Aooni
Yo-Ho Brewing Company

AooniAooni
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From:
Yo-Ho Brewing Company
 
Japan
Style:
American IPA
Ranked #3,396
ABV:
7%
Score:
81
Ranked #25,858
Avg:
3.54 | pDev: 14.97%
Reviews:
71
Ratings:
205
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 21, 2023
Added:
Feb 11, 2009
Wants:
  7
Gots:
  40
Aooni ("Blue Demon") is a byword for Japanese IPA. Its strong bitterness may raise your eyebrows first, but it'll soon put a smile on your face! Once you taste Aooni, there is no escape.

60 IBU
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Ratings by flagmantho:
Photo of flagmantho
Reviewed by flagmantho from Washington

3.19/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Poured from 350mL can into a pint glass.

Appearance: hazy orange hue with a nice effervescence and a finger of pillowy ivory foam. Head has a nice tenacity; I like it.

Smell: kind of a sourish aroma, and not in a particularly good way. There's some malt in there and a dash of hops; citrusy, maybe, but hard to tell with that harsh sourish character in there.

Taste: nice malty backbone which is a bit on the sweet side. Hops are earthy and maybe a bit citrusy, and bitterness is relatively low. A bit of that weird sourness is in there, but nothing like in the aroma. Separating the flavor from the smell, it's not too bad.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a decent level of carbonation and creaminess.

Overall: that smell is so bizarre; it doesn't seem to pervade the flavor, but it is off-putting nonetheless. A decent IPA, but not one that I would go back to.
Mar 26, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.4/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
12oz can from John's. Clear amber pour, one finger fluffy cream colored head. Musty, malty aroma. Taste is malt forward, caramel, not very sweet with some latent bitterness.
Dec 21, 2023
Photo of Tom_7
Reviewed by Tom_7 from California

3.69/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Poured a darkish (for an IPA) amber, with the fast-fading head you expect from the style (see Pliny). Comes off like a Bell’s 2-Hearted Ale tribute. Not my favorite style, which is why I didn’t go higher on the numbers. Overall, a really well-executed beer, and a breath of fresh air when visiting Tokyo from California.
Aug 28, 2023
 
Rated: 3.74 by benjaminsa from Vermont

Aug 14, 2023
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.56/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
May 2014: 350 ml can, ABV 7%, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Golden colour, moderate white head. Fairly moderate aroma for an IPA, some fruity and piney hops, a hint of caramel. The flavour however is distinctly hoppy, with a solid bitterness from start to finish. Grapefruity and piney notes. Some malty sweetness, but not too much. The amount of bittering hops seems just right, but they could have added the aroma hops more liberally.
Jul 21, 2023
 
Rated: 3.93 by DownyIsHungry from Minnesota

May 24, 2023
 
Rated: 3.17 by Duff27 from Illinois

Jan 14, 2023
Photo of AlfromPA
Reviewed by AlfromPA from Colorado

4/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A good, consistent American style IPA (made with American hops) that is widely available in Japan, with consistent quality and very reasonable price (280 yen in the supermarket; about $2). A good choice--like the other Yo-Ho beers--if you're in Japan and just want a decent IPA (or Porter, Belgian Wit Beer, etc.). My only beef: six packs of Yo-Ho beers (or other so-called "craft" beers) are not generally available in supermarkets, for some reason--only single cans.
Nov 28, 2022
 
Rated: 3.5 by warpedrevolution from Illinois

Oct 01, 2022
Photo of Captain69
Rated by Captain69 from Illinois

3.59/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
nice hoppy beer from Japan, hop taste thru the whole drink hoppy after taste
Jul 10, 2021
Photo of CaryLewis9961345
Rated by CaryLewis9961345 from Japan

4.1/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Just a solid IPA. Excellent. Really excellent with a great hop taste that doesn't overwhelm. Highly recommend.
Jan 07, 2021
Photo of VABA
Reviewed by VABA from Virginia

4/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a nice light amber color with a nice head and lacing
Aroma has citrus and piney hints
The taste follows the nose with citrus and piney flavors
A medium bodied well carbonated beer
A good IPA
Oct 04, 2020
 
Rated: 3.88 by The_Kriek_Freak from Pennsylvania

Sep 26, 2020
Photo of biiru_ojisan
Reviewed by biiru_ojisan from Japan

4.1/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a crystal clear gold with a slightly off white creamy head.

Aroma is oranges, pine, caramel, digestive biscuits, and a touch of dankness.

Flavor is oranges, caramel, pine, graham cracker, and a nice dank aftertaste. A little bit bitter, but balanced a little more to the sweet side, in keeping with local tastes.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate-high carbonation. Alcohol warmth is present only if you're looking for it.

Overall, a solid, by the books, no frills IPA. It's affordable for Japanese "craft" (I believe Yo-Ho Brewing is owned by Kirin, so it's not really craft. You take what you can get over here) so if you're living here or visiting (in a post-Covid world), it's worth getting a can. Available pretty much everywhere.
Aug 07, 2020
 
Rated: 3.63 by jakecattleco from California

Mar 21, 2020
 
Rated: 3.44 by jykleo from New York

Jan 01, 2020
 
Rated: 3.87 by Boone757 from Virginia

Jul 26, 2019
 
Rated: 3.96 by masa0924 from Japan

Jun 08, 2019
 
Rated: 3.74 by heymikew from California

Apr 22, 2019
 
Rated: 3.44 by Simon212 from Canada (ON)

Apr 11, 2019
Aooni from Yo-Ho Brewing Company
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 205 ratings