Hitachino Nest Weizen

Brewed by Kiuchi Brewery
Style: German Hefeweizen
Ibaraki, Japan

Very good. I was surprised as this is worlds away from their other beers I have tried. Just simply a grrat Weizen with a little less cloudyness then normal. Good bubblegum fllavor

Bottle. I was very skeptical that this would be very good and could hold its own against German Weizens but was surprised. A fairly unexciting bubblegum aroma. Orange yellow color - slight cloudy with small head. Sweet orange, banana, and clove flavor. Actually holds its own and a fairly decent Weizen.

Pours hazy yellow with a small white head. weak aroma and flavor, possibly an old bottle, no real hefe flavor, average body

Ah, there’s nothing quite like a good Japanese hefeweizen on a warm, muggy day! Actually, it’s pretty good. The head dies too soon, but the aroma of this hazy straw ale is banana and Wheaties with a dash of clove and some lemony tartness. A bit hard and spritzy for the style, it nonetheless delivers a tasty banana and light clove flavor quite well. The finish is clean, perhaps with a touch of lemon.

Pours slightly cloudy golden color with a not big enough egg white head that dissipates. Aroma is a bit understated, though if you try hard enough you might find a hint of banana and clove. Flavor is OK, light wheat flavor, with light banana, and not much if any clove or other spices. Decent but can’t hang with the German big dogs (Franziskaner; Weistephaner).

Bottle. I still haven’t figured out how Hitachino fits in. They’re not the BMC of Japan (that’s AKS: AsahiKirinSapporo, and pronounced "axe"). BUt they have enough ratings on some of their beers to not be an unheard of micro. Perhaps they are the Sierra Nevada of Japan? This is a passable hefe. Aroma of wheat and slight clove. Could be a little smoother for a hefe, it has some metal in the finish. Some soda in addition to the standard hefe palate. Curiously dry and slightly effervescent finish.

Pours a cloudy brownish orange. My sister-in-law looked at me funny when i was pouring it. Bananas, apples, clove, spices, and other light fruits on the nose. Very sour aroma, too. Smooth and medium bodied mouthfeel. As someone else said it had a champagne quality to it. Hints of citrus fruits on the tongue:grapefruit and orange being most noticable. Refreshing finish. I am not a big fan of hefeweizens but I liked this one.

Pours partially cloudy brassy apple-cider orange/brown with some head. Aroma (surprisingly) of flemish sour ale. Flavor of citrus brut champagne, mouthfeel of same. Finishes tart with green apples and blueberries. Not seeing the bananas, but not a bad one-of beer. Considering how the Hitochino sweet lactose stout made me gag, I’m surprised I like this one at all. However, in a blind test (which is what I’m trying to imagine here), I’m sure that I would rate this one above average.