Hitachino Nest XH

Brewed by Kiuchi Brewery
Style: Belgian Ale
Ibaraki, Japan

This rating relates to all batches OTHER than XH.8.11, xh.8.11 is a bad batch and should be destroyed.

Murky orangish-brown color w/ thin, somewhat lacey head. Sweet candyish nose, with floating waves of fruit and creeping sour woodiness. Big wood flavors abound with nice wood-borne microorganism tartness. It feels but does not taste like it has more alcohol than it does. There’s sweet maltiness behind the flavors..it actually tastes quite similar to one of my favorite beers "Burton Bridge Old Expensive" at least the good bottles of that beer. This beer, however, is <almost> ALWAYS superb. <almost>ALWAYS. There’s some solid bitterness keeping the fort up and some desirable nut-skin like astringency. another gem from asia’s best brewery.
re-rate: That’s it, this beer is beautiful and it replaces what Old Expensive used to be like for me, except its readily available and more expensive. re-rate again: this is now my default beer and at over $5 for a 12 oz bottle, thats a problem. financially.

This beer was recommended by a real nice fellow whose name I can’t remember. He worked at a place called Dutch’s in Hyde Park, an amazing little outdoor booth that had a huge selection of rare beers. I was in for a treat. As soon as I got home, I poured this beautiful little Japanese gem into a goblet, which produced an extremely foamy mountainous head that filled nearly 3/4 of the glass. This sat atop a hazyish copper, burnt sienna, malty looking body. The smell is out of this world, completely unique from any other beer I’ve experienced. There is an instant aroma of violets, roses and chamomile. Fresh and earthy, I closed my eyes, and was instantly transported to a sunny, peaceful Japanese garden; swimming with the aromas of cherry blossoms and shady magnolia trees. My mouth is filled at first with a soft, juicy taste of dragonfruit, ripe, dark cherries, and a slightly medicinal and very herbal sharpness. This is followed by a tannic, pungent oakiness, and the nutty, semi-sweet but drying taste of a warm, delicate sake. There is a rich, pleasant maltiness, and no noticeable hops. The finish is long, winey, and rich, and the sake really makes it’s big appearance in the aftertaste, leaving hints of magnolia flowers, rice, and warm alcohol on the palate. As the XH warms, it begins to take on a sourish funkiness very remniscent of a fruit lambic. Amazing. This is definitely a one-of-a-kind beer, and a sensual, charming experience that satisfied every sense thoroughly.

Pours a hazy nice bright orange-ish red color with an enormous head. The aroma has lots of pineapple with a mild funk with some good spicy hops and tons of floral notes. The flavor is dry, floral, fruity, and funky, with some nice hop bitterness, some alcohol, some apple, and a hint of cherry. Absolutely stunning. The palate is perfectly champagne like, not smooth so the glass lasts a while, but not heavy so it almost dares you to have another. This stuff is exceptional.

Aroma and finish that of flowers. Sake Barrel conditioning quite evident and welcome. Tastes fruity and floral. Tried on draft during Saturnalia at Rich-O’s Public House in New Albany, IN.

Hazy, caramel brown with big, foamy beige head / Interesting green apple and medicinal nose / Light to medium body, acidic, with good finish / Very funky flavors of green apple, caramel, gingko, and brett / Some good things happening in Japan.

Bottle from State Line. Pours turbid ruddy muddy deep brown with 3-fingers or so of tan head. Aroma is oaky bourbon, malt, tart cherries, brown sugar. The palate is rich, the beer isw extremely complex, throwing tons of flavoirs at you including tart cherries, oaky peaty bourbon, malt, and mild Bartlett pear and apple notes. This is barrel aging done correctly, and Hitachino continues to impress me greatly with their unique and ballsy styles, which more often than not hit the mark.

Pours a orange hue with a nice light head. Aromas of a gueuze, apricots, light hops. Mouth feel is medium bodied with a light creaminess. Definitely some brett/funk action but not overpowering. Maybe subdued due to the oak aging, which isn’t over powering either. Flavors are amazing. For a 7% brew, the flavors are strong, while the alcohol hides. Flavors of apricots, plums, a hint of sake, creamy lambic, and cider. WOW!!!!

bottled, in japan. hazy light brown with a lingering beige head. massive aroma of nutmeg with some coriander and clove, warming rummy quality with lots of earthy spicy dubbel flavours, especially nutmeg, blood, toffee, traces of burnt hay and a slight suggestion of sake in the aftertaste. a really complex and extremely delicious beer, which i’m surprised to see hasn’t been rated higher