Lucky Buddha ‘Enlightened Beer’ Review - Good Fortune Bottled

May 20, 2023 Cameron Mackenzie

Lucky Buddha beer is an authentic Asian style crisp lager, which has been brewed and bottled at the Thousand Island lake in China since 2010. This lager is served most typically in an iconic glass Laughing Buddha bottle, which was one of the main catalysts for its summit to success. This, alongside with the branding and ethos of enlightenment and luckiness, sets a precedent for any drinker of the Lucky Beer to have good fortune on their way.

Lucky Buddha claims to be ‘enlightened from the source’, by only using the most pristine natural resources from the Thousand Island lake (NB: Quiando Lake) in China. The beer continues to be produced from the same source over a decade later, commending the preservation of the natural wonder.

Their branding from the beginning has always been about luck, possibility and faith. The creators deem that ‘there’s a little bit of luck in every bottle’, and, to complement this good fortune, that one should always drink the Lucky beer with their left hand. ‘According to ancient proverbs, one receives luck through the left hand. It only seems wise then to advise that Lucky Buddha be enjoyed exclusively via one’s left hand’. Whether this affects the drinkers fortune is unknown, but it seems unwise to ignore such a simple action with the promise of possibility looming.

The bottle design itself depicts the Laughing Buddha, which is an icon found in many religions such as Shinto, Buddhist and Taoist teachings. It is believed that this jolly Buddha was in fact a Chan buddhist monk called Budai, who lived in China over a thousand years ago. ‘His figure appears throughout Chinese culture as a representation of contentment and his image graces many temples, restaurants, amulets, and businesses.’ The use of his likeness on the bottle design sparks happiness in any drinker regardless of the historical and religious connotations. Further, the drinker can discover the four symbols carved into the bottom of the bottle, which represent good fortune, happiness, longevity and prosperity.

The iconicity of this bottle also sparked a range of sustainable upcycling possibilities of the Lucky Buddha bottles, with many reusing them as vases or ornaments (once finished drinking!). The Lucky Beer Co leant into this, promoting that preserving the bottle and repurposing it after drinking means ‘Your last sip is your first step to external luckiness’.

Lucky Buddha was massively popular in the US from about 2013. It was dubbed one of the fastest growing import beer brands in supermarkets across the pond, with some critics likening it to the popularity of household names like Budweiser. By 2015, it was available in all 50 states in America, in supermarkets like Target and Walmart.

In line with sustainability, this growth came with a promise. The company worked with Noble Environmental Technologies and Walmart to develop a sustainable point-of-purchase display that supported the supermarkets commitment to reach zero landfill waste by 2025. They collaborated on a large scale to ensure that the glass bottles were made from 100% recycled materials, and was 100% certified bio-based, thereby reducing material use and their carbon footprint. With this drink being such a large import from China, the collaboration and commitment to protecting the environment paved the way for many others to do the same.

These days, the beer seems a little less readily available than it was just under a decade ago. Although I can’t speak for the US being a resident of the UK, but I hadn’t heard of this lager before. The appeal is understandable; the novelty of the bottle and the promise of some good fortune, alongside its refreshing taste experience. It is still imported and distributed wholesale across the UK now, in the iconic laughing Buddha glass bottles, but that means you’re going to have to go to bars or restaurants to try it for yourself. If you go to Wagamamas however, you can also find it exclusively (in the UK) in recognisable stylish light blue cans, with branding that aligns with the ethos of luckiness. Of course, the depiction of the Laughing Buddha remains prominent.

The Lucky beer itself is a refreshing, clean lager. The malts are tasteful, but not overpowering, and followed by a hint of sweetness which invites another sip. This could come from the combination of utilising standard malt, hops, and water, with rice too. There are citrusy notes of lemon and grapefruit, followed by an almost honey-like finish. It’s very easy drinking, and it is understandable why this beer skyrocketed in popularity around the world. Even with the novelty of the glass bottle, Lucky Buddha is lighter than other similar drinks which creates a delicious, quaffable, and inherently ‘lucky’ lager.

If you like what you read about Lucky Buddha, make sure to check out our other reviews of beers produced in Asia like Asahi Super Dry, Sapporo Premium and Kingfisher.