Beniaka
Coedo Brewery (Kyodo Shoji Koedo Brewery)
- From:
- Coedo Brewery (Kyodo Shoji Koedo Brewery)
- Japan
- Style:
- American Amber / Red Lager
Ranked #75 - ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- 79
Ranked #36,996 - Avg:
- 3.47 | pDev: 13.54%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 65
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 18, 2025
- Added:
- May 07, 2010
- Wants:
- 43
- Gots:
- 22
SCORE
79
Okay
79
Okay
Brewed with roasted Kintoki Sweet Potatoes from Saitama Japan. This imperial Amber is rich and smooth bodied in style, perfectly balanced with earthy hop bitterness. With the aroma of caramel, sweet potato and hops, Beniaka delivers on all senses.
Because of the use of sweet potato as a secondary ingredient, Japanese laws classify Coedo Beniaka as a Happoshu (malt beverage).
Because of the use of sweet potato as a secondary ingredient, Japanese laws classify Coedo Beniaka as a Happoshu (malt beverage).
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by FBarber:
Reviewed by FBarber from Illinois
3.42/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.42/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Pours a dirty brown color - cloudy and somewhat hazy. Thin tan head dissipates util there is about a quarter inch of velvety foam that lingers for some time. Solid head retention.
Aroma is interesting - there is some spice, bready malts, sweat potato, and some soapy vegetal hops. This is frankly unlike any beer I've ever smelled. Almost reminds me of an overly old spiced pumpkin ale ...
Taste has notes of bready malts initially - it tastes like a lager up front. You then get this spicy peppery note along with a sweet potato note and a bitter earthy finish.
Feel is light to medium bodied. The bitterness coats the mouth and leaves a lingering sensation in the back of the mouth. Mild to moderate carbonation.
Overall this is a truly unique beer - my first and only experience with Happoshu. This particular example is a solid beer - but would seem to me to be more of an acquired taste.
May 01, 2018Aroma is interesting - there is some spice, bready malts, sweat potato, and some soapy vegetal hops. This is frankly unlike any beer I've ever smelled. Almost reminds me of an overly old spiced pumpkin ale ...
Taste has notes of bready malts initially - it tastes like a lager up front. You then get this spicy peppery note along with a sweet potato note and a bitter earthy finish.
Feel is light to medium bodied. The bitterness coats the mouth and leaves a lingering sensation in the back of the mouth. Mild to moderate carbonation.
Overall this is a truly unique beer - my first and only experience with Happoshu. This particular example is a solid beer - but would seem to me to be more of an acquired taste.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan
3.4/5 rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.4/5 rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Sweet potato ale from Japan.
From a bottle.
This pours a light brown orange. Light aroma, with some sweet potato bites on the sip and a slightly bitter finish.
Nov 10, 2025From a bottle.
This pours a light brown orange. Light aroma, with some sweet potato bites on the sip and a slightly bitter finish.
Reviewed by kevanb from Illinois
3.5/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle, dated 10.23.23, poured into a stemless wine glass. Enjoyed on 09.02.2024, reviewed from Tasting Journal.
The beer pours a very dark amber color, copper and garnet hues, foamy off-white head with minimal retention and spotted lacing. The aroma is pleasant, roasted sweet potato, amber grain, caramel, earthy hop, brown sugar. The flavors are good, earthy hop, grassy and floral, rich roasted sweet potato, amber malt, caramel and brown sugar. The mouthfeel is fine, coating, lively medium, body, warm and dry finish.
Verdict: An interesting sweet potato beer. Rich, hearty, fairly smooth but fairly boozy and sweeter than I'd prefer.
Jul 28, 2025The beer pours a very dark amber color, copper and garnet hues, foamy off-white head with minimal retention and spotted lacing. The aroma is pleasant, roasted sweet potato, amber grain, caramel, earthy hop, brown sugar. The flavors are good, earthy hop, grassy and floral, rich roasted sweet potato, amber malt, caramel and brown sugar. The mouthfeel is fine, coating, lively medium, body, warm and dry finish.
Verdict: An interesting sweet potato beer. Rich, hearty, fairly smooth but fairly boozy and sweeter than I'd prefer.
Reviewed by DraftMonger from Denmark
3.28/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.28/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Copenhagen 17/10 2020. 33 cl bottle from many, Rotunen, Hellerup. The usual design for the the Coedo brand with the elegant geometrical logo. This time in red.
Pours unclear amber with a big off-white head. Settles as 0,3 cm thick layer of foam covering the surface of the beer. Substantial lacing.
Aroma is intense with a malty, sweet odor mingling with a strong spicy scent. Sweet caramel. Cooked vegetables with a hint of fermentation. Notes of lemongrass. A whiff of alcohol.
Light carbonation. Slightly thick, soft, smooth, lightly and gentle tingling.
Flavor is medium intense with a medium strong sweetness followed by a slightly stronger bitterness. Aftertaste is a bit bitter. Lingers for a bit. Finish is semi-dry.
Well-balanced vegetable beer where they are not overdoing the sweet potato-thing.
Apr 22, 2025Pours unclear amber with a big off-white head. Settles as 0,3 cm thick layer of foam covering the surface of the beer. Substantial lacing.
Aroma is intense with a malty, sweet odor mingling with a strong spicy scent. Sweet caramel. Cooked vegetables with a hint of fermentation. Notes of lemongrass. A whiff of alcohol.
Light carbonation. Slightly thick, soft, smooth, lightly and gentle tingling.
Flavor is medium intense with a medium strong sweetness followed by a slightly stronger bitterness. Aftertaste is a bit bitter. Lingers for a bit. Finish is semi-dry.
Well-balanced vegetable beer where they are not overdoing the sweet potato-thing.
Reviewed by Troy-Hawaii from Hawaii
3.75/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bought a single 11.26oz bottle Don Quijote $2.49
311 days old
Smells a little like red wine
Dark reddish brown color
Medium mouthfeel
Medium-light carbonation
Taste has some sweet potato qualities, a little sweet malt, hides alcohol well
Overall a fairly good beer.
Dec 30, 2024311 days old
Smells a little like red wine
Dark reddish brown color
Medium mouthfeel
Medium-light carbonation
Taste has some sweet potato qualities, a little sweet malt, hides alcohol well
Overall a fairly good beer.
Reviewed by AlfromPA from Colorado
4.25/5 rDev +22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
4.25/5 rDev +22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Excellent choice when waiting at Narita for the flight home. Reminiscent of a strong pumpkin beer, but also recalls the sweet potato flavor beloved by the Japanese.
Nov 11, 2024
Reviewed by mooseisloose from Florida
3.59/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5
Popping the top at sushi sake I get a lot of caramel waft. Pours to a deep root beer color. Taste is smooth and sweet but there is not a lot of body. A bit watery but the flavor makes up for it. For the great aroma I expected more but is a great brew to enjoy sushi and not get weighted down. Overall very quaffable.
Jun 21, 2023
Reviewed by heysuz from Indiana
3.5/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Brew: Coedo Brewery (Kyodo Shoji Koedo Brewery) – Beniaka
Intro: 12 oz. poured into a tulip glass. Shared with a friend
Appearance: Dark reddish brown in color. Minimal head, maybe 1 inch. Minimal lacing as we drank
Smell: Sweet. Not much else
Taste: Followed along with the smell. Not cloyingly sweet. Was expecting a heavy sweet potato taste but not so much. Was surprisingly balanced.
Mouthfeel: Medium mouthfeel, medium carbonation. Carbonation helps this beer a lot
Drink: A little goes a long way. Wouldn’t want to much of this one.
Conclusion: Happy to have tried the style but would not revisit. Oddly enough, this was my last needed style to try until BA added Lager – Festbier just the day before so this is style #113 for me.
Sep 15, 2021Intro: 12 oz. poured into a tulip glass. Shared with a friend
Appearance: Dark reddish brown in color. Minimal head, maybe 1 inch. Minimal lacing as we drank
Smell: Sweet. Not much else
Taste: Followed along with the smell. Not cloyingly sweet. Was expecting a heavy sweet potato taste but not so much. Was surprisingly balanced.
Mouthfeel: Medium mouthfeel, medium carbonation. Carbonation helps this beer a lot
Drink: A little goes a long way. Wouldn’t want to much of this one.
Conclusion: Happy to have tried the style but would not revisit. Oddly enough, this was my last needed style to try until BA added Lager – Festbier just the day before so this is style #113 for me.
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