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Notes on beers brewed by

Kiuchi Brewery
Hitachino Nest White Ale (Wit)

Hitachino Nest
White Ale (Wit)

12oz pour. JK O'Donnell's, Fort Wayne, IN. $9.00 for the privilege! Back in the mid 00s I drank a few of these, but odd to see that there are no reviews of the Wit here. OK, let’s put that right. The beer sits as a cloudy gold with small head and a little lace. Nose is mostly a non-descript grain. The beer offers a kind of weird smokiness that is hard to place. I don’t remember this from 15+ years ago, but I suppose that’s hardly surprising. It’s very light in the mouth, but the smoky element...

Hitachino Nipponia

Hitachino Nipponia

550mL bottle from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. Not sure what to expect here, but what I do know is that it is brewed with the Sorachi Ace hop and the "Ancient" Kaneko Barley. Having not especially enjoyed Brooklyn's Sorachi rendition, I get a bit nervous about this beer. Pour is a slightly hazed, golden body with limited head, retention and lace. Nose and tastes give an awkward combo for me. There is a yeasty, light funk in the nose which promises much. It appears from the aroma that the beer...

Hitachino Nipponia

Commemorative Ale

$4.49, 12oz stubbie from Arbor Place Beverage, Douglasville, GA, USA. Part of the relatively recent influx of craft beer after the new ownership at Arbor Place. Insane carbonation - off the charts for most beers, but for the style uterly ridiculous. Completely opaque, murky orange body. Head is HUGE and nosiy with te carbonation being so high. No lace speaks to the lack of substance in the head. Nose is an extraordinary yeast, funky bomb - not unpleasant but very obvious. Very sweet with some...

Hitachino Nipponia

Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale

11.2oz bottle labeled as 7% ABV rather than the 8.5% listed in the beeradvocate database. Orange/Red pour with very little sustainable head or lace. Hazy appearance. Slightly acidic, apple based taste. Quite a high carbonation and not really in tune with the style as listed on BA. Light fruits but not much there. Slight floral nature. Some mild tangy, sour character. I'm really not sure what this is, or what it supposed to be. Either way it's largely forgettable for me.

Hitachino Nipponia

Hitachino Nest Celebration Ale

Well this is a very odd beast. Bought as a single stubbie from Green's, Ponce de Leon, Atlanta, GA, USA. Pours like an American strong ale - reminiscent of a Double Bastard. Hazed amber body with a dense, light coffee colored head and some decent lacing. Aroma and tastes are ethanal (apple) infected. Alcohol is evident but the apple funk is very off putting. No spice of any description and if you are expecting a WW of some description you'll be disappointed. Maybe a bad bottle, but I know for...

Hitachino Nipponia

Hitachino Nest Weizen

Small, stubbie 12 oz bottle. $4.99 (poor value) Beverage Resort, Kennesaw, GA, USA. Pour is good looking with a small but dense head on top of a dark orange cloudy body. Aromas all all scrumpy cider and that's the taste too. My guess is that this is infected, but there is no date on the bottle so it's difficult to tell how long this has been hanging around. I am assuming that this Hefe is not supposed to taste like that but I'm not sure.