Orion Beer

So one day you stumble into a store that is a purveyor of brewskis, and your eyes settle on an Orion Draft Beer. What is this? Why haven't I seen this beer before? What is Orion beer???

Orion is made in sunny Okinawa by Orion Brewing Ltd. It is the 5th largest brewer in Japan, yet it comprises only 1% of the Japanese beer market. That stat tells us that the Big 4 really are the Big 4, and that Ji-Biru joints really are in the hole here in Japan. However, in Okinawa, it is very popular thanks to "local" loyalty.

In 2002, Orion got tired of seeing all those folks on the mainland sucking down Asahis and Kirins, so they followed the old adage, and since they couldn't beat 'em, they joined 'em. They struck a deal with Asahi that would benefit both breweries. Orion started making Asahi products in Okinawa at their brewery, and Asahi started making Orion products at an Asahi brewery.

The 'only' difference between Orion on the mainland and Orion in Okinawa is that Orion on the mainland says "Asahi Orion Draft" on the can, where in Okinawa it is simply just Orion Draft.

Orion was started in 1957 and started brewing in 1959. They had limited success at first, until they started making "American style beer". If you remember your history, you will remember that after WWII, the good ole US of A kept Okinawa and stationed many of our fine soldiers there. Of course, those American boys didn't want good German style beer, they wanted American style-beer. So, as much as I hate to admit it sometimes, you have to cater to the customer. The rest is history.
Orion is an American style beer, and tastes like American beer. It is very drinkable, and is what I would call the Japanese Corona. Islandy type beer that you can drink in the summer, but doesn't have much taste or body to speak of. Like American beer, not much malt taste, or hop taste, but full of American beer taste. I really don't know what that means specifically.
The beer isn't bad, and if you are looking to down about 15, this is the ticket.

Available in Toyohashi for 270 yen at the international store near Marue and almost everywhere that sells a decent selection of beer in Nagoya...

Now if we can get ourselves to Okinawa and see what real Orion tastes like.....?!