Happoshu (発泡酒) is a Japanese beer-like beverage with less than 67% malt content.

Under Japan's taxation system, the less malt a beer contains the lower the liquor tax. Low malt beers can therefore be sold cheaply, making them very popular. Since the "malt content tax" is tiered, most happoshus contain less than 25% malt. Anything above 67% malt content is a true "beer", and cannot therefore be called happoshu.

Recently the Japanese government has been increasing the tax rate on low malt beers. Breweries are responding with "zero malt" beers (e.g., Sapporo's "Draft One"), which replace the malt with a pea protein.

The zero malt beers are very cheap, and are very popular with consumers. Enthusiasts call it "the third beer". Critics (beer experts are disdainful of the taste) call it "fake beer". Note that zero malt beers are not happoshu, but they are closely related.

Brands

• Asahi Breweries
  • Hon-nama
  • Spearks
• Kirin Brewriers
  • Kirin Tanrei nama
  • Gokunama
• Sapporo Brewriers
  • Hokkaido Namashibori
• Suntory Ltd.
  • Jun-nama
  • Magnum Dry