What are the origins of dry beer?
Dry brewing originated in Japan in 1987 when Asahi introduced Asahi Super Dry. With a taste unlike regular Japanese beer, which until then had been modeled after traditional full-bodied German beer, Asahi Super Dry was an immediate success in Japan. This prompted Kirin, Japan’s largest brewer, to introduce Kirin Dry, which also became a hit with Japanese beer drinkers. When Japanese brewers started exporting dry beer to the United States, U.S. brewers took notice and soon offered their own versions of dry beer. With the launch of Molson Special Dry in 1989, Molson became the first major Canadian brewer to introduce a dry beer. Characterized by a distinctively smooth taste and a clean finish with no aftertaste, Molson Special Dry was an instant hit with Canadians and soon became one of Molson’s most popular beers.
