Matsumoto
Epic Brewing Company

this is outstanding, a clean and brisk rice lager thats fresh and easy, packs plenty of rice character for being a sort of minimalist thing, and all the details are well taken care of, clear and polished, very high carbonation, dry as a bone, this is lager for beer drinking season, thats for sure, impressive effort from a brewery that has been losing a little bit of favor with me after the baptist series has taken a turn for the forced and cheap. real light looking this one, fizzy big bubble head a couple inches high and only slow fading, love the life this has. the nose is bright and fresh, a little floral thing appreciable, probably from the rice, some hops in play without taking over or bring bitter, herbal and with hints of white tea and chamomile to me, there is no toasted character, no sweetness, and no starchy heft, this is delicate and subtle. the flavor is similar, light and tight, the lager yeast more evident here than in the aroma, tidy but its there, nice with the rice, and as it warms it comes out even more, slightly doughy without being raw, enhancing the minerality of this, not running over the rice, which makes a nice contribution to the flavor. the hops are there but mild, and this is effortless and refreshing, intentional, and one of the rice lagers where the rice is actually front and center, its weird how less common that is than it seems like it would be. anyway, real nice one from these guys here, perfect for high summer.