Strange Soda – Kimura Drinks

Axiom has long had a love affair with the eccentric and ever imaginative Kimura Drinks Corporation, with their green tea flavored cola and the ever impressive Fuji Cider, so we were delighted to see some new products hit the shelves recently, namely some new flavors of Ramune. Ramune is a very popular, carbonated drink which is normally stocked in a glass bottle and a detachable cap, which normally pops the drink open, sending a marble like ball into the drink. It is extremely popular in Japan, although (as is evident in the video below) opening them can be a little tricky.

Although the drink originated in Japan, namely Kobe in 1876, it was actually invented by a Scottish pharmicist, Alexander Cameron Sim, who worked in Honk Kong and Nagasaki before settling in Kobe. After over a decade of running his own business he launched the Ramune line, which were based on western lemonades, but reported to quell the ill-effects of cholera, a nasty little bacterium that infects the small intestines and brings on vomiting and diarrhea. No doubt aided by a mention in the Tokyo Mainichi Newspaper.

The bottle itself is also a genius design, the marble like ball seemingly defying gravity by being held in place by the pressure built up in the bottle. The narrow shaped designed bottle was invented by an English engineer called Hiram Codd and the bottle is still named in his honor, known as a Codd-Neck Bottle.

The new flavors that the Kimura Drinks Company have launched are as unique as might be expected, namely Curry Ramune and Wasabi Ramune. The Wasabi drink is suitably green and the bottle warns that the drink has an adult taste. The Curry flavor has an odd orange tinge and boasts a mix of spice and crispness…it also has a stereotypically incorrect mascot holding a plate of curry, claiming “Even Indian people will be surprised!?”.

The taste isn’t that offensive and leaves only a slight shadow of spice on the tongue. But if you are after something with a little more kick, a spicier version of the curry is also available.

Both drinks come in 250ml bottles and cost around 2 American dollars. To find out more about this awesome company, be sure to check out their website.