Hitachino Nest Yuzu Lager
Hitachino (Kiuchi) Brewery

11.83oz can purchased off the shelf as part of a 4-pack for $18.99 plus tax. YL.23.01i is stamped on the bottom of the can, which could mean January 1, 2023 or just January 2023. Basically, this can is approximately 5 months old.

Look: Pours a slightly hazy deep golden color. There was one to two fingers of eggshell-colored head that eventually dissipated to a thin layer. There's a nice steady stream of small bubbles rising up the glass.

Smell: The aroma is a soft yet bright citrus. It smells very lemony, very zesty. There's perhaps a delicate floral note along with crackery malt notes.

Taste: This beer is more flavorful on the palate than on the nose. I like this. It has a strong citrus flavor up front and a nice bitterness on the finish with a bit of pithiness. The yuzu flavor is kind of like a cross between a lemon and a grapefruit, with more aromatic notes than a lemon similar to a citron. This is very tasty and drinkable. It also has a mild acidity, which is very refreshing.

Feel: It's light to medium bodied. Considering that this is a 5.5% lager with yuzu, it actually has a decent mouthfeel that has a bit of heft for its size. It has a bit of oiliness and it finishes very crisp.

Overall: I think that this is very good. It's different and nice to get a Yuzu Lager from Japan!

 

 

 

Nice refreshing lager with little to no head. Mild bitterness from orange peel. A little darker than a typical lager.

This is a very refreshing lager that has just the enough amount of yuzu fruitiness to complement the beer flavors. The body is not super light and therefore it makes it even more enjoyable.

 

 

 

Bright orange color, mostly clear with a dissipating head. Tart zippy citrus, bitter peels, orangeade, lemon lime, slight grapefruity, bright, crisp, zesty, light, smooth and rounded.

350 ml can, from Vinmonopolet; Nettbutikken. ABV is 5.5%. slightly hazy golden colour, small white head. Fresh aroma of yuzu fruit. Dry flavour, distinct notes of yuzu, also distinct hop bitterness.

12oz can into a dimpled mug. Appears to have been canned in August, so 3-4 months old.

Dull yellow body with a short lived head. Aroma is lemony and floral. Taste is a very strong lemon/lime. Finish is drying, which seems to strengthen the lemon flavor.

Overall, a bit fierce for this palate. Can states, "delicate but deep citrus". This is anything but. For delicate use of the yuzu fruit, try the one brewed by Hokkaido.

Purchased from First Choice Liquor in Waurn Ponds in May 2023. Drunk in June the same year.

L: Dark, chicken-stock yellow with a smattering of very fine head perched atop the beer. A small amount of slow-moving, big bubbled carbonation can be seen in the glass.

S: Very strong, pithy orangey/lemony/limey/grapefruit notes, which I assume is the Yuzu, which I admit I have no idea about. The smell is so overwhelming it's tempting to think it's artificial to the point it's almost like a dishwashing detergent smell.

T: The smell transfers very strongly into the mouth, with a bitter, almost tonic quality to it. That tonic-like bitterness means the beer is very refreshing. It finishes long and sweet, with the bitterness hanging around retronasally.

M: the beer is very highly carbonated, and carbonic prickle is very high, which is totally at odds with the way it presents in the glass. It pairs well with the bitterness, but is absolutely not a beer that could be drunk in quick fashion, especially not around polite company that would be unimpressed by the inevitable gaseous response!

O: The taste is certainly unique, and if this is what Yuzu tastes like then it would be interesting to try a sherbet-based Yuzu gelati, as that high bitterness would translate well into a spritzy, cold dessert. It's an interesting beer, but looks unimpressive in the glass and is almost too highly carbonated for its own good, and ultimately I would not be choosing it over a traditional lager if the choice was there.

Cheers!
#265

 

 

 

12 oz can, poured into glass

pours a clear medium golden color, white head. Nice yuzu citrusy aroma. Taste is moderately sweet. thin to medium bodied.

350ml Can from Kanada-Ya Soho, London (£5.90):
Bright amber with a translucent body with a frothy white lacing that disappears almost instantly. It's a fruity, floral nose that's closer to a pale ale with citrus notes, yuzu & pine hops; it's lively & fresh smelling. There's lots of citrus & lemon initially with floral hops, light pine & grassy flavours, surprisingly good. The body is tangy & well-carbonated, somewhere around medium bodied too & very fresh; really nice overall.

 

350mL can (date stamp YL.20.10 9) served in pilsner glass.

Appearance: Golden yellow with a definite haze to it. Thin white head with some persistent strands of lacing.

Smell: Distinct sharp lemony-orange citrus aroma.

Taste: Tastes a lot like it smells - a sharp lemony-orange citrus flavor at start and finish, with some tart bitterness at the finish. There is some underlying lager here, but it's not a strong flavor, it's more of an afterthought under the citrus flavor. I've not had Yuzu before, but it's a good flavor.

Mouthfeel: Good carbonation, dry finish, crisp like a lager.

Overall / Drinkability: The beer is dominated by the Yuzu, but I think that's the point. It's not a delicate flavor as said on the can, but it's enjoyable and refreshing. I would want to pair this with a meal though. It's got some nice citrus tartness to it that I think would work well with seafood. I'd almost call this more of a "fruit and field" style beer than an American lager, but other than this point, I'm quite happy with it.