Hapa Beer - Great Divide Brewing Company

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.55/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

made special for hapa sushi. pours a hazy pale yellow color with some white fluff on top. smells a bit like hefe yeast, and some unique grains, which i can only assume is the rice. flavor is surprisingly good, some hops in there for balance, slightly fruity from the yeast, and with a very refreshing briskness to it. pairs amazingly well with raw fish. feel is nice, light and drinkable, well carbonated, which again is nice with the sushi. overall a cool beer, personally i think its better than the samurai rice beer. definitely far superior to the sapporos and the kirins of the sushi culinary domain!

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2012 19:27:52 | More by StonedTrippin

OttoBomb

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +12%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap in a 16 oz. conical pint glass at Hapa Sushi Grill & Sake Bar (April 21, 2010).

This was served at Hapa's Cherry Creek location. The drink menu stated that this was a Japanese rice beer brewed specifically for Hapa by Great Divide Brewing. I'll also note that this is an entirely different beer than the other "Hapa Beer" brewed by Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery.

Eyes: Pours a clear light golden color typical of a lighter macro brew. A thin layer of white head dissipates rather quickly. Not too much to see here.

Nose: I take a good inhale and...Hops! A rich aroma of grassy floral hops. Certainly not what I was expecting from a rice beer.

Tongue: Clean and near maltless, but there is a nice hop profile similar to a American Pale Ale. The hops are floral, a bit grassy and quite flavorful. Not overpowering, but enough to make a statement.

Mouth: Crisp, smooth, and a nice finish. Carbonation is just right.

Libation: For me, a nice refreshing hoppy lager is about as good a pairing you can get with sushi. As a fan of good sushi and good beer, I'll be back here the next time I'm in Denver.

As a style, rice lagers tend to be relegated to a secondary status. I'm pleased someone decided to try something interesting with one.

Serving type: on-tap

05-01-2010 05:00:01 | More by OttoBomb