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In this article we are going to introduce a mixed drink, which is very popular in Yokosuka's pubs, or IZAKAYA (居酒屋 -- see the link at the bottom) and is called: called "Hoppy" (ホッピー.) Hoppy is a bottled, beer-like, fizzy beverage, containing almost no alcohol, and it is served ice cold. Along with the bottle of Hoppy, a beer mug (or large glass) about one-quarter-filled with "Sho-chu" (焼酎 -- Japanese hard liquor, distilled from grains or vegetables) will be provided as part of the order. To make the cocktail, you simply pour the Hoppy forcefully into the beer mug to create a nice foamy mix, and then drink. Hoppy is made in both light/lager and dark/black flavors and has less calories than normal beers. Hoppy is a unique beer-flavored cocktail and goes well with the various food items served at IZAKAYAs. There is an urban legend that Hoppy got its name in Yokosuka from American sailors who said that drinking it made them feel "happy." However, its real roots go back to the 1920s~1930s, when a company in Nagano Prefecture first produced it as a non-alcoholic soft drink using hops. In the tough/lean years following World War II, many Japanese could not afford real beer, so mixing Hoppy with cheap Sho-chu became the alternative, and Hoppy cocktails have remained very popular through the present day. Of interest, in a way, Hoppy is Japan's version of what is known in America as a "Boilermaker." If you are able to enjoy alcoholic drinks, we hope you will have a chance to go to an IZAKAYA in Yokosuka and try the Hoppy cocktail.

written by Goodfield