This is a fairly recent trend from Japan, and popular in Singapore. Basically the froth on your pint of beer is replaced by fluffy ice-beer-froth. This seemed like a great idea in the tropics, actually, as potentially your beer could be even more refreshingly cold (and for longer) and thus more enjoyable. Kirin seems to be one of the leaders in this trend, and they even sell a special 'beer froth slushy machine' so that you can make your own at home. But in Singapore at least, you can find most Japanese beer brands served 'frozen'. And I was pretty keen to try one!
The verdict: Not as nice as normal, chilled beer! For me, anyway. The froth has no real flavour (like the unfrozen version) so there's no particular joy in eating it, but instead of making your drinking experience colder and more refreshing, the frozen foam kind of makes the lager underneath feel warmer, and creates a barrier to actually drinking it! I also got less flavour from the beer itself (frozen tastebuds?) So, anyway, it's fun to try this unusual way of serving beer, and I can understand why establishments would serve it - for novelty value. But I won't be forking out for another pint of it!
You can watch the Kirin beer slushy maker ad here:
Here's an unexpected happening in Singapore. Last weekend some friends and I exit a late movie and could only find one bar still open. In that bar was a rowdy Japanese crowd, celebrating. One of the group turned around to apologise for the noise, explaining that it was a birthday event. And I kind of recognised him, thinking he was a Muay Thai instructor I'd had. Then realising that my Muay Thai instructor wasn't Japanese... In fact the guy was Sudo Genki (Genki Sudo to Westerners) - an absolute legend of the MMA and fighting world, and quite a bit more besides!
Sudo san has been a massive hero of mine, and of countless fight friends for years. His combat style (not to mention ring entrance style) is extremely entertaining but underpinned by beautifully skillful technique. He's famous for moves such as the spinning back fist and flying triangle - and has inspired many a young thing (me included!) to try the same.
In 2006, after multiple wins at K-1, Pancrase, Hero's and UFC - and while still young - he retired to focus on performance / dance. He founded the group World Order - a performance band of seven Japanese 'business men' in suits, doing intricate robot dance moves in global and deliberately ironic places. They seem to make comments on modern (Japanese) society. He has also written several books.
Anyway, I got talking to him and he came over to our table for a chat and photos. He speaks good English and was genuinely interested in how such a multicultural bunch of us (a mid-Western American, an Austrian, a Japanese-speaking Uruguayan, and a Japanese-speaking Brit) met in Singapore. Apparently he fought at UFC in London's Royal Albert Hall (they had UFC at the Royal Albert Hall?!*) and now calls himself a lover not a fighter. The rowdy bunch were World Order and their tour group, who were celebrating three birthdays and the end of a one-off gig in Singapore. He was just a regular, intelligent, friendly chap, actually. But this evening has to go down as one of my most surprising experiences in Singapore!
Anyway, here are a couple of videos of Sudo san, in case you are not familiar with his work:
Sudo san in Singapore
:)
* The Royal Albert Hall is a 'posh', old venue in London. With a capacity of about 5000. It is the place you would go to see ballet, classical music, The Proms - UFC was a surprise!
The title of this post relates to the standard, polite Japanese greeting 'O genki desu ka' which means literally 'Are you healthy?'. In fact Sudo san's name is the same genki (元気)
