25-Apr-08 (350-ml bottle: Free sample bottle for stewarding the 2008 World Beer Cup in San Diego, CA) Entered into the Dusseldorf-style Altbier category, and it fits well enough to justify its entry. The malts are toasty, very mildly sweet, caramely and a little woody. Hops are lighter, offering a bit of earth, flowers and mild bitterness in the entry and evolution, but the hops subside, leaving the earthy and toasty malts to finish each sip. As the beer warms, a hint of smokiness begins to emerge. The nose is toasty and caramely with a perfumy and earthy hop aroma and slight toffee notes for some reason. The beer is medium in body and carbonation, quite dry on the palate, and somewhat crisp each time the beer is sipped. However, since the hops tend to drop off the table, the beer lacks crispness in the finish. Ruddy-amber in color with modest haze from sediment that gradually settles to the bottom of the glass. The half-inch off-white head settles to a filmy layer and thin ring. Decent, but not a beer that grabs me.

Bottle: Copper color, light white head and lacing. The nose is light, some caramel notes in the distance, with a very similar malty flavor and a bit of hops. The flavor is malty, some husk and chewy caramel, some bright hop bitterness and light metallic notes. The finish is chewy, some light malts, but overall a thin and lacking in body as the first one, since with the added color you’d expect a bit more....something.

Bottle: Acquired from Ted who hauled this back from Okinawa. Poured light brown with a touch of orange. Light fluffy beige head. Light hop aroma. Mild bitter finish. Decent but I prefer the soft.

A dark Amber color, slightly hazy with a thin beige head. Sweet malts, caramel, slightly fruity in the nose. A bitter hoppy start with flowery sweetness in the middle, a crisp but mildly bitter follow. Quite tasty! I look forward to my next trip to Okinawa!