Helios Goya Dry
Helios Distillery Co., Ltd.

We bought this at an Okinawan fair. Great that they sold some ratities but for darn expensive. At the same time this happoshu didn’t quite live up to those expectations...
I was expecting more goya, more bitterness but it was a but thin and had a strange overtone to it. What I appreciated at the same time is a slight funk in the aroma. Otherwise an easily forgettable one.

 

 

 

Pretty yummy. A tiny bit watery, but nicely bitter, and a friendly satisfying sort of bitterness (I don't know if this is actually from the goya, or from hops, but it tastes good anyway), with a nice vegital sweetness. No strong hop character that I could detect, despite the bitterness. A nice lingering tart aftertaste. This has some of the character I like about Saisons.

It's not incredibly unusual for Japanese beers, but it's very drinkable, with everything well balanced and spot on for a satisfying summer afternoon beer.

Poured from a bright yellow and white can. The appearence matches said can; couple fingers of the white stuff on top of a filtered yellow body. On the nose there is a faint tin smell and a grip of jalepeno-like green pepper. Wow, if you have ever had a Billy's Chilis or another garden pepper variant beer then this tastes almost identical, sans the heat on the tongue. The palate is bitter and dry, green pepper dominates with a subtle sweetness in the back end. Light bodied with copious bubbly and a dry mouth afterwords.

Overall I'm excited to say this beer has character as well as it tastes just like the Okinawan vegetable on the can. Is it good, maybe, was it worth a try, absolutely.

 

Pours a clear light golden color with a white head. Nose is fruity with quite a bit of melon. Some sweet malt and rice notes, maybe a light citrus zest and vegetable aroma. The flavor is fruity and slightly sweet with a bitter finish. Definitely a strong rice flavor and somewhat dry. A little disappointing.

Appearance: Clear straw-colored body with a soft, small, sticky white head that retains fairly well.

Smell: Weak macro/happoshu malt/hop combo is totally redeemed by an eyebrow-raisingly unique aroma of goya. The best I can do to describe it is probably a combination of grapefruit, yellow squash, and cucumber. Very intriguing.

Taste: Really unusual and tasty, with a fresh, grainy malt base balanced by citric/floral hops and the distinct bitter, slightly grassy edge of goya. Well-rounded and refreshing, yet savorable and complex.

Mouthfeel: Light and crisp (but not fizzy) with zippy carbonation to match the zesty goya.

Drinkability: Few beers this light on the palate are this interesting and tasty, making this exceptionally drinkable. I need to get my ass to Okinawa.

Brewed with a bitter gourd used in many Okinawan dishes, goya.

A - Clear yellow body with small white head, excellent lacing.
S - Light floral aroma.
T - Medium grainy/hay-like flavors, slightly sweet with big dry bittterness on the finish (obviously from the goya).
M - Light refreshing body.
D - Surprisingly good, easy drinking. I thought this would be a gimmicky beer, but instead its a great beer.