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
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 214 | Reviews: 104
Reviews by Hellpop65:
More User Reviews:
3.27/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
11.8oz can poured into 12oz tulip. Poured a clean, clear bright yellow color with just a thin cap of white head that almost instantly dissipated, and left no lacing.
The aroma had some light grain scent, and a bit of a yeasty tang. Same on the tongue, grain and yeast, with maybe a slight bit of floral hops. The body was light and crisp, with a semi-sweet finish. Drinkability was fine, for what the beer is.
Overall, a solid enough "Industrial Lager". Worth grabbing if you want a different lawnmower beer, or, like me, going for the style tick.
549 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
11.8oz can poured into 12oz tulip. Poured a clean, clear bright yellow color with just a thin cap of white head that almost instantly dissipated, and left no lacing.
The aroma had some light grain scent, and a bit of a yeasty tang. Same on the tongue, grain and yeast, with maybe a slight bit of floral hops. The body was light and crisp, with a semi-sweet finish. Drinkability was fine, for what the beer is.
Overall, a solid enough "Industrial Lager". Worth grabbing if you want a different lawnmower beer, or, like me, going for the style tick.
549 characters
3/5 rDev -10.4%
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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3.25/5 rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Quite dull for a Japanese rice lager. I barely like it better than the Asahi I had & considering that I paid $9.99 for a pint this beer has probably been sitting on the shelf for months on end maybe even over a year. I would not pay $9.99 for this again. Orion Premium Draft Beer is a much better choice in this style. I am not going to knock this beer too hard because I don't think that I am drinking it at its full potential since it is sort of old. A little malty, a little flavorful, the body is on the thin side. I recommend that you try this beer out if you are into pale lagers. Cheers! B-
598 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Quite dull for a Japanese rice lager. I barely like it better than the Asahi I had & considering that I paid $9.99 for a pint this beer has probably been sitting on the shelf for months on end maybe even over a year. I would not pay $9.99 for this again. Orion Premium Draft Beer is a much better choice in this style. I am not going to knock this beer too hard because I don't think that I am drinking it at its full potential since it is sort of old. A little malty, a little flavorful, the body is on the thin side. I recommend that you try this beer out if you are into pale lagers. Cheers! B-
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3.94/5 rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.63/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
From a 350 ml can in Osaka.
High clarity in the light amber body. Topped by a decent head.
Flavorful for style and with a distinctive aroma.
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 350 ml can in Osaka.
High clarity in the light amber body. Topped by a decent head.
Flavorful for style and with a distinctive aroma.
Mouthfeel: Light body but not watery. Good carbonation.
198 characters
4.11/5 rDev +22.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Yum. Really light and a bit sweet.
35 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Yum. Really light and a bit sweet.
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3.5/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
(Served in a flute)
A- This beer pours a crystal clear bright yellow with a strong carbonation of big bubbles and a pale white head that boils away.
S- The clean soft aroma has a green sulfur hint and a flinty wet rice note to the finish.
T- The dry field corn finish is all I get from the first few sips. Some slight sweetness comes through as it opens and a carbonic acid and green sulfur note grow in the finish. There is a slight pungent note that lingers in the dry finish.
M- The light mouthfeel has a gentle fizz and no alcohol heat noticed.
O- The nice clean light beer has some interesting but soft flavors, and the touch of sweetness really helps. I’m not sure it was worth the $7.99 price for 500 ml but it was nice to try.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
(Served in a flute)
A- This beer pours a crystal clear bright yellow with a strong carbonation of big bubbles and a pale white head that boils away.
S- The clean soft aroma has a green sulfur hint and a flinty wet rice note to the finish.
T- The dry field corn finish is all I get from the first few sips. Some slight sweetness comes through as it opens and a carbonic acid and green sulfur note grow in the finish. There is a slight pungent note that lingers in the dry finish.
M- The light mouthfeel has a gentle fizz and no alcohol heat noticed.
O- The nice clean light beer has some interesting but soft flavors, and the touch of sweetness really helps. I’m not sure it was worth the $7.99 price for 500 ml but it was nice to try.
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4.24/5 rDev +26.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured a semi-clear rich golden body with one finger of bubbly white head that quickly receded. A very nice looking lager, with a richer color than most examples of the style. Very nice. Scents of softly sweet malt, grainy malt, a light hint of rice and light levels of earthy, dank herbal hops. Overall impression of aroma is of a classic Japanese Rice Lager, very true to form and quite appealing in its delicate, light aroma. Flavor begins lightly sweet, with soft, sweet malt notes and light hints of honey, and a touch of an earthy quality. Middle opens up with more pronounced flavors of honey and a light green tea with honey flavor, alongside softly sweet and bready malt and an undercurrent of earthy hops in the background. Finish is lightly dry with notes of honey, grainy malt and medium-light level of dank, earthy herbal and floral hop character. Aftertaste is medium-dry with notes of earthy and floral hops, lightly sweet honey and a medium-light bitterness. Overall impression of flavor is of a fantastic Japanese Rice Lager that is rich and flavorful, with a nice balance of sweetness and dryness, ending crisp. Simply fantastic and other examples of the style do not compare. Mouthfeel is medium-light bodied with medium-high prickly carbonation and a smooth, crisp feel. Overall impression of mouthfeel is of a very nice Japanese Rice Lager. Refreshing and crisp, light and balanced. Overall this is the finest example of the style I have sampled. It has a delicate and balanced aroma and flavor, aided by the crisp mouthfeel. Yet it is not weak in aroma and flavor, being both aromatic and flavorful, but in subtle, subdued and balanced ways. A true example of a truly Japanese style of beer.
1,713 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured a semi-clear rich golden body with one finger of bubbly white head that quickly receded. A very nice looking lager, with a richer color than most examples of the style. Very nice. Scents of softly sweet malt, grainy malt, a light hint of rice and light levels of earthy, dank herbal hops. Overall impression of aroma is of a classic Japanese Rice Lager, very true to form and quite appealing in its delicate, light aroma. Flavor begins lightly sweet, with soft, sweet malt notes and light hints of honey, and a touch of an earthy quality. Middle opens up with more pronounced flavors of honey and a light green tea with honey flavor, alongside softly sweet and bready malt and an undercurrent of earthy hops in the background. Finish is lightly dry with notes of honey, grainy malt and medium-light level of dank, earthy herbal and floral hop character. Aftertaste is medium-dry with notes of earthy and floral hops, lightly sweet honey and a medium-light bitterness. Overall impression of flavor is of a fantastic Japanese Rice Lager that is rich and flavorful, with a nice balance of sweetness and dryness, ending crisp. Simply fantastic and other examples of the style do not compare. Mouthfeel is medium-light bodied with medium-high prickly carbonation and a smooth, crisp feel. Overall impression of mouthfeel is of a very nice Japanese Rice Lager. Refreshing and crisp, light and balanced. Overall this is the finest example of the style I have sampled. It has a delicate and balanced aroma and flavor, aided by the crisp mouthfeel. Yet it is not weak in aroma and flavor, being both aromatic and flavorful, but in subtle, subdued and balanced ways. A true example of a truly Japanese style of beer.
1,713 characters
2.93/5 rDev -12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Poured from a bottle into a short pint glass at my favorite sushi place.
A - Fizzy white head dissipates fast, color is deep golden yellow
S - typical notes of light malt
T - Refreshing and clean, but dominated by the rice character
M - very fizzy and light
O - a better sushi-lager than I've had in a while
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look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Poured from a bottle into a short pint glass at my favorite sushi place.
A - Fizzy white head dissipates fast, color is deep golden yellow
S - typical notes of light malt
T - Refreshing and clean, but dominated by the rice character
M - very fizzy and light
O - a better sushi-lager than I've had in a while
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3/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
500ml bottle, not so surprisingly available at many places throughout Hawaii, given the preponderance of Japanese tourists here. The Kanji characters on the label are quite different from the can pictured in this entry.
This beer pours a crystal clear, pale golden yellow colour, with one skinny finger of thinly foamy bone-white head, which leaves very little discernible lace around the glass as it logically bleeds away in barely more than an instant.
It smells of rice grain adjuncts, a bit warm, with mild grassy hop undertones. The taste is a little more generically grainy, but with a still healthy (?) rice husk character, some slight, and indistinct warming, and very subtle grassy/leafy hops.
The bubbles are pretty average, i.e. not noticeably different from its very numerous peers, the body a medium-light weight, its only claim coming from a somewhat tacky, pithy character, one which does no favours to the unfairly burdened smoothness. It finishes rather blandly, a combination of semi-sweet rice pudding, and subtle earthy, weedy hops.
Not really all that bad; however, this offers nothing beyond the underwhelming norm - soul-sucking, quasi-sickly grain, with crispness an ironically foreign concept, and overall just another lost chance at cross-culture beer knowledge enhancement. Or maybe I just need to track down some sushi.
1,352 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
500ml bottle, not so surprisingly available at many places throughout Hawaii, given the preponderance of Japanese tourists here. The Kanji characters on the label are quite different from the can pictured in this entry.
This beer pours a crystal clear, pale golden yellow colour, with one skinny finger of thinly foamy bone-white head, which leaves very little discernible lace around the glass as it logically bleeds away in barely more than an instant.
It smells of rice grain adjuncts, a bit warm, with mild grassy hop undertones. The taste is a little more generically grainy, but with a still healthy (?) rice husk character, some slight, and indistinct warming, and very subtle grassy/leafy hops.
The bubbles are pretty average, i.e. not noticeably different from its very numerous peers, the body a medium-light weight, its only claim coming from a somewhat tacky, pithy character, one which does no favours to the unfairly burdened smoothness. It finishes rather blandly, a combination of semi-sweet rice pudding, and subtle earthy, weedy hops.
Not really all that bad; however, this offers nothing beyond the underwhelming norm - soul-sucking, quasi-sickly grain, with crispness an ironically foreign concept, and overall just another lost chance at cross-culture beer knowledge enhancement. Or maybe I just need to track down some sushi.
1,352 characters
3.21/5 rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Reviewing per the standards of the style:
Poured from a 500mL bottle into my Dogfish Head shaped pint glass (should have used my generic pilsner glass). Attractive label, which unfortunately belies the drab beverage within.
Liquid pours a perfectly clear golden yellow with a fast fading quite fizzy off-white head.
Aroma is typical adjunct sourness with low malt and hops.
Tastes of sweet grain with a slightly bitter dry finish; crisp, fairly refreshing.
Fairly high carbonation, light bodied though not quite watery.
Best used as a palate cleanser between sushi courses.
Not really worth the price increase over Sapporo, Kirin, Asahi, Orion, etc.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Reviewing per the standards of the style:
Poured from a 500mL bottle into my Dogfish Head shaped pint glass (should have used my generic pilsner glass). Attractive label, which unfortunately belies the drab beverage within.
Liquid pours a perfectly clear golden yellow with a fast fading quite fizzy off-white head.
Aroma is typical adjunct sourness with low malt and hops.
Tastes of sweet grain with a slightly bitter dry finish; crisp, fairly refreshing.
Fairly high carbonation, light bodied though not quite watery.
Best used as a palate cleanser between sushi courses.
Not really worth the price increase over Sapporo, Kirin, Asahi, Orion, etc.
660 characters
2.57/5 rDev -23.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
Half liter bottle. Beer pours extremely pale straw/yellow with a medium white head and big bubbles. Almost no aroma, but sweet -- reminds me of apple juice that way.
Very little flavor, too. A little bit of dryness, and a more than a hint of corn syrup sweetness. I guess it's inoffensive, and pretty drinkable, but not good.
326 characters
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
Half liter bottle. Beer pours extremely pale straw/yellow with a medium white head and big bubbles. Almost no aroma, but sweet -- reminds me of apple juice that way.
Very little flavor, too. A little bit of dryness, and a more than a hint of corn syrup sweetness. I guess it's inoffensive, and pretty drinkable, but not good.
326 characters
3.38/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Koshihikari Echigo pours a crystal clear golden body beneath a short head of bright white that fades readily to a standard collar. Beyond the initial short wall of lace that's formed as the head dies down, there are only minor splashes and tiny dots left behind.
The nose is remarkably clean, and it displays only a touch of delicately sweetish malt.
In the mouth it's medium-light bodied and gently crisp with a very fine-bubbled, moderate carbonation.
The flavor displays an interesting fruity note that's reminiscent of grape and apple; and what malt is there is mainly sweetish, and not grain-like. It's candyish in a way. Across the middle some herbal, and perhaps floral, hops are merely hinted at. It's backed by some bitter dryness that leaves behind an almost cedar-like quality in the finish. Hmm, and even floral. Odd. I wonder if that's a combination of hops and alcohol, or even some phenols from fermentation.
Overall, it's interesting, but not particularly exciting or even very drinkable. There's not a lot of flavor going on overall, and yet it kind of sticks in the mouth with fruit and sugar.
1,116 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Koshihikari Echigo pours a crystal clear golden body beneath a short head of bright white that fades readily to a standard collar. Beyond the initial short wall of lace that's formed as the head dies down, there are only minor splashes and tiny dots left behind.
The nose is remarkably clean, and it displays only a touch of delicately sweetish malt.
In the mouth it's medium-light bodied and gently crisp with a very fine-bubbled, moderate carbonation.
The flavor displays an interesting fruity note that's reminiscent of grape and apple; and what malt is there is mainly sweetish, and not grain-like. It's candyish in a way. Across the middle some herbal, and perhaps floral, hops are merely hinted at. It's backed by some bitter dryness that leaves behind an almost cedar-like quality in the finish. Hmm, and even floral. Odd. I wonder if that's a combination of hops and alcohol, or even some phenols from fermentation.
Overall, it's interesting, but not particularly exciting or even very drinkable. There's not a lot of flavor going on overall, and yet it kind of sticks in the mouth with fruit and sugar.
1,116 characters
3.62/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2.65/5 rDev -20.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2
Poured from a 500ml bottle into my Zatec fluted glass. Had no idea what I was getting into, as it's kinda hard to tell from the bottle. Though maybe I'd get lucky and stumble across a Hitachino competitor or what-not. Then I poured it. Didn't even give it a whiff yet, and as I was putting the glass down got a nose-full of adjunct sweet herbal nastiness. Fizzy yellow beer (for wussies). Got about a finger of very quickly dying white tacky head. Smells sweet, grassy, ricey, and like you'd expect from Japanese beer. Taste is overbearingly sweet. Giving me a headache. Overcarbonated on the mouth. Hard to drink. Hope I can finish the pint. Not good. Maybe if I had some spicy food to go with it.
698 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2
Poured from a 500ml bottle into my Zatec fluted glass. Had no idea what I was getting into, as it's kinda hard to tell from the bottle. Though maybe I'd get lucky and stumble across a Hitachino competitor or what-not. Then I poured it. Didn't even give it a whiff yet, and as I was putting the glass down got a nose-full of adjunct sweet herbal nastiness. Fizzy yellow beer (for wussies). Got about a finger of very quickly dying white tacky head. Smells sweet, grassy, ricey, and like you'd expect from Japanese beer. Taste is overbearingly sweet. Giving me a headache. Overcarbonated on the mouth. Hard to drink. Hope I can finish the pint. Not good. Maybe if I had some spicy food to go with it.
698 characters
2.79/5 rDev -16.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Bought this in Los Angeles. Pours a medium yellow with a nice white head. A fair amount of carbonation yet when I drink it there is not much carbonation at all. Almost flat. This is your typical malt beer that is clean. Not much body and nothing that stands out.
262 characters
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Bought this in Los Angeles. Pours a medium yellow with a nice white head. A fair amount of carbonation yet when I drink it there is not much carbonation at all. Almost flat. This is your typical malt beer that is clean. Not much body and nothing that stands out.
262 characters
Koshihikari Echigo Beer from Uehara Shuzou Co. Ltd. / Echigo Beer Pub
Beer rating:
3.35 out of
5 with
214 ratings
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