Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale

Brewed by Kiuchi Brewery
Style: Traditional Ale
Ibaraki, Japan

Smells very strongly of yeasty rice. Pours a hazy reddish copper color with a small white fizzy head. Taste is kind of like hoppy sake. Strong rice alcohol flavor with some bitter hops. Very different, but not in a bad way.

from a 330 mi bottel poured a hazy red with no head. Very unusual nose. Seems like spicy red rice and hops. Flavor is strong. Interesting and very different.

330 ml bottle from Bevmo. Pours a cloudy orange color with a meager head that quickly fades to nothing and leaves no lacing. The aroma is very interesting, I had to continue inhaling this for about fifteen minutes just to get a grasp on the flavors. This smells like no other beer I have ever had, I presume the dominate aroma is red rice; also present is spicy vinegar, citrus and cedar. The flavor follows the aroma pretty closely. The mouthfeel is a bit of a downer as it is thin and the carbonation, ample at first, quickly disappears and leaves the glass a tad flat. Finishes long, sweet and clean. Overall: this is one of the most unique tasting and smelling beers that I have ever tried. Recommended

It’s a dirty shade of red with absolutely no head. The first smell says it could possibly be a little fruity. It has very little fizz. Tastes a little bland, just like rice. However...it does sit well in the mouth. Kind of an odd aftertaste. Overall, I’m glad i tried but it isn’t my favorite.

It is okay for a change of pace. I cannot really describe the taste, maybe a ginger and some bitter cherry taste, the bitterness likely coming from a hops flavor that is buried beneath the overwhelming whatever-taste-that-is taste of the beer. There is also some citrus and wood flavors in it. It is a very different taste and it has a lot of bite to it, so much so that at times it is overpowering, so I can understand why a lot of people didn’t enjoy it. Palate is thin to medium. Appearance: golden color with a massive head, head retention is okay. Some describe it as a red, rosy color. I think that comes from the red rice. After the rice settled at the bottom of my glass (about a 2ml heap), it was mostly a cloudy golden color. Bottle sat on my floor for half an hour and erupted beer onto my floor and I had to clean it up. Has bits of red rice (I assume) floating in the bottom. nramsburg said that he can’t think of any comparisons to this beer so it is worth a try. I agree completely, although I am new at this and have not tasted many beers. You might not think this is too good, but you definitely will not be bored if you pick it up.

24.3 oz bottle. Poured hazy medium golden with a healthy cap of off-white head. The aroma picked up lots of dry yeasty and ricey notes with a bit of lemon zest and detergent at the back.. soft overall.. this grew on me as it had a chance to breathe. The flavor had a sweet, dry rice and floral base with the detergent re-appearing and making this less good.. sweet floral and mild caramel finish. Lighter-bodied, and it hid its alcohol well.. again some off notes got in the way.. dry. Not bad.

Yeasty aroma and a dark amber color on the pour. Definitely slightly sweet, floral and a somewhat sweet finish. I can’t think of any easy comparisons for this one. Worth a try.

Hazy orange, moderate head with solid lacing and retention. Aroma is yeast, peach, spiced (red rice), caramel, grass, some acidity. Medium bodied, somewhat sweet but also somewhat acidic. Interesting and enjoyable, but not assertive enough.