Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout

Brewed by Kiuchi Brewery
Style: Stout
Ibaraki, Japan

Bottle. Pours dark brown/black with dark tan head. Some mile lacing is evident. Aroma is interestingly a mix of coffee, oak wood, and vanilla. Very intriguing. First sip. Wow, chcolate and coffee hit with gusto. The wood kicks in almost as fast and lasts throughout, almost too much, killing the coffee and chocolate flavors. Continuing to drink, the wood flavors subside to blend in nicely with the rest of the flavors and balance out. Feeling is medium. The ending is acidic but the chocolate and coffee are very enjoyable as an aftertaste. Overall a very good brew, if it wasn’t for the first shock feeling like i just put a piece of oak in my mouth to suck on, it would be even better.

Bottle. Pours amber black with pretty tall beige head. The aroma is full of obvious coffee, but it combines with an interesting bourbon-like woody vanilla tone and some chocolate to make it quite pleasant smelling. The flavor isn’t as obnoxious about the coffee tones, though it is still quite distinct. Chocolate and wood notes keep it together quite well. It gets pretty acidic toward the finish, but in a refreshing way, with some oak and berry notes. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised with this one. Yum.

Bottle into mug, purchased at Frugal MacDougals, Nashville. Nice looking stout, with a sizeable medium brown and creamy head over opaque ruby black beer. Rich dry coffee ground aroma punctuated by burnt wood qualities. Wow, the coffee in the flavor hits right away, right when it hits the tip of the tongue, before the flare-up of carbonation even has a chance to foam in the mouth. This is true to its name: it even as the acidic roast aftertaste of Lavazza on the sides. Besides the espresso, this has a light caramelly sweetness and malt character that rides the foamy carbonation and leaves just a little bit of sweetness for the finish. Wonderful. I don’t know how a beer of this ilk could taste better. It’s not as complex as the recent spate of "breakfast" stouts, but as a straightforward coffee stout, this is top-tier; this is maybe the highest score I could see myself giving for a beer of this type.

12 oz. bottle. Pours a deep black with small tan head. Aroma of coffee beans. Nice thick body, really big mouthfeel. Palate of coffee with some dark chocolate and roasted malts. Really tasty brew out the The Land of the Rising Sun!

Bottle at Redlight Redlight. Dark brown, almost black pour, light brown edges. Small, mocha head. Could be the way it was poured though. Poured too cold, had to let it warm up a bit. Nose of chocolate covered espresso beans, dark malts, cocoa powder and dairy creamer. Flavor is very similar, would have liked a bit more chocolate though in this part of the beer. Espresso is very powerful, wonderfully done. Creamy palate, medium bodied. Sweet ending, pleasing and leaves you wanting another sip. I would have guessed around 6% ABV, so that part is very well hidden. Good stuff!

This beer was terrible. Soy saucy with a horrible coffee taste. Wouldnt touch another bottle of this stuff. Oily dark black pour, didnt look horrible, and while the aroma didnt show how bad this beer was gonna be it sure didnt show much appeal. But the flavor killed it instanly, took away any hope of a good or even descent beer.

(Bottle, thanks OSLO and Guerde) Pours black with a brown head. Roasted and light burned aroma of coffee beans up front but also some chocolate in the background. The usual strong coffee tones of parsley, green pepper (jalapenos) and gravel are all present. The flavour has a bit more complex malt composition with clearer chocolate notes but the coffee is still dominant. Some milk in the middle and the finish holds some dark fruit notes of raisins and figs. Hints of gravel. Light to medium bitter with a dry ending and some sour notes. Medium bodied. A quite good coffee stout but with the usual problem: a lack of complexity as the coffee dominates.

Huge nose of chocolate covered espresso beans. Huge bakers chocolate note as well, with vibrant coffee grounds and roast hitting the palate. I mean, it’s kind of just a straightforward coffee stout, but man, is it delicious.