Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale
Kiuchi Brewery

Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic AleHitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale
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From:
Kiuchi Brewery
 
Japan
Style:
English IPA
Ranked #15
ABV:
7%
Score:
86
Ranked #19,985
Avg:
3.8 | pDev: 11.58%
Reviews:
270
Ratings:
490
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 17, 2024
Added:
Jun 27, 2004
Wants:
  24
Gots:
  46
Hitachino Japanese Classic Ale is brewed following the original India Pale Ale brought to Japan in the 19th century . It is slowly matured in Cedar casks which are commonly used in the brewing of traditional Japanese sake.
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Rated: 4 by AbeO

Feb 17, 2024
 
Rated: 3.92 by blissfulNemo from Michigan

Oct 04, 2023
 
Rated: 4.41 by hopley from Massachusetts

Sep 29, 2023
 
Rated: 4.41 by Beecham from California

Apr 13, 2022
Photo of imnodoctorbut
Reviewed by imnodoctorbut from Texas

3.85/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
pours a hazy deep amber body with khakied frothy foam head that billows but then quickly falls back to a single finger in height, holding there with moderate retention, before sinking down to a thin patchy froth cap, leaving occasional splatters of thin lacing behind as it settles

aroma is woody, earthy, slightly floral, a tad boozy, and solidly hopped. very green and woodsy. kind of a unique shade for the IPA

taste follows that up with a honeyed sweetness, still running earthy and woody, but the sweetness could use more balancing for sure.

mouthfeel is high carbonation and medium bodied, running chewy, a little soapy feeling. finishes semi-dry and leaves a soapy feeling woodsy hop aftertaste that really sticks to the tongue

overall:
starts great, very promising, but the sweetness and mouthfeel were a bit of a bummer, throwing off potential balanced nirvana in a unique vein. i'm not noticing much in other reviews about the sweetness however, so I'll gladly seek out another bottle and hopefully update this review with higher praises, bc on paper, this brew sounds like it should be more enjoyable than I found it to be.
this was a bottle dated 9/21; could be the age on it
Feb 27, 2022
 
Rated: 4.16 by Howie9182

Feb 09, 2022
 
Rated: 3.75 by -Andrew- from Michigan

Nov 09, 2021
 
Rated: 3.5 by altrio

Oct 04, 2021
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Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.48/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 7.5%. Deep golden to amber colour, slightly hazy, big off-white head. Pleasant aroma of flowery and fruity hops, hints of cedar wood. The flavour has first a substantial malty sweetness with some notes of caramel and wood, followed by a distinct hoppy bitterness in the finish and a wormwoodlike bite in the aftertaste. An unusual balance of the flavour elements, but quite good.
May 05, 2021
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Rated by Pervy_Sage from Texas

4.31/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Like a ligh my barleywine with a drop of sake and a little cedar. Probably the best beer i’ve had from Hitachino.
Apr 14, 2021
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Rated by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

3.83/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Good beer - you can really taste the cedar on this. Not super hoppy but a tasty brew.
Jan 22, 2021
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Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

3.78/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
11.2oz bottle coded J.18.12e poured into a tulip pint glass at just above fridge temp 7% ABV. The beer pours hazy copper amber in color with light khaki head. The head recedes to a thin ring and island. Minimal lacing. The aroma is mild in strength featuring cedar, pale malt, sake and earthy hops in no particular order. The taste is semisweet caramel malt accented with earthy hops, a hint of sake and cedar and finishes with moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, good. I am a fan of IPAs finished on wood and it's not surprise that I enjoyed this one. Great balance.
Dec 04, 2020
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Reviewed by maddogruss from New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Had this from a bottle in 2013:
A: pours an orange amber body with small white head with ok retention and lacing
S: somewhat sweet, slightly floral smelling beer
T: pretty sweet tasting beer; a little floral with some alcohol and subtle bitter notes
M: crisp and light bodied; pretty smooth
D: nice mouthfeel and taste combo; pretty decent overall
Nov 18, 2020
 
Rated: 4.07 by vrbulldog22 from Ohio

Jun 23, 2020
Photo of Greywulfken
Reviewed by Greywulfken from New York

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I'm no English IPA expert, bu the citrusy brightness of this beer makes me think it is more like an "American" IPA - that aside, a fairly amber-colored beer, hazy but not opaque... "matured in Cedar casks which are commonly used in the brewing of traditional Japanese sake" - I don't know if that means matured in sake casks or casks *similar* to those used to age sake, but this is a solid beer - so far Kiuchi's Hitachino Nest beers are 3 for 3... Give it a try...
May 01, 2020
 
Rated: 4.3 by Gkguliani from Minnesota

Feb 27, 2020
 
Rated: 3.5 by rare_bird from Michigan

Dec 03, 2019
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Reviewed by monkist from Hungary

4.45/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Let me tell you first off: this is a great beer! It has the trademarks of a great English IPA and it takes it even higher, to a level that perhaps no real English IPAs could reach!
Imagine it like this: you have a malty, bitter English-hopped IPA, but made smooth, almost sweet like caramel, toffee and vanilla but very faintly, just enough to make the flavor extremely pleasant. It is far from being truly sweet, still it feels sweet in a sense like something that makes you happy.
At the same time, it is still hoppy so it doesn’t get heavy or too malty like a porter or a stout. It IS a real (English) IPA, but made into a piece of art.
The only question: why is it called a Japanese Classic Ale? Most of the Japanese brewers can’t make such a thing, maybe only Kiuchi with Hitachino Nest...
But nevertheless, it is a classic. Glad I bought it (and it is a rare statement indeed when it comes to Japanese beers!)
Nov 22, 2019
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Reviewed by Brew_42 from Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
L: pours a hazy orange/Amber with a very fine head.

A: candied orange, pine/cedar, Malts

T: Follows the nose closely. Candied orange and caramel maltiness that leads into a slightly piney bitterness. Really refreshing beer.

MF: somehow bubbly but also oily. Pleasant.

Overall: this a super refreshing beer that I’m shocked I took so long to try. Definitely a fantastic pale ale with strong flavor.
Nov 07, 2019
 
Rated: 4.06 by bryanzk from Canada (ON)

Oct 26, 2019
Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale from Kiuchi Brewery
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 490 ratings