you should be adding Calpis to your beer in Japan

A trendy way to enjoy beer in Japan.

There’s been a lot of buzz online in Japan recently, about how adding Calpis to beer tastes good. Proponents say the sweet drink helps to balance out the bitterness of beer, transforming it into a well-balanced Japanese beer cocktail that’s very easy to drink.

As beer lovers who actually enjoy its bitter flavour profile, we wondered whether this was a trend we could get on board with, so we went straight out to the supermarket and picked up a bottle of Calpis concentrate.

▼ Leaving the grape flavoured variety on the shelf, we went home with the original and the peach.

When using the concentrate, the ratio of Calpis to water should be 1:4. Figuring this same ratio would work for beer, we added 87.5 millilitres (3 ounces) of Calpis to a glass and then poured a whole 350-millilitre can of beer on top of it.

The nostalgic scent of Calpis initially filled the air, but the addition of beer created an odd, not-quite beer aroma to the drink. Stopping to take a look at the concoction, we could see that the head was airier than usual, and the body of the beverage had a hazy, cloudy look to it, similar to a white beer.

Taking a sip, we were surprised to find that the Calpis beer tasted amazing – the alcoholic bitterness and aroma of beer was still there, but it had an added complexity to it, thanks to the unique, sweet flavour of Calpis. It was kind of like an “adult” Calpis designed for mature palates, with both the sweetness and bitterness reigned in to create a perfect unison between flavours.

▼ It was so good that we dared to try it with the peach-flavoured Calpis as well.

In terms of appearance, it looked just as cloudy as the previous mixture, but when we tasted it, it was ripe with peach. Though it was delicious, it was markedly more sweet, so we recommend trying the standard Calpis first, unless you love fruity beers, in which case, this will make your toes curl in delight.

While you can try this hack with a can or bottle of pre-mixed Calpis, including the carbonated varieties, you get a richer and more flavourful result with the concentrate.

▼ Plus, this bottle will last significantly longer, so you can use it for many future beers to come.

Just remember the 1:4 dilution recommendation, although when using it with beer instead of water, you can add a touch more Calpis to stand up against the strong flavours.

Once you’ve tried beer and Calpis you may never want to return to plain beer again. It’ll give your tipple a unique Japanese flavour that you can’t get from any other mixer, and trying it with different types of beers will open your palate up to brand new taste horizons.

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