Not the Magnificent Seven but strong still

In October Kirin Breweries will launch a new high alcohol (7% ABV) beer in a bid to gain a bigger share of the domestic market. The beer, named Strong Seven, represents Kirin’s development of a third category beer, supplementing regular beers at 5% ABV and low-malt beers at 3% - 4% ABV. The new category is aimed at 30 to 50 year old males. Both Kirin and Suntory have already experienced success with higher alcohol shochu liquor-based drinks.

The 350-milliliter canned version of the Kirin Strong Seven will sell for around 140 yen – making it a budget-priced product.

The Kirin Strong Seven launch comes after Kirin’s vodka-based beverage with a higher alcoholic content of 8% ABV became a hit product following its introduction in May.

Third-category beer products are priced lower than conventional beer due to lower tax and have sold well while the Japanese market has shrunk for beer and beer-like beverages.