Yebisu Kohaku
Sapporo Breweries Ltd.

Rather simple beer. A copper color with an off white head with nice lacing. Noses simple and nothing to label. Kind of a caramel flavor on the taste. Mild bitterness.

 

Gotta start with saying that I LOVE American Amber, maybe even more than IPAs so excuse my rant but I feel it’s justified. Okay, okay, okay, would LOVE to give this the benefit of the doubt but there’s always a BUT.
Because even though this is an amber, a red ale or an American Amber, it is a far cry, period. Yeah, looks red but the aroma? That trademark, punchy, hoppy aroma of REAL red ales, is nowhere to be found. Nada. And the flavor? It is like you had a finger left at the bottom of the shaker and you refilled it with water - there’s a reminiscence, though faint, the less is watery. And it doesn’t really get better with time. Although I usually appreciate Sapporo ot Yebisu, this is so much off my list. Sorry. I might agree that it’s better than your average Japanese brew but still. And where’s the Premium?

Poured from a tall-boy can purchased from the refrigerator case at a Family Mart in Tokyo. Finger-thick head dissipates quickly, leaving no lace behind. Color is a clear, reddish amber. Malty aroma is offset by a slightly acrid whiff just out of the can.

Taste is malt upfront with a bitter hop finish. Light-medium body. For a Japanese beer it's not bad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poured from 16oz can with canning date of SEP16 into standard pint glass.

L: Lighter Amber color, finger width off white head recedes into thin layer. Good lacing.

S: Very subdued smell, mild malts and hops. Hard to identify hop character.

T: Smooth malt, eases into slight hoppy bitterness. Quite tasty.

F: Light-Medium Body, easy on the palate.

O: Not what I usually like in an Amber/Red but not too shabby.

 

Poured from tap into pub glass. Has a thick head with an amber color. Has a thick head with excellent retention. Malty smell. Rich taste that's quite hoppy. I especially enjoy the feel, it's creamy with light carbonation - quite a pleasant experience.

Very macro brew tasting. Disappointed considering I like their lighter brew.

 

 

The aroma initially gives off the sour, skunky quality typical of Japanese macrobrews; there is also some spiciness, caramel; a touch of woodsy hoppiness comes through over time. The off-white head diminishes to a film that sticks around; the body is a brilliantly clear copper/deep amber. The flavor is quite malty with a good amount of bitterness—tastes more like an English pale than an American amber; the hop flavor is extremely low but seems to have a fruity character; the very sweet caramel finish leaves an aftertaste like having eaten whole malted barley. Medium body; soft and somewhat frothy carbonation.

I don't mind Yebisu too much in general, but like other big Japanese brands, they seem to have an issue with that sour, skunky aroma. Thankfully in this case, however, it doesn't persist for long after pouring. Overall, this one is pleasantly smooth and drinkable, quite sweet with a bit of spiciness and bitterness to round it out. While the aroma is not especially impressive, nor the flavor especially complex, I must say that—all things considered—I'm fairly impressed.