Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout

Brewed by Kiuchi Brewery
Style: Stout
Ibaraki, Japan

Very nice. Has a strong coffee taste that I think would cover up any other delicate or less-pronounced flavors. Only complaint would be that I didn’t think it had the gravity or fullness I would expect from a stout. However as a coffee snob as well, I loved it!

A lot of chocolate in the aroma-dark chocolate. A great great pour. Very black with thick dark head. Taste is thick, both chocolate and coffee. Finally a truly great beer form these gives, especially given their relatively high prices.

13th August 2008. Glorius thick tan head on this beer with a wonderful tangy coffee creaminess. The beer itself is opaque black with a very strong coffee flavour. Also has tang about it that borders on fruity. Not that bitter even in the finish which has that espresso roastiness about it. Thought I wouldn’t like this beer. Very pleasantly surprised.

THOUGHTS: Almost mocha like. Incredible beer. I will buy this again if I can find it. Not super complex, but the flavors and aromas are perfect. Almost like a coffee drink instead of a beer. The best Asian beer I think I’ve had so far and one of the best stouts overall. I recommend it highly. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark brown that was nearly black in the glass with slight red highlights and a small tan head that mostly diminished, but left good lacing. The aroma was heavy coffee and slightly less dark chocolate. The initial flavor was sweet and slightly sour; while the finish was sweet, a little sour and fairly bitter with a fairly duration, but consisting almost only of coffee bean. There was coffee, chocolate, fresh ground coffee, coffee beans, hints of vanilla, slight dark fruit, but mostly coffee bean, and roasted malt. There was also some bitter and sort of sour coffee. The overall flavor was more coffee bean than the actual coffee. The medium to full body was a little oily, yet creamy with very fizzy and tingly carbonation and a slightly chalky and lightly alcoholic finish.

Black colored with little beige head. Very rich aroma with real cocoa note, strong coffee roastiness also here, mild vanilla also comes up. Medium to full bodied, creamy palate. Flavor is similar with very rich and dry coffee-cocoa, some berries and dark chocolate also here. Aftertaste dries with berries still, roastiness and wood is also present.

Source: 12 oz bottle purchased at Cool Springs Wine and Spirits.
Glass: Brooklyn Pint.
Appearance: Dark black pour with a two finger brown head.
Aroma: Coffee dominates, with a hint of bitter chocolate.
Flavor: Pretty simple coffee and chocolate flavors. Very well done.
Palate: Medium body with mild carbonation.
Overall: Excellent coffee stout. Wish it weren’t so expensive though.

12oz bottle from somewhere in nyc... Pours a pretty dark brown with reddish brown edges... Burnt and really ashy with tons of coffee notes with vanilla... Flavors are very smooth with big coffee and roasted malt note. Nice body and good all around flavor.

Brewed in Japan... Pours a very deep brown almost black in color with super foamy beige head that dissipates in time. Aroma of yeast, wood, milk chocolate and dark fruit. Taste of cheese, wood, cocoa powder and dark fruit. Mouthfeel is thin, but smooth and finishes on the dry bitter side. Not what i expected yet pretty interesting !!!