Koshihikari Echigo Beer | Uehara Shuzou Co. Ltd. / Echigo Beer Pub
Brewed by:
Uehara Shuzou Co. Ltd. / Echigo Beer Pub
Japan
echigo-beer.jp
Style: Japanese Rice Lager
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.00%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
Koshihikari Echigo Beer is a rice lager beer that uses a super-premium short grain rice called Koshihikari. Produced in the ideal rice growing region of Niigata Prefecture, Koshihikari is known to be the best quality rice in Japan. The flavor of this premium beer can only be made with this rice.
Added by donnebaby on 04-09-2004
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 196 | Reviews: 98
3.78/5 rDev +14.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
This beer pours a very light, clear golden color. The head is white, frothy, 1 finger. There's lots of carbonation bubbles rising in the glass.
The nose is lighter smelling, but there's a malty aroma to it, that's pleasing.
The taste comes off as sweet. it reminds me of a hefe, in a way.
The body isn't watery, it has a nice body to it.
Overall, delicious. Glad I got it.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
This beer pours a very light, clear golden color. The head is white, frothy, 1 finger. There's lots of carbonation bubbles rising in the glass.
The nose is lighter smelling, but there's a malty aroma to it, that's pleasing.
The taste comes off as sweet. it reminds me of a hefe, in a way.
The body isn't watery, it has a nice body to it.
Overall, delicious. Glad I got it.
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3.85/5 rDev +17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a half liter bottle into a tall, footed glass.
A: Clear, effervescent gold with a finger of tight head.
S: Funky wheat.
T/M: Crisp apples and pungent yeast. Clean. Appealing; one of the better rice lagers.
O: Enjoyable and mild.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a half liter bottle into a tall, footed glass.
A: Clear, effervescent gold with a finger of tight head.
S: Funky wheat.
T/M: Crisp apples and pungent yeast. Clean. Appealing; one of the better rice lagers.
O: Enjoyable and mild.
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4.1/5 rDev +24.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From a bottle at a Japaneses steak house.
Pale yellow, dry with little depth but the best rice beer I have tasted. So eating to style this beer gets an excellent rating.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From a bottle at a Japaneses steak house.
Pale yellow, dry with little depth but the best rice beer I have tasted. So eating to style this beer gets an excellent rating.
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3.27/5 rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.06/5 rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
It pours pale, white head. Very little aroma if any. It tastes like Budweiser. Not offensive, but certainly far from full flavored. There's a touch of rice, light bitterness, and that faint AAL flavor. It's light, light, light. This is not a beer that I'd seek out.
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look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
It pours pale, white head. Very little aroma if any. It tastes like Budweiser. Not offensive, but certainly far from full flavored. There's a touch of rice, light bitterness, and that faint AAL flavor. It's light, light, light. This is not a beer that I'd seek out.
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3/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Bottle shared at Pre-Borefts Ratebeer Tasting 2016. Pale yellow pour with a thin white head. Notes of cooked rie, pale malts, grains, light pilsner hops.
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look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Bottle shared at Pre-Borefts Ratebeer Tasting 2016. Pale yellow pour with a thin white head. Notes of cooked rie, pale malts, grains, light pilsner hops.
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3.04/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
3.63/5 rDev +10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
From a can.
High clarity in the light amber body. Topped by a decent head.
Flavorful for style.
Mouthfeel: Light body but not watery. Good carbonation.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
From a can.
High clarity in the light amber body. Topped by a decent head.
Flavorful for style.
Mouthfeel: Light body but not watery. Good carbonation.
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2.72/5 rDev -17.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
From Wasabi. In Bavaria glass. Watching Los Soprano 2x06-07. Very drinkable, with some sweetness. Better than typical industrial lagers and, of course, other japanese beers but nothing memorable either
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look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
From Wasabi. In Bavaria glass. Watching Los Soprano 2x06-07. Very drinkable, with some sweetness. Better than typical industrial lagers and, of course, other japanese beers but nothing memorable either
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3.5/5 rDev +6.4%
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
3.12/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
I've had this a couple of times and it is now my go to beer with sushi at Japanese restaurants. It has more flavor than the typical Japanese lager. That being said as this is the only rice beer I have ever tried I am comparing it to Japanese lagers. It pours a clear straw color with a thick, white head that leaves nice lacing. Smells of rice and malts. Tsate follows the smell with a nice hop balance. Smooth and crisp, well carbonated.
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look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
I've had this a couple of times and it is now my go to beer with sushi at Japanese restaurants. It has more flavor than the typical Japanese lager. That being said as this is the only rice beer I have ever tried I am comparing it to Japanese lagers. It pours a clear straw color with a thick, white head that leaves nice lacing. Smells of rice and malts. Tsate follows the smell with a nice hop balance. Smooth and crisp, well carbonated.
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3.18/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
It's been a while since I've had a rice lager, but this is decent. I was looking for a rice lager I hadn't tried before, this fit the bill. Not much to write about it, other than it taste like what you'd expect. Kind of a slight creaminess to the taste, no harsh "edges", slight hop bitterness on the back end. Probably would go well with sushi.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
It's been a while since I've had a rice lager, but this is decent. I was looking for a rice lager I hadn't tried before, this fit the bill. Not much to write about it, other than it taste like what you'd expect. Kind of a slight creaminess to the taste, no harsh "edges", slight hop bitterness on the back end. Probably would go well with sushi.
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3.63/5 rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.25/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
4.1/5 rDev +24.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Echigo Koshihikari has a thick, slightly off-white head, a hazy, straw-gold appearance, some bubbles, and significant lacing left behind. The aroma is of sharp, sweet boiled rice and pale malts. Taste is of those two elements, with balancing hop bitterness, grass, and unsweetened rice pudding. Mouthfeel is high medium, and Echigo Koshihikari finishes decently crisp and and on the clean side of things.
RJT
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Echigo Koshihikari has a thick, slightly off-white head, a hazy, straw-gold appearance, some bubbles, and significant lacing left behind. The aroma is of sharp, sweet boiled rice and pale malts. Taste is of those two elements, with balancing hop bitterness, grass, and unsweetened rice pudding. Mouthfeel is high medium, and Echigo Koshihikari finishes decently crisp and and on the clean side of things.
RJT
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3.53/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
as japanese rice lagers go, this is about as good as they get, at least in my experience. it might be the most clear beer i have ever seen, bright golden in color, tons of racing carbonation, lasting over an inch of white head, fluffy and enticing. its sexy to look at for sure. the rice is not that evident in the beer to me. i dont find it starchy or earthy or anything, instead it has a consistent sweetness through it that tastes a bit like well refined honey. the lager yeast is pretty flavorful too, and may cover up some of the nuance from this apparently very special type of rice. it just tastes like a well made lager. i wish i got more of the character of the rice out of it, but i like the beer rather well as it is. perhaps a little sweet for a lager, but its awfully well carbonated, much fuller bodied than the industry standard, and smooth and easy to drink. i like the packaging a lot, thats what sold me in the first place. simple beer, but if you are a world lager fan, this is a pretty tasty one. versatile with a lot of different foods as well.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
as japanese rice lagers go, this is about as good as they get, at least in my experience. it might be the most clear beer i have ever seen, bright golden in color, tons of racing carbonation, lasting over an inch of white head, fluffy and enticing. its sexy to look at for sure. the rice is not that evident in the beer to me. i dont find it starchy or earthy or anything, instead it has a consistent sweetness through it that tastes a bit like well refined honey. the lager yeast is pretty flavorful too, and may cover up some of the nuance from this apparently very special type of rice. it just tastes like a well made lager. i wish i got more of the character of the rice out of it, but i like the beer rather well as it is. perhaps a little sweet for a lager, but its awfully well carbonated, much fuller bodied than the industry standard, and smooth and easy to drink. i like the packaging a lot, thats what sold me in the first place. simple beer, but if you are a world lager fan, this is a pretty tasty one. versatile with a lot of different foods as well.
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3.75/5 rDev +14%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.45/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Poured into cylinder glass. It pours a pale tangerine color with a thin, milk-whit head and lacing. It smells of grass, malt, and something else (perhaps the rice). It's not a very pleasant smell to my nose. The taste is better than the smell: grassy malt, green tea, and a honey sweetness. It's crisp and the flavor is delicate. It's light in body, moderately carbonated, and very drinkable with a low ABV of 5% I have to admit that the smell isn't very appealing but I enjoyed the taste. This beer would be fun to drink with sushi or other Japanese food. I wouldn't hesitate to drink it again.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Poured into cylinder glass. It pours a pale tangerine color with a thin, milk-whit head and lacing. It smells of grass, malt, and something else (perhaps the rice). It's not a very pleasant smell to my nose. The taste is better than the smell: grassy malt, green tea, and a honey sweetness. It's crisp and the flavor is delicate. It's light in body, moderately carbonated, and very drinkable with a low ABV of 5% I have to admit that the smell isn't very appealing but I enjoyed the taste. This beer would be fun to drink with sushi or other Japanese food. I wouldn't hesitate to drink it again.
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2.44/5 rDev -25.8%
look: 2.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25
Bottle from Brewers Haven. Smells and tastes like an adjunct lager, possible a little light struck funk to go with it. Pale golden with musty grain aroma (rice?). Taste is more grain, export lager quality.
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look: 2.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25
Bottle from Brewers Haven. Smells and tastes like an adjunct lager, possible a little light struck funk to go with it. Pale golden with musty grain aroma (rice?). Taste is more grain, export lager quality.
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2.89/5 rDev -12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
From a 500 ml bottle (code stamped on front says "0084") into a nonic glass.
A-The beer is light orange-yellow in color and mostly clear. Just a chill haze hides the few bubbles of carbonation in there. A short white head fades quickly and leaves no lacing on the glass. Ho hum.
S-The aroma is a bit on the skunky side with suggestions of cooked vegetable mush for malts, husk, and toast. Not terribly appealing.
T-The taste is slightly improved from the smell. There is a little grassy bitter flavor from the hops, but it is pretty vague and I'm still getting a lot of mushy, cooked-carrot malts and a bit of skunkiness. I wonder how old this beer is?
M-The body is light to medium in heft with a semi-crisp carbonation. It drinks easily enough but is a touch gritty on the palate.
O-I'm not terribly impressed here. A bit of skunkiness is OK in my rice lagers, but the rest of the beer should be clean and the mushy malts of this bottle were off-putting. I have a feeling this bottle is really old, but there are better Japanese beers out there for when you need something to go with sushi or ramen.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
From a 500 ml bottle (code stamped on front says "0084") into a nonic glass.
A-The beer is light orange-yellow in color and mostly clear. Just a chill haze hides the few bubbles of carbonation in there. A short white head fades quickly and leaves no lacing on the glass. Ho hum.
S-The aroma is a bit on the skunky side with suggestions of cooked vegetable mush for malts, husk, and toast. Not terribly appealing.
T-The taste is slightly improved from the smell. There is a little grassy bitter flavor from the hops, but it is pretty vague and I'm still getting a lot of mushy, cooked-carrot malts and a bit of skunkiness. I wonder how old this beer is?
M-The body is light to medium in heft with a semi-crisp carbonation. It drinks easily enough but is a touch gritty on the palate.
O-I'm not terribly impressed here. A bit of skunkiness is OK in my rice lagers, but the rest of the beer should be clean and the mushy malts of this bottle were off-putting. I have a feeling this bottle is really old, but there are better Japanese beers out there for when you need something to go with sushi or ramen.
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3.24/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.85/5 rDev +17%
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
Koshihikari Echigo Beer from Uehara Shuzou Co. Ltd. / Echigo Beer Pub
3.29
out of 5
based on 196 ratings.
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Pours a clear straw with a quickly dissipating white head. Smells of malts and grains. Tastes of malt and non-bitter light earthy hops. Light bodied with high carbonation. Overall this is a good and refreshing light lager.
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