Modus are unashamedly keen to cater to all kinds of beer drinkers. On one side, they continue to bring out interesting and flavourful styles for the adventurous palate; on the other, they want to provide well-made, locally-brewed beer for the many people who just want easy-drinking lagers. With Premium Japanese Dry, they’ve made a beer that ticks a lot of boxes especially for drinkers in that second category.
Just as they did with their Cerveza, Modus have released a Japanese-style rice lager with the message: "If you like this kind of beer, why not buy one that’s Australian made and owned?"
Japanese-style rice lagers are popping up around the country with increasing frequency, and Modus have brought their take on the style: Munich and pilsner malts are supplemented by rice to make a beer as dry as all get-out, and a sprinkling of Taiheke hops adds a touch of aromatic complexity.
Zero carb* and 99.9 percent sugar free are two of the selling points on the can – that can being a 500ml monster that I can confirm works well as a shower beer.
If you’re to pour the beer into a glass (ideally not in the shower), you’ll see that it’s perfectly bright, with each bubble showing in high definition as it rises to join its friends in the head of the beer. You’ll also notice a floral sweetness in the air, like you’re walking past a fence covered in honeysuckle.
As the beer passes through your mouth, you can juuust feel the malt in the body. Meanwhile, the carbonation prickles across your tongue once, twice, and then is gone, whisked away by the ghost of bubbles past. There’s an ethereal note of candy banana, and a soft malt character and gentle bitterness that sit in the aftertaste.
Mick Wüst
*Personally, I’ve never got the zero carb thing. In fact, I’m quite partial to a bit of carb-on-carb action. Chip sandwiches, anyone? Beer and bread with pasta?
Published October 11, 2023 2023-10-11 00:00:00
