Yuzu Lager
Shimai Toshi Brewing Company

Greenish yellow, white color. Decent head. Very subtle citrus smell. Taste has very little yuzu or citrus flavor. Pretty simple lager taste and feel. Hard to distinguish.

I have no idea what yuzu is but when I saw this on Tavour not too long ago, I had to give it a go. Who goes out of their way to buy an American Lager, of all beers? Well, if you want something different and nicely crafted, you'd find a reason to get your hands on this winner of a brew from Shimai Toshi!

No surprise that this was golden, slightly hazy, and full of fine streams of bubbles as it looked like any good beer of this type should. Plenty of full head topped this off as the lacing left behind was quite layered and soapy with a few thing rings standing out in the midst of the suds. Lemon, malt, grain, and yuzu were in the nose as light hints of bread, spice, and yeast emerged in the taste. Full in body, slick on my teeth, and completely refreshing, there were hints of mineral water as this had an amazing balance and just the right carbonation to complement the flavors.

The amount of alcohol was perfect too as I could have *easily* downed another can after finishing this off. Such balance was to be had here as this finished clean, but not soft or watered-down as the lack of overt crispness was refreshing. All I needed was a date, and another round or two of this for tonight...

Murky yellow pour with an eggshell white head. Smell and taste are the same: very simple cracker, deep yuzu with pale gains with a kiss of lemon and floral hops. Decently crisp, but more pale, medium light bodied, malt the whole way, crushable. Refreshing fruited lager for late spring or summer

 

16oz can from Tavour. Pale yellow pour, foamy white head, lovely carbonation. Sweet grainy aroma with a touch of lemon. Lemons are more pronounced in the taste, not by much, but the perfect accent to the sweet malty, grainy flavors. Really tasty and refreshing.

 

 

 

 

Poured from a 16oz can at east moon sushi into a standard pint.

The look is a light straw with a light haze that starts showing up midway through the pour, likely yeast that has settled out. Nice 2 finger head that fades to a decently thick covering that sticks around fine bubbles.

The aroma is a Mashup of a standard light lager beer and a very light citruisy NE IPA. This could either be from a hint of cituisy hops, if it could be the actual yuzu it's almost rhindy quite nice and light with a solid malt backbone. Very nice.

Smooth and drinkable easy to put down. Nice and refreshing but still complex and fruity. Not too sweet, almost dry. The fruit and hops meld together nicely to make a nice vaguely citruisy tart bitter hop citrus flavor. Lager is supremely crisp and there is nothing off about it here, just some nice lager flavor with malts joining to make a nice flavor for the yuzu and hops to sit on.

Mouthfeel is not too heavy but the head retention makes it almost velvety and creamy in the mouth. It's refreshing but interesting enough to be enjoyed at a meal as well.

Overall it's a super smooth interesting beer not too heavy but still substantial and flavorful. Could almost call it a take on an India pale lager, but the brewery doesn't call it that so we'll stick with it. Crisp flavorful smooth and refreshing.

Served in 16oz rocks glass. Poured a cloudy pale yellow color with just a thin cap of white head that had low retention and lacing.

The aroma was fronted by a fruit scent I'm not familiar with, which is, I assume, Yuzu. There was a light grain base and a very low hop presence.

The flavor profile is the same, just a bit more fully expanded. There was a bit of a hop bite, and the fruit flavor built over the course of the glass.

The body was a bit full for the style, smooth, and had a semi-sweet finish.

Drinkability was fine, no issues.

Overall, a solid enough brew. Worth a shot if you see it.

 

Can from Market of Choice.

A clear straw yellow with a dense white head with good retention and lacing this looks great. The nosebis ridiculously clean yet bright with a gorgeous citrus character to go with the clean, crisp and focused lager base. The palate is crisp, clean with gorgeous saaz and old world hops but with a brilliant yuzu citrus brightness that's genuinely magnificent. Light straw, lemon, earth, dust, gorgeous. Drying, clean, bright ,snappy, refreshing, lovely.

 

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a light to medium straw amber with a two finger white head with good retention and light lacing. Aroma of pale malt, lager yeast, lemon/yuzu. Flavor is lightly biscuit lager malt and yeast, light yuzu, which lingers into the finish. Medium bodied with light creaminess. Although I don't drink lagers much any more, I've been a fan of yuzu in past beers and this sounded interesting. The base lager is straightforward, tradition American lager, with a modicum of more intense biscuit flavors. The yuzu is a light touch, enough to taste the light distinction between this citrus and lemon, but not dominating the beer like a radler. This is nicely done and would be appealing as a refreshing summer beer or with food. I'll be getting this again, if offered.