The Company Behind Japan's Strong Zero Is Bringing a New Double Grape -196 to Australia

Life hack: pretending that you're still on your best-ever Tokyo getaway (or the dream one you plan to go on when Japan fully reopens to international travel) is a perfectly acceptable way to get through the daily grind. Eating Pocky as a snack works. Hitting up your favourite ramen joint for lunch does, too. Going home to a few post-work cans of -196 — aka the premix from the makers of Strong Zero — definitely fits the bill as well.

The ready-to-drink -196 launched in Australia in 2021, with a double lemon variety that you probably sipped ASAP — it sold out when it first arrived. What's better than one such tipple, which hails from Japanese brewing and distilling company Suntory? Two, naturally.

Prepare to start knocking back -196 in double grape, again blending shochu, vodka and soda — but with a whole lot of grape flavour. Wondering about the name? That's because the fruit for both varieties is frozen at -196 degrees Celsius, then crushed, powderised and infused with spirits.

In Japan, Strong Zero comes in double grapefruit, double ume and double shekwasha, if you're holding out hope for more flavours in the future.

For now, you'll be able to pick up -196's double grape variety from the end of October, available in bottle-os nationwide.

Suntory's -196 double grape will hit bottle shops across Australia at the end of October.