Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale

Brewed by Kiuchi Brewery
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Ibaraki, Japan

Very carbonated bottle pours out a cloudy medium brown-gold with peach-red highlights and left an immense, dense, fine, light tan head. Lots oy yeast sediment in the bottle. Bright, tart aroma with sour fruits, cherry-like oxidation character, and light spice and wood. The taste gives fruit on the attack that quickly fades into a non-descript grainy body with considerable bitterness without much hops flavor. All of this is encircled by a unique fermentation profile and some aging characteristics. Strangely, the fruit returns in the finish. This reminds me much more of a lambic than in IPA.

bottle poured a cloudy amber in color with a thin layer of head on the beer. carbination is fairly active and the smell is light hops, caramel malts, citrus, and some sweet fruits. taste is good body, nice citrus notes, some caramel sweetness, light fruits, and maybe a little tea flavor. definitely not the typical ipa but a really good beer. at 4.00 for a bottle a little steep but really good stuff worth a try.

Bottle. Hazy caramel, off white head. The aroma is quite unique for an IPA. A wall of pepper assaults your nose followed by malt and citrus. Flavor is peppery, hoppy, caramel, spices, wheat. Not a typical IPA flavor, but not bad by any means. If you are looking for something different, this is it.

Pours a cloudy amber orange. Citric nose with slight bubble gum tones it seems. Flavor is smooth with a touch of bitterness on the tip of your tongue that does not overpower. Even citric tones there as well. Feel is good with a nice bubble to it. Definitely drinkable. A nice smooth brew with even qualities. My first Hitachino. Glad to have gotten to try it. Not sure if I’d ever go back to it because of the price, but it was pretty decent.

11.2 oz bottle from cbkschubert (I think); nose of light flowery hops, some wood which must be cedar, but not the strength of a cedar chest, and sweetness from the malts; lightly hazed copper with a medium beige head; flavor of caramel, with somenectariney fruitiness and some light hop bitterness. I’d love to have a case of this for a stronger session brew!

Appearance: Pours a gorgeous, hazed amber body with a pillowy, sudsy off-white head. Smell: Aroma of honey-like maltiness, yeast, apricots, and a handful of grass thrown in confetti-style. Taste: Gentle caramel malt flavor with more sweet, juicy apricots. Hint of lemon. Subtle notes of wood. Refreshing tea-like bitterness. Mildly bitter, but very clean finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Mild carbonation. Drinkability: Flavor, refreshment, uniqueness... the Japanese Classic Ale is down on ALL of it. Paired remarkably well with some moo goo gai pan, too.

Name: Japinese Classic Ale
Date: 06/18/2005
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Noog I

opaque orange, sweet fruity aroma, woody malt flavor with lots of oak character, hint of sweetness, low hop flavor and bitterness,
-------- /> Name: Japinese Classic Ale
Date: 07/14/2006
Mode: bottle
Score: i to iii

thick creamy head that’s easily roused into a big hunk of cream leaving thick lace, great complex sweet tart unique woodyness in the aroma that I guess comes from the cedar aging, thick creamy body, rich malt flavor with a lot of wood character, tart tannens, full of flavor and well balanced

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 4/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

This has to have been a bad bottle based on what other people are saying. The aroma of this was like stinky feet and the flavor was sour and horrid. After I popped the cap it slowly oozed out onto the counter and left a hefty head in the glass after I poured. Everything about this was unenjoyable. I’ll have to try this again and rerate if I find it to be different. I hope I do, I was looking forward to this one.