There’s a particular sound to a Saturday afternoon back home: a barbecue lid clanking shut, someone yelling that the snags are nearly done, and an esky full of ice by the back door. In Niseko or Tokyo, the closest you might get is a convenience store fridge and a plastic table. If you grew up cracking a cold one at a mate’s place before the footy, this beer brings back that exact memory.
Melbourne’s working lager since 1854
Victoria Bitter Beer traces its history back to 1854. Carlton & United Breweries brewed it in Melbourne, Victoria. Asahi acquired Carlton & United Breweries in 2020. Today, Victoria Bitter remains one of Australia’s best-known pale lagers. It pours pale gold, with a full malt body and a clean finish. A touch of bitterness keeps the beer from feeling thin.
VB isn’t a niche pour. In fact, it has long ranked among Australia’s best-selling beers by volume. That tells you what it is all about: not sipping or analysing, but drinking session after session. You will find it at barbecues, pubs, and worksites across the country. Over the years, VB earned its reputation as a working-class Australian lager. It did so simply by becoming a beer that people actually drank. There is no elaborate origin myth here. Instead, there is a beer that has been part of Australian life for generations.
How Victoria Bitter Beer is drunk at home
Someone cracks one open and says, “Cheers, mate!” (CHEERZ-MAIT). Depending on who’s pouring, you might also hear “Cheers, big ears!” or “Down the hatch!” Either way, there is no formality. Sharing a drink comes naturally.
At home, VB often appears wherever there is a barbecue. The suburban Saturday tradition brings sausages, lamb chops, and prawns onto the grill. Meanwhile, the beer stays cold in the esky. VB also works perfectly with a meat pie. The bakery and footy-ground staple is easy to eat while keeping one hand free for your beer.
Later, lamingtons might come out for dessert. These sponge cakes come coated in chocolate and coconut. By then, VB has usually already done its job.
On Australia Day, January 26, the scene often moves to beaches and barbecues. The beer stays cold as. ANZAC Day, April 25, feels different. Australians attend dawn services first. Afterwards, mates might head to the RSL for a VB once the formalities are over.
How to drink it in Japan
For the best experience, drink VB properly cold and straight from the bottle if you can. Pair it with a bag of Calbee salted potato chips from 7-Eleven. The simple saltiness complements the malt without competing with it.
For something more substantial, try VB with yakitori. The charred meat and salt work well with its bitter finish. The combination also brings the beer closer to the barbecue culture it knows so well.
VB works especially well during Japan’s humid summer months. From June through August, a straightforward cold lager can hit the spot. At an Australian-style pub in Tokyo, a pint can cost ¥1,000 or more. However, buying by the case from Omori Mart can bring the cost per bottle down significantly.
Get Victoria Bitter Beer delivered in Japan
Victoria Bitter Beer is available from Omori Mart in 375ml bottles, sold by the case.
- Free shipping on orders over ¥15,000
- Pay at FamilyMart, 7-Eleven, or Lawson, plus bank transfer and card
- Nationwide delivery across Japan
You won’t find this beer at Rakuten or Amazon Japan. So, if VB is the beer you actually miss from home, Omori Mart is where you can get it.
[Shop Victoria Bitter Beer →]
https://omorimart.com/product/victoria-bitter-beer-375ml-x-24-bottles/
Cheers, mate! Back home, it’s the familiar call before the first sip. Here in Japan, it’s kanpai (乾杯). The words change, but the instinct stays the same: raise your glass, mean it, and drink it cold.
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