Kikuchi Brewery -- Hitachino Nest White Ale

Kiuchi Brewery's Hitachino Nest White Ale is a, "refreshing mildly hopped Belgian styled beer with a complex flavor of coriander, orange peel, nutmeg."

5.5% ABV and 13 IBU

Review:

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden whitish color, much lighter than it appears above. The head was yellowish white and surprisingly small for a Witbier.

Aroma: Black pepper, orange blossom, honey, slight ginger smells. As it warms, it smells more and more like a ginger lei. 

Taste: Orange blossom water, coriander, pepper and lemon zest are all present. This is a great example of what a witbier should be.

Finish: light and clean with a spicy hop/spice note. 

(Side Note: Kiuchi Brewery started over 180 years ago as a sake brewery. They still make sake there, but they also make the entire line of Hitachino Nest beers. If you are in Japan, the website says that you can brew your own beer using their equipment and they will deliver it to your house. If I were in Japan, this is how I would start my new brewery!)

Overall:
The folks in Japan have made a wonderful Belgian style Witbier. This beer is fantastically refreshing. Sweet and spicy notes playfully swirl and mix into one beautiful beer creation. If I had one criticism of this beer it would be that they didn't do anything to to give it a Japanese flair... but it is still hard to blame them for wanting to make a textbook beer without any flaws.

Grade: Solid A!

Barrel Man says,
"Fights the scurvy!"

(This bottle purchased at Liquor Collection)

Kiuchi Brewery -- Hitachino Ginger Beer

Hitachino Real Ginger Brew is brewed with real ginger added in the brewkettle.

7.0% ABV

Review:

This hazy, toffee colored beer has little head and a very light carbonation. The aroma is slightly sweet with a spicy ginger aspect. Similarly, the taste is dominated by caramel malts and ginger flavors which combine to drown out the light grassy notes of the hops.

(Side Note: Hitachino lost quite a bit of their backstock in the big earthquake, but they have been brewing since, and the availability of their beers should be back to normal soon.)

Overall: 

This beer is quite nice, but I would only desire to drink one glass unless I was at an all- you-can-eat sushi dinner... then I could have a couple. If you are a big fan of Bundaberg ginger beer, you will probably like this. It is similar in a lot of ways, but has a little less bite. Personally, I would say that It is one of the best ginger beers I've ever tasted. It simply isn't as "beery" as I'd like, so I can't give it an A grade.

Grade: B

Barrel Man says,

"unique brew."

(Bottle Purchased at Liquor Collection)