Coca-Cola Is Rolling Out Their First Alcoholic Drink In Japan So When Are Coke Giving Australians The Real Thing?

Fans of sugar, bubbles and hard liquor rejoice! Coca-Cola has announced that they will release their very first alcoholic drink in Japan.

I’m not one to jump to ridiculous conclusions, but I think it’s safe to say that this may be the most significant advancement for mankind since the combination of Wi-Fi and Netflix.

Look, I know it’s cool to rag on the soft-drink giant for their single-use plastic packaging, their water exploitation, their anti-competitive business practices and even the amount of sugar in their drinks… but, come on people! We’re talking about exciting new alcohols here. Can we please focus on what’s important?

Thank you.

Now, I may have gotten a little overexcited, sorry. We’re actually not talking about a combination of Coke and rum, bourbon, vodka, or anything else I’ve ever ordered at a bar.

Coca-Cola’s first foray into the overseas liquor business will actually be in Japan, with their take on a local favourite, Chūhai (or, Chu-Hi, depending on who you ask). It’s a type of highball drink, which uses a shōchū base, mixed with soda water and a twist of lemon.

It’s a big market in Japan, which is currently dominated by Suntory Group’s own breed of shōchū-based Chūhai, “Strong Zero.”

But… what’s shōchū?

Shōchū is Japan’s clear spirit of choice. Its usual alcohol by volume (ABV) content is about 25%, making it stronger than sake, but softer than whisky.

Shōchū has a slightly nutty flavour, which is quite similar to sake but not as fruity. Its popularity is growing in Australia, although you may have to search hard to find it outside of metro areas.

When combined with soda water and lemon (as with a Chūhai), it kind of tastes like lemon-flavoured soft drink.

So… does that mean Aussie punters can expect to see an alcoholic version of Lift anytime soon?

Sadly, no.

The president of Coca-Cola Japan, Jorge Garduno, said that it was “unlikely” for the company to expand its alcohol offering overseas at this point.

Low-alcohol spirits are generally much more popular in Asia, whereas here they’re an affront to the national spirit (no pun intended), so it’s not likely to launch here any time soon.

However, with a rapid decrease in younger generations’ sugar intake, Coca-Cola Amatil (Australia’s branch, which already has a load of booze brands here) is already looking beyond fizzy drinks to boost sales, with new product segments such as iced tea, juice, iced coffee and water.

So, as long as people keep shunning sugar, I remain hopeful that we’ll get our very own take on Coca-Cola and liquor.

When that day comes, make mine a Coke and Coke.