Hitachino Nest Pale Ale

Brewed by Kiuchi Brewery
Style: English Pale Ale
Ibaraki, Japan

This was a kick back to the PNW. The bold amber color held a malty nose at first, but then after a couple more whiffs hops seem to be more present than they first were, this is Seattle in a bottle. A creamy thick head and the caramel malt, it reminds me of Wild Rose IPA. It starts off with a hoppy mouth then caramel comes in and finally hoppy once again in the finish (similar to thier amber in that sense). The body is VERY smooth, which I really enjoyed. My higher ratings are likely due to the fact I drank this less than two weeks after it was made and it tasted very fresh.

Beautiful hazy, deep golden color. Coarse, foamy, bubbly, tan head that diminished quickly. Light malty, hoppy, and sweet aroma. Nicely balanced flavors of primarily malt with a nice citrusy, hoppy punch, with spicy and floral hints underneath. Smooth, slightly "silky" mouthfeel--really nice and full-bodied. Dry and thoroughly satisfying finish. Probably won’t be considered top-notch for the style, but still a true gem from the Hitachino Brewery, which surely must be one of Japan’s best breweries.

Smell is light, flowery and fruity. Color is a reddish golden that looks very appealing. Taste is creamy in the mouth and lightly hopped, with mild bitterness. Goes from hops to sweet malt and back to hops at the finish. Very smooth and enjoyable to drink.

Dark Golden Brownish-orange. attractive color, nice low head, with lacing developing quickly. Fruity, bitterish aroma, lots of hops. A touch of sour, with a touch of malt and sweetness as well. Not hugely aromatic or complex, but satisfying and appetizing. Nice malty caramel flavor, with good fruit, a touch of sweetness, and more malt and caramel than I expected. Pretty strong hop finish. Good bitter kick comes in with the swallow, and last a good long time. This is a very nice pale ale.

Good call Schlossy, tea-like indeed. A well balanced classic English scent, crystal? malts and floral hops, nice. With the IBU’s, lack of head and relative stillness of this beer, it could pass for a cask pulled IPA rather than a bottled PA. Aggressive hops up front, a slightly sweet middle and a floral, giving way to a bitter finish. Look for this one!

Mild hoppy aroma from the attractive tea-like amber brew. Not much head present. Not unappealing flavor, but finishes slightly watery. Saved somewhat by a zesty hop ending that does let you do some savoring. Good to see a brew like this is being made in Japan, it can be a really market here as ales are rarely recognized in the land of the ricey lager.

Medium offwhite head. Red-brown body with floaties and light carbonation. Fruity caramelly roasty aroma with earthy papery straw notes. Dry earthy caramelly strawy taste with grassy grainy notes. Mid-bodied. Clean, crisp palate. Dusty mouthfeel. Dry dusty roasty papery caramel aftertaste with earthy notes. Ɛ.33l bottle from Naito-san.)

Very enjoyable, with a sweet hoppy scent and taste, although I prefer the yona yona to this