Kirin Ichiban is a pale lager from Japan, brewed by Kirin — clean, gently malty and built for easy drinking rather than showing off.

Pale gold in the glass with a bright white head, it's the sort of lager that goes down without asking much of you.

The aroma is soft and grainy, a touch of bready malt with a faint floral lift behind it.

On the palate there's a rounded sweetness from the malt, no heaviness, and a dry finish that tidies everything up. Bitterness sits low to moderate — just enough to keep it from being sweet — and the body is light to medium with brisk carbonation.