Coedo Beniaka | Coedo Brewery (Kyodo Shoji Koedo Brewery)
Brewed by:
Coedo Brewery (Kyodo Shoji Koedo Brewery)
Japan
coedobrewery.com
Style: Happoshu
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.00%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
Imperial Sweet Potato Amber.
Because of the use of sweet potato as a secondary ingredient, Japanese laws classify Coedo Beniaka as a Happoshu (malt beverage).
Added by Westsidebuddha on 05-07-2010
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers
Ratings: 134 | Reviews: 53
3.44/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.29/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
"Beniaka." Imperial sweet potato amber. 7% ABV.
333ml brown glass bottle with sanguine label and Thai description purchased at the Beer Lab in Chiang Mai Thailand for 310 baht. Packaged 05.11.15.
Notes below are brief since I'm relegated to a phone review.
A: No head. Auburn body. No yeast is visible within.
Sm: Toasted amber malts give this a nice backbone that nods towards bread crust and Caramel. Hop character bends a bit herbal. I have to look for the sweet potato to notice it, but while I doubt I'd recognize sweet potato in a blind tasting, I do pick up on an uncommon sweetness; in any case, it really seems to work.
Aromatic intensity is average.
T: Has a raw sweetness I guess comes from sweet potato, but there's no way I'd guess that blind. Amber malts are at the core of this well-balanced brew. Marshmallow, brown sugar/pimoncello, caramel, bread crust, toast. A kiss of pumpkin.
No noticeable hop character here. No booziness or yeast character.
Nicely executed, though it lacks the depth of flavour and complexity I'd expect in any great imperial amber.
I do like it, even if there's ample room for improvement.
Mf: Smooth, medium-bodied, wet, well-carbonated, and of appropriate heft and weight on the palate.
O: Drinkable, especially for a sweet beer of 7% ABV. I'd get it again if offered at a better price. The raw sweetness imparted by the sweet potato helps set this one apart; it definitely has a different flavour profile than most imperial Ambers (which tend to go big on the hops). Interesting fare from a brewery I'd never heard of prior.
Low B- / WORTHY
1,598 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
"Beniaka." Imperial sweet potato amber. 7% ABV.
333ml brown glass bottle with sanguine label and Thai description purchased at the Beer Lab in Chiang Mai Thailand for 310 baht. Packaged 05.11.15.
Notes below are brief since I'm relegated to a phone review.
A: No head. Auburn body. No yeast is visible within.
Sm: Toasted amber malts give this a nice backbone that nods towards bread crust and Caramel. Hop character bends a bit herbal. I have to look for the sweet potato to notice it, but while I doubt I'd recognize sweet potato in a blind tasting, I do pick up on an uncommon sweetness; in any case, it really seems to work.
Aromatic intensity is average.
T: Has a raw sweetness I guess comes from sweet potato, but there's no way I'd guess that blind. Amber malts are at the core of this well-balanced brew. Marshmallow, brown sugar/pimoncello, caramel, bread crust, toast. A kiss of pumpkin.
No noticeable hop character here. No booziness or yeast character.
Nicely executed, though it lacks the depth of flavour and complexity I'd expect in any great imperial amber.
I do like it, even if there's ample room for improvement.
Mf: Smooth, medium-bodied, wet, well-carbonated, and of appropriate heft and weight on the palate.
O: Drinkable, especially for a sweet beer of 7% ABV. I'd get it again if offered at a better price. The raw sweetness imparted by the sweet potato helps set this one apart; it definitely has a different flavour profile than most imperial Ambers (which tend to go big on the hops). Interesting fare from a brewery I'd never heard of prior.
Low B- / WORTHY
1,598 characters
4.04/5 rDev +17.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
330ml bottle into 350ml beer glass. Bit of a head. No lacing.
Quite a nice nose on this - little bit of coffee I think and some brown sugar. A little bit of fruit coming through with the malts.
Palate is nice also - malty with some coffee and caramel. Nice.
Mouth is a little thin and fizzy.
Overall I really enjoyed this. I think I had a bit of a taste for red ales as I'd just drunk Brew Dog's 5am red ale when I drank this. I scored that one highly and this stood up pretty well.
486 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
330ml bottle into 350ml beer glass. Bit of a head. No lacing.
Quite a nice nose on this - little bit of coffee I think and some brown sugar. A little bit of fruit coming through with the malts.
Palate is nice also - malty with some coffee and caramel. Nice.
Mouth is a little thin and fizzy.
Overall I really enjoyed this. I think I had a bit of a taste for red ales as I'd just drunk Brew Dog's 5am red ale when I drank this. I scored that one highly and this stood up pretty well.
486 characters
3.43/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Deep amber colored brew with a pale white head, poured into a nonic ten ounce glass. 4.25
Smells quite a bit like sweet potato and it’s not unpleasant. Different. Kind of nice. Also has an odd yeasty presence that reminds me of my heavy-drinking days, is kind of pungent and acrid, and also kind of reminds me of vodka. It’s pretty much the way a lot of beers smelled before I’d tasted a great beer. 3
Sweet potato makes it to my taste buds and again, I’m pleasantly surprised. Also has a quality like sake. There’s got to be rice in here. It’s got the feel and the taste. And it’s kind of caramelly and bread sweet. Some floral notes are there in the mix too. It’s interesting and not bad at all. 3.5
Okay, I do have one beef. This thing feels hot and sake-like. Seriously, there’s a sake quality to this. The mouthfeel is a bit numbing almost. Beyond that it’s sweet, kind of sticky and finishes with a bitter dryness. 3.5
This ain’t bad at all. I’d drink it again.
995 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Deep amber colored brew with a pale white head, poured into a nonic ten ounce glass. 4.25
Smells quite a bit like sweet potato and it’s not unpleasant. Different. Kind of nice. Also has an odd yeasty presence that reminds me of my heavy-drinking days, is kind of pungent and acrid, and also kind of reminds me of vodka. It’s pretty much the way a lot of beers smelled before I’d tasted a great beer. 3
Sweet potato makes it to my taste buds and again, I’m pleasantly surprised. Also has a quality like sake. There’s got to be rice in here. It’s got the feel and the taste. And it’s kind of caramelly and bread sweet. Some floral notes are there in the mix too. It’s interesting and not bad at all. 3.5
Okay, I do have one beef. This thing feels hot and sake-like. Seriously, there’s a sake quality to this. The mouthfeel is a bit numbing almost. Beyond that it’s sweet, kind of sticky and finishes with a bitter dryness. 3.5
This ain’t bad at all. I’d drink it again.
995 characters
3.54/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
A: Moderately clean malt with a caramel like quality, with a moderately sweet aroma.
A: Light amber color, quite clear with a very thin white head that has adequate retention. Light lacing in the glass.
T: Moderate clean malt, with the sweet potato in the foreground. The beer is fairly sweet with moderate bitterness that slightly lingers.
M: Medium-light bodied with moderate carbonation. The beer has almost a soft mouth-feel and drinks super easy for being 7% ABV.
O: Alright; the aroma and flavor is reminiscent of an Amber lager with a bit more sweetness. Interesting idea to use the sweet potato to drive the light sweetness.
640 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
A: Moderately clean malt with a caramel like quality, with a moderately sweet aroma.
A: Light amber color, quite clear with a very thin white head that has adequate retention. Light lacing in the glass.
T: Moderate clean malt, with the sweet potato in the foreground. The beer is fairly sweet with moderate bitterness that slightly lingers.
M: Medium-light bodied with moderate carbonation. The beer has almost a soft mouth-feel and drinks super easy for being 7% ABV.
O: Alright; the aroma and flavor is reminiscent of an Amber lager with a bit more sweetness. Interesting idea to use the sweet potato to drive the light sweetness.
640 characters
3.34/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
2.88/5 rDev -16%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.25
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.25
3.85/5 rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.06/5 rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From bottle, pours a dark brown but when held to the light it has a reddish Amber to it, it has a small tan head that disapates quickly. Aroma caramel, sweet, potatoes. Taste caramel, toffee, sweet, earthy. Not to bad.
218 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From bottle, pours a dark brown but when held to the light it has a reddish Amber to it, it has a small tan head that disapates quickly. Aroma caramel, sweet, potatoes. Taste caramel, toffee, sweet, earthy. Not to bad.
218 characters
3.65/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.5/5 rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
2.29/5 rDev -33.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75
A deep, reddish amber lager with sweet potato at its focus. This is the first time I've poured a beer down the drain after expecting something excellent. I've had great Japanese beer, and this is not one of them.
I am about to make a statement that may sound rude or ignorant, but I promise I am not being bigoted when I say this: this beer reeks of soy sauce. In a very bad way. It smells terrible. It makes me sick thinking about the smell. I couldn't take it, and that's coming from someone who uses soy sauce/tamari a lot with food.
The taste wasn't something to write home about either. It looked great in a glass, though!
I don't think sweet potato lagers are for me.
676 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75
A deep, reddish amber lager with sweet potato at its focus. This is the first time I've poured a beer down the drain after expecting something excellent. I've had great Japanese beer, and this is not one of them.
I am about to make a statement that may sound rude or ignorant, but I promise I am not being bigoted when I say this: this beer reeks of soy sauce. In a very bad way. It smells terrible. It makes me sick thinking about the smell. I couldn't take it, and that's coming from someone who uses soy sauce/tamari a lot with food.
The taste wasn't something to write home about either. It looked great in a glass, though!
I don't think sweet potato lagers are for me.
676 characters
3.44/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.57/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a clear Carmel color with a thin white head. A sweet malty smell. A very smooth, lager like taste with a finish with, what I suppose is the sweet potato. Much better than I thought it was going to be.
209 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a clear Carmel color with a thin white head. A sweet malty smell. A very smooth, lager like taste with a finish with, what I suppose is the sweet potato. Much better than I thought it was going to be.
209 characters
3.52/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.29/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.85/5 rDev +12.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.23/5 rDev +23.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
While this is technically a happoshu, it really has nothing particular in common with any other happoshu. Happoshu is a tax bracket, not a beer style, and this site should probably reflect that.
It's a stretch to call this beer 'amber,' although I suppose if you've got 'imperial' in front of it then you could get away with it. But really it's brown. Thick, deep, mahogany brown with a camel-colored foam that doesn't really last. Smells delicious, though, with a cavalcade of 'roasty' aromas: sweet potatoes, chestnuts, pumpkin bread, and malted milk, along with some lovely dark fruit notes as well, namely blackcurrants and chocolate-covered cherries.
Tastes less sweet than it smells, although this is still decidedly malty, and actually reminds me of a really good bock. Flavors of chocolate, dried fig, blackcurrants, dark caramel, maple, and a hint of sherry all come tied up in a gorgeously smooth and rich (but not sickly) mouthfeel. Disappointingly, it doesn't have much of a sweet potato flavor – probably the malts are just getting in the way – but that's not such a big deal when the beer is so good anyway. Very tasty stuff. Possible food pairings: baba ganoush, horumon yaki, meatballs, foie gras, Alpine cheese.
1,234 characters
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
While this is technically a happoshu, it really has nothing particular in common with any other happoshu. Happoshu is a tax bracket, not a beer style, and this site should probably reflect that.
It's a stretch to call this beer 'amber,' although I suppose if you've got 'imperial' in front of it then you could get away with it. But really it's brown. Thick, deep, mahogany brown with a camel-colored foam that doesn't really last. Smells delicious, though, with a cavalcade of 'roasty' aromas: sweet potatoes, chestnuts, pumpkin bread, and malted milk, along with some lovely dark fruit notes as well, namely blackcurrants and chocolate-covered cherries.
Tastes less sweet than it smells, although this is still decidedly malty, and actually reminds me of a really good bock. Flavors of chocolate, dried fig, blackcurrants, dark caramel, maple, and a hint of sherry all come tied up in a gorgeously smooth and rich (but not sickly) mouthfeel. Disappointingly, it doesn't have much of a sweet potato flavor – probably the malts are just getting in the way – but that's not such a big deal when the beer is so good anyway. Very tasty stuff. Possible food pairings: baba ganoush, horumon yaki, meatballs, foie gras, Alpine cheese.
1,234 characters
3.26/5 rDev -5%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.25
Pours a dark brown red. Below normal head volume with little retention or lacing.
The nose is rather nice, sweet potato, molasses, light caramel and maybe other vegetables or fruit.
Light body with a texture a bit heavier than water. Below normal carbonation with just a bit of effervescence in the finish.
The flavor is unique, but not bad if you like sweet potatoes. Sweet potato becomes the base with a bit of hop bitterness arriving in the middle. As it progresses, the sweetness takes on a molasses note with a hint of caramel.
539 characters
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.25
Pours a dark brown red. Below normal head volume with little retention or lacing.
The nose is rather nice, sweet potato, molasses, light caramel and maybe other vegetables or fruit.
Light body with a texture a bit heavier than water. Below normal carbonation with just a bit of effervescence in the finish.
The flavor is unique, but not bad if you like sweet potatoes. Sweet potato becomes the base with a bit of hop bitterness arriving in the middle. As it progresses, the sweetness takes on a molasses note with a hint of caramel.
539 characters
Coedo Beniaka from Coedo Brewery (Kyodo Shoji Koedo Brewery)
Beer rating:
3.43 out of
5 with
134 ratings
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