Beniaka
Coedo Brewery (Kyodo Shoji Koedo Brewery)

BeniakaBeniaka
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From:
Coedo Brewery (Kyodo Shoji Koedo Brewery)
 
Japan
Style:
American Amber / Red Lager
Ranked #75
ABV:
7%
Score:
79
Ranked #36,983
Avg:
3.47 | pDev: 13.54%
Ratings:
161 | reviews: 65
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 18, 2025
Added:
May 07, 2010
Wants:
  43
Gots:
  22
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).
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Ratings by robotic_being:
Photo of robotic_being
Rated by robotic_being from Illinois

3.79/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Apr 04, 2021
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.61 by Walnut from Singapore

Dec 18, 2025
 
Rated: 2.7 by ronniebruner from Arizona

Dec 10, 2025
Photo of elNopalero
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
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, 2025
Photo of kevanb
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
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, 2025
Photo of DraftMonger
Reviewed by DraftMonger from Denmark

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, 2025
 
Rated: 3.75 by Jard0 from California

Jan 21, 2025
Photo of Troy-Hawaii
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
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, 2024
Photo of AlfromPA
Reviewed by AlfromPA from Colorado

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
 
Rated: 3.71 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Oct 15, 2024
 
Rated: 4.25 by paulish from New York

Jun 29, 2024
 
Rated: 3.77 by Jsalz21 from New Jersey

Jan 01, 2024
 
Rated: 4.12 by The_Kriek_Freak from Greenland

Nov 05, 2023
 
Rated: 3.29 by not2quick from Missouri

Sep 16, 2023
Photo of mooseisloose
Reviewed by mooseisloose from Florida

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
 
Rated: 3.75 by IRONRakkasan from California

Feb 25, 2023
 
Rated: 3.5 by brittanylicious from Indiana

Sep 15, 2021
Photo of heysuz
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
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, 2021
 
Rated: 3.85 by Nunya from Ohio

Feb 16, 2020
Photo of GreesyFizeek
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

3.94/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
First Happoshu, whatever that means.

This one pours a slightly murky brown color, with a small white head, and lots of lacing.

I don’t know what a happoshu is supposed to taste like. But this kinda feels pumpkin-ale-ish, with a fleshy sweet potato sweetness, some floral type character, and a bit of breadiness.

This is creamy, and pretty drinkable, with a slightly slick finish.

I didn’t know what to expect with this, and I also don’t know what to expect if I have another happoshu in my life. Aside from all that it was pretty tasty.
Feb 15, 2020