Hitachino Nest XH

Brewed by Kiuchi Brewery
Style: Belgian Ale
Ibaraki, Japan

Amber with a frothy tan head. Nice aroma is sharp cedar wood and dry spices, with a musty sweet cantalope melon. Frothy foamy mouthfeel. Taste is mainly dry pungent wood sap with sake spices and herbs. Sweetens up a bit in the finish with the wood and dry sake essence lingering on. A nice everyday barrel aged brew here without the hype or bottle count.

Thanks to Dave at By The Bottle for this gem! Poured a dirty brown-amber body with a big explosive white top. Gritty nose with some oxidation in there. This beer has a lot going on with the tongue. Fruity citrus, sweet sake rice notes, boozy but mild, chocolate and malts ran rampant. Bitter dry fruits with a nice touch of wood. Great!

2008-04-04. Hazy ruddy brown body with a decent creamy beige head. (3+) Very interesting aroma, light musty notes, hints of wavering sweet lemon soaked wood, wood grows as it warms. (7+) Flavour is heave on the wood at first with a dry alcohol finish that I assume to be enhanced by the sake casks. First impress was not favourable, but as it warms and you progress through the glass it allows light fruit and the subtler nuances of the sake to gain prominence against the dominance of the wood. Minute sweet lemon candy glimpses. Smooth average plus palate. (3+) Grows on me, but I still can’t see myself drinking it in quantity. Bottle courtesy of Mabel’s Florida trip.

Bottle, shared with and courtesy of Jerc and Mabel. Interesting alcohol, wood, and citrus aroma. Whiskey like orange/brown, small white head, looks good. Taste is great! Sharp fruity malt mixed with sake like alcohol. Vanilla in the finish. Complex and tasty. I really liked it.

Orlando, Fl. - Knightly Spirits - 11.2 oz bottle. Murky dark orange pour, thin, spritzy white head. Aroma of Juicy Fruit gum, produce section of a grocery store. Flavor has a touch of ginger, some herbal tea, glimpses of citrus. Very organic and herbal tasting. Pick up a bit of the sake from the barrels that this was soaked in. Mouthfeel, thick enough. Overall, an odd brew - hard to put a handle on it.

Bottle. Pours a slightly hazy amber, with 1 finger that sticks around a bit. Nose is dry, funky, bit earthy, fruity. Taste is sour, peppery, with a woody finish. Interesting beer.

Hard to describe. A lot of different flavors and a sort of woody finish. I

Amber color beneath a dense off-white head. Aroma of Belgian yeast with some fruity esters and earthiness. Some light berry like notes right away, followed by a light bitterness. Finishes dry with wood accents. A lot of unique flavors going on that I can’t quite put my finger on.