Composed of 生 (raw, fresh, unpasteurized) and ビール (beer). The 生 prefix indicates that the beer has not undergone heat pasteurization (加熱処理). In practice, most Japanese beer — including canned and bottled varieties — is technically 生ビール, but in conversation the term usually means "beer on tap."
In restaurants and izakaya, 生ビール is the standard first drink ordered. It is extremely common to hear とりあえず生で ("draft beer for now") as the default opening order. The abbreviated form 生 alone is widely understood to mean draft beer in dining contexts.
Common collocations
- 生ビールを注文する: to order a draft beer
- とりあえず生で: draft beer for starters
- 生ビール飲み放題: all-you-can-drink draft beer
- 生中: medium draft (abbreviated ordering term)
Cultural note
Ordering 生ビール is deeply embedded in Japanese drinking culture. At izakaya and restaurants, it is the overwhelmingly common first order, often before anyone has even looked at the menu. The phrase とりあえず生 has become almost a catchphrase of after-work socializing.