Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale

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

A nice brew, although a little weak on the hops for an IPA. Very smooth and balanced though and very easy to drink

Pours a pretty delicious looking reddish orange with a nice thick and lasting white head. Get a bit of the wood ageing in the flavor. Bitter hoppy finish. The hops are not like common us hops but the citrus and floral character is there even if faint. Interesting version of an IPA but not the one I would grab first.

Pours a beautiful cloudy dark orange/golden with a nice two-finger beige head. Lots of fine particulate in the glass. Not much lace. Aromas of cedar, dried fruit, pear, and salt water. Taste is carbonation up front and pear and cedar wood in the back. Very dry, cedar finish. 7% is perfectly hidden. Not hoppy at all for an IPA but still excellent.

Wow! Extremely powerful pale ale with a ton of character. Not typically something you would expect from a Japanese brew. The appearance is almost flawless. Perfect golden brown clear color with a copper hint. The lacing and head are also perfect. There is a very strong flavor and a poinant palate with tons of hoppiness. Overall a very good brew.

Bottle shared via piscator34. Pours a brown straw colour with vigorous head. Nose is strong ripe pears. Taste- again significant pear taste then sweet malts followed by a dry wood finish. Minimal hops are present. Very unique brew and drinkability is good. Alcohol well hidden.

Dark orange in colour with medium to strong carbonation. Strong pear-like aromas mix with some aromatic wood (although not distinctly cedar), and sweet pale malt notes. Perhaps a bit of oxidation too. Fairly malt forward in the mouth, with more orchard fruit and wood. There’s a touch of roasted malt character, and some latent drying bitterness. Not really hoppy enough for me to consider it an IPA (or to consider seeking out again), but an interesting and fairly tasty beverage regardless.

Sampled at Cellar’s Wine & Spirits in Shorewood, MN. Pours a semi-clear amber brew with a fast dissolving off-white head that dissipates to a thin white ring. Aroma of caramel malt, some hard pitted fruit, grassy hops and a touch of apricot. Taste is medium bodied, very light carbonation with a distinct flavor of watered down grapefruit juice with a touch of caramel malt, Finish is light crisp with a thin grapefruit aftertaste with no bitterness. Bottle was a 2006 vintage which may have shown its age.

11.2 oz. bottle purchased at Mountainvew Liquors in Naugatuck, CT. Pours a hazy golden brown with a moderate off-white head that lasted through the first quarter of the glass and left very little lace. Pleasant aroma of malt, oak and just a bit of smokiness. The flavor is malt up front followed by oak, vanilla and again a bit of smoke. Some hops at the finish try to emerge but are a bit overwhelmed by the wood. An interesting beer and not the typical IPA.
Earlier Rating: 1/14/2007 Total Score: 3.3
24.3 oz. bottle. Pours a hazy bronze color with a moderate, kind of sudsy, off-white head. Aroma was grassy with some malt. I didn’t detect any of the cedar aroma in my bottle. Flavor was a bit hoppy, offset with some malt. Ok, but by no means great. Cute label.