Kameosa
Widowmaker Brewing

 

This brew is extremely pale and hazy. The nose is exotic and fruity. They deem it a "Japanese rice lager"; I might have guessed, based on the nose, that it is a saison. The carbonation is vigorous. Body is medium-light. The fruity, herbal favors are enormously subtle and interesting. The nose becomes lovely as the beer aerates.

 

A: Pours a relatively clear pale to medium yellow in color with moderate to heavy amounts of fine active visible carbonation rising quickly from the bottom of the glass and moderate bright yellow + pale golden yellow colored highlights. The beer has a three finger tall sudsy pillowy foamy bright white head that reduces to a handful of small to medium sized patches of medium thick film surrounded by a large patch of slightly mottled thin film covering the remainder of the surface of the beer and a medium thick ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of sake yeast along with moderate aromas of citrus/yuzu over the top of just shy of moderate aromas of cracker + grainy malts with moderate amounts of rice adjuncts and just a hint of grainy sweetness. Very light aromas of floral/cherry blossoms and spicy ginger. Very light aromas of citrus/lemon + grassy hops.

T: Upfront there are just shy of moderate flavors of cracker + grainy malts with moderate amounts of rice adjuncts and just a hint of grainy sweetness. That is followed by moderate flavors of sake yeast and citrus/yuzu. That is followed by very light flavors of floral/cherry blossoms and spicy ginger. Finally there are very light aromas of citrus/lemon + grassy hops which impart a light amount of bitterness which slowly fades away leaving a relatively clean finish.

M: Slightly heavier than light bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly crisp followed by a light amount of softness and a relatively clean finish.

O: Easy to drink with well hidden alcohol and a pleasantly slightly crisp + soft + clean mouthfeel. Enjoyable with the yuzu, cherry blossom, and ginger additions with the sake yeast.

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: Japanese Rice Lager
Glass: Modern Times 16-oz. Willi Becher glass
Price: n/a
From: Darin
Purchased: n/a; Received Jan. 2, 2021
Consumed: Jan. 5, 2021
Misc.: Canned on Dec. 10, 2020

Thanks, Darin!

Was lucky enough to have this and nine others sent to me by Darin. Pretty much had this because it should pair OK with my scalloped potatoes since I was out of pilsners. Online description called for “Our take on a Japanese style rice lager, Kameosa is crisp and clean. We use red puffed rice to add a layer of delicacy to the crackery, malt backbone along with a pitch of Sake yeast for fermentation and subtle additions of yuzu, ginger, and Sakura cherry blossoms.” Damn. Sounded pretty complex.

Poured a clear medium yellow color with two fingers of frothy off-white head. Lots of bubbles coming up from the bottom of the glass. Excellent spotty lacing. Very good retention. (Sight - 4.25)

Smelled white cracker, ginger, salty rice, sourdough bread, maraschino cherry, mown grass and corn cereal. Just as good from the can. (Smell - 4.25)

Tasted almost as good as the smell. Got ginger, sourdough bread, salty rice, white cracker, maraschino cherry, mown grass, grain, herbal and light peppery spice. (Taste - 4.00)

Light-to-medium body. Thin-to-oily texture. Average-to-lively carbonation. Clean, crisp finish. (Feel - 4.25)

Just a really nice Japanese Rice Lager. (Overall - 4.00)

4.10 | 92 | A-

Sample at Bayberry Beer Hall

My first of the style, pours a crystal clear gold, small white head with moderate lacing

On the nose I get lemon, a touch of pepper, pretty sweet malt

Very smooth taste, crisp rice on the front, citrus on the finish

Light bodied with subtle carbonation, slightly sticky finish

I’m impressed, I like this style and hope to find more

Can date lost. This one goes out to rudzud, right up your alley.
Pours a med fizzy bubbly head with med retention, no real lacing, crystal clear pale golden lighter color

Nose brings mild sweet golden malt, grainy lager malt, with a light rice character, hops are med-lighter with some lemony grassy floral characters

Taste brings more rice characters up front, sweet rice mash, with some sweet grainy lager malt, touch of a mineral note, into grassy hops with a little spicy note, touch of fruity, turning a bit grassy floral, med-lighter bitterness, dry finish, very dry, a little rice lager like flavor lingering, touch of a metallic flavor

Mouth is med to lighter bod, med-higher frothy carb

Overall not bad, rice is there and distinguishable but could have used more maybe, hops were decent, although a slight metallic flavor turns me off a bit