Hitachino Nest Extra High (XH) | Kiuchi Brewery
Brewed by:
Kiuchi Brewery
Japan
kodawari.cc
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.00%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
From Japan's most prestigious brewery, Hitachino Nest XH (Extra High) is a strong Belgian Brown Ale, matured in shochu (distilled sake) barrels. Chinook & Styrian Goldings hops are use
Added by UncleJimbo on 12-29-2002
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers
Ratings: 746 | Reviews: 367
3.75/5 rDev -1.1%
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
3.37/5 rDev -11.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Strange beer. Cant say that Ive ever had anything quite like it. Its sort of sour and has a low key vinegar flavor going on. Not gross just....different. Maybe its just me but I kept getting an ketchup aftertaste.
213 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Strange beer. Cant say that Ive ever had anything quite like it. Its sort of sour and has a low key vinegar flavor going on. Not gross just....different. Maybe its just me but I kept getting an ketchup aftertaste.
213 characters
3.5/5 rDev -7.7%
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
4.44/5 rDev +17.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Fruity and smooth
Roasted malt
30 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Fruity and smooth
Roasted malt
30 characters
3.65/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.73/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
It pours dark brown with virtually no head. The aroma is very suggestive of sake and it has a slightly boozy aspect to it. The taste however is taken over completely by Brett. This is a bottle that was aged for some time (perhaps too long one would say) so it may have allowed for the Brett to overexpress. Sweet finish with a fairly full mouthfeel.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
It pours dark brown with virtually no head. The aroma is very suggestive of sake and it has a slightly boozy aspect to it. The taste however is taken over completely by Brett. This is a bottle that was aged for some time (perhaps too long one would say) so it may have allowed for the Brett to overexpress. Sweet finish with a fairly full mouthfeel.
349 characters
3.68/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.25/5 rDev +12.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.26/5 rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured the 33cl bottle into a mug, appearance is amber, dark. 8%abv.
This is a Belgian Strong Dark Ale, slightly lighter than other in the style, yet very complex. I am reminded of many other Belgian in the same style or otherwise like dubble. Aromas of chocolate, citrus, some berries. Yes this is also reminding me of the legend Duchesse de Bourgogne and the store clerk did mention it too.
I am fairly impressed, I am aware that in this day and age, sure, everybody is capable of brewing great beers but props to the Japanese for this. I looked it up here, and rated it 12% above the BA average at 4,
605 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured the 33cl bottle into a mug, appearance is amber, dark. 8%abv.
This is a Belgian Strong Dark Ale, slightly lighter than other in the style, yet very complex. I am reminded of many other Belgian in the same style or otherwise like dubble. Aromas of chocolate, citrus, some berries. Yes this is also reminding me of the legend Duchesse de Bourgogne and the store clerk did mention it too.
I am fairly impressed, I am aware that in this day and age, sure, everybody is capable of brewing great beers but props to the Japanese for this. I looked it up here, and rated it 12% above the BA average at 4,
605 characters
3.75/5 rDev -1.1%
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
4.12/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.31/5 rDev -12.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.79/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured into a snifter. A rusty brown color with a modest white head. Caramel malt on the nose, with a tart cherry and floral aroma. The taste was not at all tart, thankfully, with a basic caramel malty flavor with toffee, some citrus, and a floral, fruity finish with definite sake notes. Slightly dry and boozy. Overall an interesting beer.
341 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured into a snifter. A rusty brown color with a modest white head. Caramel malt on the nose, with a tart cherry and floral aroma. The taste was not at all tart, thankfully, with a basic caramel malty flavor with toffee, some citrus, and a floral, fruity finish with definite sake notes. Slightly dry and boozy. Overall an interesting beer.
341 characters
3.71/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -1.1%
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
3.85/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
Brownish Amber color with a big creamy head. A real malt bomb, heavy on notes of caramel and toffee, a slight dry notes on the finish probably cause from the sake barrels.
172 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
Brownish Amber color with a big creamy head. A real malt bomb, heavy on notes of caramel and toffee, a slight dry notes on the finish probably cause from the sake barrels.
172 characters
4.43/5 rDev +16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Rich, dark amber. Disappointingly short lived foam with no lacing.
Aroma: Toffee, Malt, sweet rice, esters
Taste: Very much like the aroma, but amplified. Smooth toffee notes, an almost creaminess. Full and malty. The Hitachino Nest house yeast flavour is more pronounced (or perhaps just works exceptionally well in this format) than usual. Finishes with a warm aftertaste from the high ABV, otherwise difficult to notice it's 8%. Very, very nice.
Mouthfeel: Lighter than most Belgian Strong ales it's styled after. Silky, soft, medium/heavy body, low carbonation.
Overall: A delicious standalone beer that's unlike any other beer I've had. Less thick and less sweet than Belgian Dark ales and Dubbels - approach it without this comparison in mind. I would fully recommend trying this beer if you come across it.
830 characters
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Rich, dark amber. Disappointingly short lived foam with no lacing.
Aroma: Toffee, Malt, sweet rice, esters
Taste: Very much like the aroma, but amplified. Smooth toffee notes, an almost creaminess. Full and malty. The Hitachino Nest house yeast flavour is more pronounced (or perhaps just works exceptionally well in this format) than usual. Finishes with a warm aftertaste from the high ABV, otherwise difficult to notice it's 8%. Very, very nice.
Mouthfeel: Lighter than most Belgian Strong ales it's styled after. Silky, soft, medium/heavy body, low carbonation.
Overall: A delicious standalone beer that's unlike any other beer I've had. Less thick and less sweet than Belgian Dark ales and Dubbels - approach it without this comparison in mind. I would fully recommend trying this beer if you come across it.
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Hitachino Nest Extra High (XH) from Kiuchi Brewery
Beer rating:
3.79 out of
5 with
746 ratings
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