Kirin Ichiban is a Japanese pale lager, clean and easy to drink, with the bright gold colour and tight white head you'd expect from the style.

Brewed in Japan by Kirin, it's the kind of lager that gets out of its own way — smooth, gently malty and built for drinking rather than pondering.

The aroma is soft and grainy, a touch of fresh bread and a faint floral lift. There's a rounded, almost sweet malt character through the middle, more body than most mainstream lagers carry, and then it dries off quickly.

Bitterness is low and clipped, just enough to tidy the finish, with lively carbonation and no lingering aftertaste.