Nikko Dark Beer
Nikko Brewing

Pours a cola colour with very small bead up the middle. Very little head, little bit of lacing. Not special, unless you mean it in the sense of 'special needs'.

Has a roasted aroma with a slight smoked meat character. But not enough to make this delicious. Cos it ain't. It's not interesting.

Sour, weak coffee flavour to most of the palate. A bit of a cocoa-y finish but arrives early, because the palate is short. Mouthfeel is not great, very thin for a dark.

There's not really much to that, a simple, slightly sour palate and disappointment in a glass otherwise. Or at least it would be if I expected anything from it.

Amber clear body, quite dark - it looks the same hue and consistency as bourbon and coke. Fine bubbled head of light almost-white foam. OK.

Thin ricey aroma, a little dark malt, but not a lot. Mostly, the aroma is seltzer water. Quite similar to their light beer, all said and done.

Very light on the palate with a frothy mouthfeel. Not a lot of flavour, but there's a pleasant dark bitterness on the back. Too fizzy though; it feels bloating.

Is there such a thing as a dark Japanese Rice Lager? Probably, but all the examples I've seen have been thin, sweet interpretations of a pale lager. This is certainly a thin, and lifeless interpretation of a dark lager. Not a great beer, but at least it's not undrinkable.