Well, I’m back at it today and for this review I’m going to be trying the Hitachino Nest White Ale produced by the Kiuchi Brewery located in Ibaraki-ken Naka-gun, Japan.
I haven’t had the opportunity to try many beers from Japan and I have never tried one from Hitachino, however I’ve heard some real nice things, so I’m looking forward to this one.
I had a problem with getting connected to the brewers website, so, like always, I checked on ratebeer.com for some info.
Hitachino Nest White Ale is brewed in the tradition of a Belgian style white beer with coriander, nutmeg, orange peel and orange juice. Malts: Lager, Wheat Hops: Perle, Styrian Golding Adjuncts: Flaked Wheat, Flaked Barley, Coriander, Nutmeg, Orange peel, Orange Juice Original Gravity: 1.06
Ok. Let’s try it.
This brew has an ABV of 5.0% and it comes in an 11.2 oz. bottle.
This one poured a very cloudy, yellow to orange color with a bright white head. It was sized nicely, very fluffy, soapy and soft. The retention time was quite good and the lacing looked pretty good too. Not a bad aesthetic appeal with it at all.
The nose brought out a very forthcoming scent of spice. Mostly coriander and ginger. It was about as much or more as any of this style that I’ve ever encountered. Some fruity orange citrus tried to combat the spice, but it had a hard time doing so. It also smelled of dried crackers and wafers. It almost smelled salty. Honestly, it kept me interested throughout the entire drink though.
The taste was very similar. Tons of spice. Coriander, ginger and a touch of white peppercorns. Bountiful amounts of bread and cracker malt. Some of that orange citrus made an appearance again, but it was very light for the most part in my opinion. Again, more salty than sweet.
The mouthfeel was medium bodied. Very dry, but crisp, refreshing and thirst quenching. A slight spice bite and warmth was felt with the initial swallow, but it quickly dissipated. The carbonation wasn’t as bold as I thought it might be, although it was still sturdy enough for a good showing. Only an average amount of flavor was left behind after each sip.
Well, I think this is a nice beer for sure. It’s definitely worth a try. It doesn’t quite resemble a traditional White Ale due to the heavier than normal spice and relaxed fruit, but I could easily see the similarities. This one was just a little different (in a good way none-the-less). It’s easily the best Japanese beer that I’ve tried thus far and I would have no trouble at all trying it again. The drinkability was good even with the somewhat salty profile. I would love to hear what you guys think if you have tried the Hitachino Nest White Ale. Be sure to leave a comment if you wish.
Thanks for checking back for another review. I really appreciate it.
Until next time. Cheers.
Score: 3.8 out of 5
Grade: B+
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