Not long ago, Hoppy was a drink associated with working-class, middle-aged men in the older neighborhoods of Tokyo.
Recently, however, it has begun to be chugged by a younger crowd at bars and cafes in such upscale districts of the capital as Akasaka and Azabu-juban.
The carbonated drink, with an alcohol content of 0.8 percent, was introduced in 1948. It is a nonalcoholic beverage as far as the Liquor Tax Law is concerned, but at first glance its amber color and creamy head make it look just like beer.