Foam on Japanese Beer
I noticed something when I drank draft beer in the United States and the United Kingdom. There was no foam. I mean the white foam that remains on top of the beer after it is poured into a glass.
In Japan, people generally consider it good to pour draft beer so that several centimeters of foam remain on top of the beer. If the foam is creamy, people consider it even better. When my beer arrives, I first look at the foam. I take a sip of the foam and enjoy its taste. Then I let it flow into my stomach together with the beer.
A Bar in Rural America
This happened a long time ago. I once went into a small bar in rural America. I sat at the counter and drank bottled beer. I ordered bottled beer because the draft beer I had in the United States was often not very cold and, as I mentioned above, often had little or no foam. If I wanted a cold beer, I knew that a bottle kept in a refrigerator was the safer choice.
The bartender brought me a bottle of Heineken or something similar. I did not pour it into a glass. I drank it straight from the bottle while watching a baseball or basketball game on a monitor hanging on the wall.
Then I suddenly noticed that the man sitting to my left was throwing something toward the other side of the counter. I wondered what he was doing, so I watched him. The man was grabbing the foam that had collected on top of the beer in his glass and throwing it onto the floor behind the counter. Then he picked up his glass, drank his beer, and turned his eyes back to the monitor on the wall.
At the time, I could not understand why he was throwing the foam away.
Why Was He Throwing Away the Foam?
Later, I learned the reason when I talked with an American about what I had seen.
“There was a man who was grabbing the foam on top of his beer and throwing it away.”
“So what?”
“Why would he do that? Foam tastes good, doesn’t it?”
“What? You don’t need foam. I want to drink beer. If there is foam on top, I can’t drink the beer.”
“I see. I like tasting the foam on beer.”
“Huh. Is that so? If I had foam on top of my beer, I think I would grab it and throw it away, too.”
Beer in British Pubs
I have never seen anyone grab beer foam and throw it away in the United Kingdom. However, the beer I drank in British pubs also did not have the thick layer of foam that I see on Japanese draft beer. Ales are common in British pubs, but the beer usually has little foam, and it is not very cold. I have the impression that the beer is often served lukewarm.
The Golden Flame
There is a place that made me remember this story about beer foam. It is the object on top of the building next to the Asahi Beer headquarters near Asakusa. The official name of this strange, golden object is “Golden Flame.” It represents a “flame of a burning heart,” but it also looks like beer foam.
When I explain this object to foreign visitors, I sometimes remember my experience in the American bar and tell them this story. Their reaction is often the same.
“But if there is foam on the beer, you can’t drink the beer, right?”
Why Foam Matters in Japan
If you serve draft beer without foam at a restaurant in Japan, some Japanese customers might complain to the staff. That is how important foam can be. Japanese people do not just want to enjoy the taste of beer. They also want to enjoy its appearance. Perhaps they want to look at the beautiful white foam on top of the beer and think, “I’m about to enjoy a really good beer.”
Maybe they want to enjoy that moment before they actually drink it. Or perhaps the white foam reminds them of snow and makes them think of Mount Fuji. Maybe they want to taste this white snow before drinking the beer.
Making Beautiful Foam
In Japan, when restaurant staff pour draft beer, they often care about creating beautiful foam. They want the foam to have the right amount and to look good in the glass. Some beer companies even put a great deal of effort into developing ways to create beautiful foam.
If you explain all of this to people from other countries, they might think, “You can’t be serious.”
But this is actually true.
A Small Difference in Culture
This is a small example of a difference between cultures. So, when you visit a Japanese restaurant or bar, I would like you to order a draft beer. Then, I would like you to grab the foam on top of the beer with your hand and throw it onto the floor. You will definitely get a reaction from the Japanese people around you. Then, why not have a conversation about cultural differences with the Japanese person who reacts to you?
Originally published on Aug 18 2026
