Hot Summer Has Japanese Drinkers Working Up a Foam

Japanese are reacting to one of the hottest summers in years by gulping down beer in record amounts, much to the delight of the nation’s breweries.

Beer sales are rising at such a heady rate that Kirin Brewery Co., Japan’s top brewer, has raised its parent company’s net profit forecast twice since February.

Kirin sees net profit of a record $240 million in the year to Dec. 31, up from a forecast of $226 million made last month. Its original forecast, in February, was for $166 million. The company earned $188 million last year.

Sapporo Breweries, which sells beer made by Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing Co., estimated sales of Miller beer at 500,000 cases, up 50% from a year earlier. Heineken Japan estimated sales at 1 million cases, up 10%. And Suntory estimated its beer sales at 45.5 million cases, up 13%.