One thing about Guinness in bottles. There are two "kinds." Guinness extra stout is what they've had in bottles most of my life, and as someone explained earlier it tastes a bit "stronger" than the guiness you may be used to on tap. The Guiness Drought that comes in a can has a little thing-a-ma-bob in it that releases a little gas when you open it to give it a creamy, smooth head. In the past year or so, Guinness has produced a second kind of bottle - Guinness Draught in a bottle. This also has a thingy-ma-bob, and they tried to make it so you could drink it straight from the bottle (they are trying to appeal to a "younger" demographic, I think). This is really easy to drink, and the taste is OK, but I think the can is probably better if you like the smoother taste of Guinness Draught over extra stout and can't get it on tap. The Guinness Draught bottles are really easy to drink though (actually, I've had a running debate in my own mind about bottles vs. cans for Young's Chocolate Stout - the can has a smoother, creamier head on it, but the bottle tastes fresher and less "tin-ny." I do think that I like the Guinness Draught cans better than bottles, but I will continue to taste test to make sure.)
As for Kirin. I agree that it "isn't" budweiser or bud light. I will say though, that I've spent some quality time reading the label on a bottle of kirin ichiban more than once in matsu-noma, and I'm really quite sure that it does say it is brewed in bottled by anhauser-bush in los angeles, using the kirin recipe and under the supervision of Kirin brew masters. That doesn't make it bud, though, that's for sure. For that matter, "Foster's" may be Austrailian for beer but, at least here in Michigan, it is brewed in Canada. But then, my cousin who lives in Kentucky makes Toyotas, too.
Actually, I checked the Kirin web site to double check that I wasn't having a foggy memory and I saw:
"In 1997, Kirin joined forces with Anheuser-Busch in North America to provide the freshest Kirin beer possible to American beer lovers. At that time, Kirin invested $8 million in the AB brewery in the Los Angeles area. In that plant, Kirin has been working closely with its partners to ensure freshness and quality, synonomous with the Kirin family name.
A Kirin brewmaster controls all production, maintaining the integrity of Kirin's traditional brewing process. It starts with proprietary ingredients, including North American barley, Kirin's own special yeast, and Hallertau and Saaz hops imported from Germany and the Czech Republic. It continues with lower-temperature fermentation and extended cellar aging. Then it's delivered in a timely manner, thanks to the powerful Anheuser-Busch distribution network. And it culminates in the unique taste, high quality, and unparalleled freshness you'll experience with every Kirin you drink. "
So, there you have it.
DR