Hitachino Nest Extra High (XH)
Kiuchi Brewery

 

 

 

11.2oz bottle coded XH.17.07m poured into a tulip glass at fridge temp 8% ABV. The beer pours cloudy medium reddish brown with khaki colored head. The head recedes to an irregular ring and island of tiny bubbles. The aroma is mild and sweet with notes of dark fruit. The taste is slightly tart and sweet with cherry, sake and mild oak. Minimal bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium to thin bodied with average carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, good. I suspect the nature of this beer has changed in the three years since it was bottled. Enjoyable, but with little that would make one think of a BSDA.

 

11.2oz bottle. Poured out a clear, golden amber color with a small, off-white head of foam. It smelled of rice, caramel and spices. Malty taste with sake notes and a sharp bitter bite.

Hazy brown ale with a medium sized tan colored head.

Smells very sweet. Strong scent of ginger. No real hop scent.

Starts out sharply sour. Bit spicy. Taste of wood and Mushrooms.

Mouthfeel is OK.

Overall, Nope I didn't like it.

Bottle from Brewer's Haven. Possibly the sake influence, but this borders on a sour. Amber brown in color. Interesting take on the style. Overall I was pleasantly surprised.

 

Body is deep amber/caramel with a touch of creamsicle orange one the edges when held to the light. Forms a nice thick head at first, but that lasts only half a minute, sizzling out to a rim.
Aromas of light caramel and sawdust, raisins, dates. Dried fruit with a touch of...something...that's interesting. Like dried wood.
Candy sweet, with loads of raisin, dates, brown sugar, a touch of butterscotch. There's a hint of something a touch burnt, fresh dried wood again, and toffee. Kind of like a wee heavy, though not as syrupy feeling. Medium carbonation and warming alcohol burn provide some balance to the sweetness, though it would still be tough to drink more than one of these.

Some interesting flavours and aromas in this one, it has potential to be excellent if not for the over-riding sweetness.

Not the freshest bottle but refrigerated over time.
Dark amber/tawny pour, slightly hazy; cream to caramel coloured head of about one finger - dense bubbles up side of glass.
Aroma of dark fruit, caramel malt, sweet bread, a bit of spice, fruit cake.
Taste bright spicy to tangy caramel malt, dark fruit, dates, brown sugar, sherry with some spicy tangy hops.
Smooth full bubbly mouthfeel - carbonation tingles the palate to a slightly hoppy tangy finish.

 

Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a lightly hazy, medium to dark reddish orange with a thin, off-white head that dissipates to patches with light lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, plums, raisins and a little light sake. Flavor is dry caramel malt with a little biscuit, dates, dried plums, dry sake; earthy and tart from the sake barrel. Woody, dry sake finish. Medium bodied with light creaminess. The Belgian ale character is detectable, but has been dried out and soured somewhat by the shochu barreling. I've had sake many times, but not sure I've tried shochu, although the sake flavor is clear hear and must stay strong during distilling. Although this is interesting and there is some nice wood and a unique flavor from the barrel, I'm not sure the sake tartness fits my palette. The earthy, woody finish is nice, but it's a bit to dry and tart for me.

Murky, rich orange rust color.

White head; nice, if spotty, lacing.

Nose of strawberry, grass & muted caramel. Inviting.

Medium thick mouthfeel.

Sake cask asserts itself in the taste; I shit you not, it tastes like well preserved LP jackets from the late '60's/early '70's smell. Add the muted strawberries & light caramel (which is what I wish Barleywines' tasted like) plus a hop bite & you have a winner tailor made for, well, me.

I'd love to taste the fresh Belgian Brown without the cask aging; bet it's world class.

Classy looking bottle label artwork. I do notice a month & year date on the back of the bottle label Belgian style beers are usually hit or miss with me so let's see how this one goes. On to the beer, the pour is dark copper / medium brown into the snifter & the aroma is of dark candied fruits. Oh wow, I must say that both the aroma & taste is reminiscent of Trappistes Rochefort 8. I'm getting sweet dark candied fruits in the taste, slight roasted malt, some black cherry, slight cocoa, some toffee, & slight coffee & earth spice to round out the finish. There is a little sour taste in this beer as well but nothing too off putting. The booze is well hidden for an %8 beer. This beer is reminiscent of Trappistes Rochefort 8 but it drinks smoother. This is very well made, I am impressed with this beer folks. Well, at least now I can say that I had a beer that was aged in sake barrels. cheers! A-

 

This beer pours a rusty brown color with a ½” white foam cap, mild retention. Aromas of caramel malt, toffee, sweet rice, hint of clove spice, mild tart cherry and floral note. The flavor profile is smooth, with dark fruits, Belgian yeast esters, sake, oak, and clove working to form a fantastic twist on a Belgian Strong Dark ale flavor profile. The mouthfeel is smooth, filling, with a medium to thin thickness. Overall, a great example of a unique twist on the Belgian Strong Dark ale.

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Fruity and smooth
Roasted malt

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

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,

 

 

 

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.