The brewer trials a new beer glass design to slow down consumption, but encourage savouring

Yoho Brewing, a Japanese brewery based in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, has developed an innovative beer glass designed to slow down drinking, and so encourage more moderate alcohol consumption.

The hourglass-shaped glass, developed in collaboration with the Tokyo Glass Art Institute over six months, aims to slow the drinking process by taking three times longer to empty than a regular glass.

The unique design of the 350ml “Drink Slowly” Yona Yona Ale glass features a narrow 6-millimetre neck that restricts the flow of beer, thus promoting a slower drinking pace and enhancing the appreciation of flavour.

In a small survey conducted by the brewery, 15 out of 16 participants confirmed that the glass made drinking more challenging.

The glasses are being sold through a lottery on Yoho Brewing’s website, priced at JPY9,800 (USD62) each. Entries must be submitted by 16 August, with only 20 glasses currently available. The brewery, however, hinted at the possibility of mass production if demand proves strong.

Additionally, Yoho Brewing’s taproom will offer its Yona Yona Ale served in these special glasses for JPY880 until August 16. The Tokyo Pub Beer College will also feature use of the glasses from July 28 to August 3.

Thie initiative aligns with Japan’s health ministry’s guidelines for moderate drinking introduced in February. A survey by Yoho Brewing involving 1,099 respondents aged 20-60 revealed that only 21% were aware of these guidelines, while only 35% of regular drinkers expressed a desire to reduce their alcohol intake.

Yoho Brewing aims to use the inherent humour in using such a glass to promote responsible drinking, and move away from a traditionally more serious approach to reducing alcohol consumption. The company believes that by encouraging a slower drinking pace, people will enjoy their beverages more mindfully, while also complying with more responsible consumption.

Yoho Brewing’s innovative glass is part of a broader approach of ‘slower drinking’ that mirrors similar concepts of slow marketing, slow reading, and slow journalism, where taking time is believed to enhance the overall experience.