Ibushi
Godspeed Brewery

Poured a 355ml can into a pilsner glass. A two finger off white head on a hazy dark amber. Good head retention. The head diminishes to a layer. Some patchy lacing.

Slightly smokey malts in the nose.

The taste follows the nose. The smoke diminishes towards the end of the glass. A very slight hop finish.

Moderate body and good carbonation.

Very smooth and well melded. A lightly smoked lager beer.

Can from local bottle shop - pours a pale lightly hazed gold with a small white cap...aromas of smoked birch, mustiness and bread - pleasnt sipping lager with the smoked malts in tow, bright peppery character with smoke and malt in balance the Saaz hopping shows up in the dry finish.....so much better than having your palate assaulted with smoke like the Schlenkerla Rauchbiers

 

355ml can poured into glass.

This pours a deep gold, with just a hint of cloudiness that keeps it from being crystal clear. You can immediately see the liveliness of the carbonation as it forms a fluffy head.

On the nose, it's dominantly smoke, along with a salinity that's really interesting.

Tasting it, you immediately get the smoke on the first sip, but it's not harsh, and starts to harmonize more with further sampling. After that, it's lightly sweet and then takes a left turn into grape soda. There's a good acidity level that provides some brightness without being obvious. The hop character is lighter than other pilsners, leaning more citrus than spicy pepper. The finish is characteristically clean.

This is a medium-bodied beer, helped by a healthy amount of active carbonation that gives it a nice lift to the mouthfeel. After the clean finish, an earthy bitterness lingers on and on.

I don't like most smoked beers (or scotches, for that matter) and I was concerned about this one when I smelled it and got smacked in the nose with campfire. But I'm always open to having my mind changed, and I'll say this one might have me reconsidering.

Deep gold/light amber body, hazy; airy white head with decent retention.
Aroma is balanced grainy malts and fruity esters, maybe a lighter note of hops - citrus and spice; interesting for a lager; whisper of sulfur.
Taste is an intriguing balance of lightly sweet caramel malt and pithy bitter hops, the latter more pronounced in the finish; with additional sips, the flavours blend and mesh nicely, and would call the hops more resinous and spicy in flavour; subtle sulfur persists; medium body and carbonation; crisp and refreshing with a dry finish; very clean and pure.

Super balance of flavours, refreshing and tasty, yet refined and simple. A classy, sophisticated lager.

 

smoked porter. on tap at the source. idea works well. more of a smoked than a pils.refreshing. much smoke though not overpowering. will make a good can.