Just in case you're easily hooked on unusual Japanese products, or you're on a quest to test all of the world's unusual brews, you may want to plan a special trip to Konan City in Japan's Kochi Prefecture where one of the local micro breweries created Tosa Kuroshio Karyudo Beer to celebrate 10 years in business.
Tosa Kuroshio Karyudo is a low malt concoction brewed with rice flour and hops in an 8 to 2 ratio. Nothing so unusual there. What makes it unique is that it also contains dashi, the fish (bonito) stock that's critically important to making Japanese soups like miso shiru. No, I haven't had it—but I'm willing to bet it's a good accompaniment to sushi or sashimi.
If you can't make the trip to Shikoku, but do live in Japan, you can apparently order Tosa Kuroshio over the phone. The brewer, Tosa Kuroshio Bakshu, (tel. 0887-55-4111) is selling six-pack gift sets containing two bottles of Tosa Kuroshio Karyudo and four bottles of the company's other beers—for a mere 2,937 yen (about $30).
