Yebisu The Hop - exclusive

Well, I managed to get my hands on a can of Yebisu - The Hop, a day before the official release date of 4th of the 4th.

In fact, I'm drinking it as I write this entry. Mmm....

Here are a few pics of the can. Click on them for the full size version.

And here's the baby, in a glass:

Sapporo uses German Bayern aroma hops and Czech Saaz fine aroma hops to create this - may I say it without sounding cliche'd - hoppy beer.
Damn. I just finished it. I'll just have to pop out and get another one.
The 7-11 convenience store about 600m away is stocking this nice beer, as I suspected it would. They have always had the interesting beers early, as opposed to other 7-11s or other stores.
I'm going to try to release this post before midnight (it's 23:06 now), so I can say I reviewed it early.
A humble beer drinking blogger's exclusive, if you will.

Impressions:

You can smell the hoppiness. It's a dry fragrance. Not too dry and tarty though. The nose tends to imply a higher than usual alcohol content, though it's 5.5% (only slightly higher than the 'average' 5%).

Color - a normal golden lager. More transparent and clear than I would have imagined (my picture doesn't quite do the beer justice as the glass became clouded - had some problems with my camera, SD card etc - always at the most crucial times!).

Tastes nice and has a faint hint of maltiness that the original Yebisu suggested slightly more strongly, but the hoppiness is definitely the stronger sensation. A fine, dry lager from Yebisu.
I'm, not sure if it's enough to impress and satisfy the hop-mad drinkers out there.
It's no Pilsner Urquell or north German pilsner, but it's not a bad attempt from a major Japanese beer producer (compared to the other 'new, premium beers' aka Kirin Gold or other such dissapointments).
Also, compared to it's brethren, this is up there with the best of the biggest.
It's better than the dissapointing and flavorless Yebisu Amber and almost as flavorfull as the Yebisu Black. Not so far off the normal Yebisu, but it should appeal to the more hoppy minded palate.

Verdict: 6.5/10 possible 7, but I drank it so fast I can't remember and I have to drink at least one more big can - just to be sure.
Heck, if I'm left wanting another can, then I'll give it a 7.

Yes,

Yebisu, The Hop: 7/10.