Kirin’s newest and most ambitious “chilled beer.” An ale with 4 malts, including both wheat and barley, and cascade hops. Deep copper / orange color with a medium to tall white head. Reasonably fragrant aroma of fruit, hops, malt. Can’t tell if there is wheat in there too??? Rather rich malt taste, caramel, fruit, some darkish fruits as well. Medium to better hop bitterness, as well as a dab of hops aroma—could use a bit more of that, can’t really tell it’s Cascade in there. Relatively well-balanced and definitely hoppy for a mainstream beer. Probably based on their grand ale but with much better malt and complexity. Good, worth drinking, though not really a craft beer—and not all that special, but near the top of what the majors make.

This is the big Japan brewery trying to reach the drinker of fine microbrews and they do a pretty good job of almost getting there...key word being "almost." First of all, the beer looks and smells great. A deep reddish burnt orange hue topped with an impressive thick foamy tan head that lasted throughout the duration of the drink (nice lacing to boot). Taste of bitter hops, caramel, somewhat spicy and bold. Finish was not as memorable, but overall, A for effort.

Pours a very cloudy orange with a thin head and with good retention. Aroma is sweet with a light hint of orange. Tastes hoppier and maltier than I would have expected, nice body, decent carb. Still a lager. Rich taste! Heheh.

bottle with one of those old pull-off tops like coopers sparkling used to have. surprising pine aroma, hints of orange rind and some chewy bitterness, a pretty good premium lager

The bottle said it was unfiltered, which turned me on straight away. Lived up to the description with a murky orange pour. There was visible sediment in the bottle; unheard of in these parts, I was about to bust a load at that. Kept myself calm as japanese beers tend to disappointment on the taste. To my great surprise this little number turned out to be a right ole ninja. Came in waving its katana and sliced up orange and tangerine rinds for the initial taste. The fact that it was unfiltered gave it a sweaty sock aroma, but one of your own that you’d enjoy the smell off. Probably my all time favourite marcobeer in Japan. Okay too many pros so I’ll say that it was still had an underlying cheapness (mass produced) quality to it. But Druncan can rest assured this will be in my pack of oriental goodies.