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Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale
Kiuchi Brewery
- From:
- Kiuchi Brewery
- Japan
- Style:
- English IPA
Ranked #15 - ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #19,956 - Avg:
- 3.8 | pDev: 11.58%
- Reviews:
- 270
- Ratings:
- 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.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jaymirage:
Reviewed by jaymirage from Massachusetts
4/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Brown bottle, 11.2 ounces. Pouring reveals a cloudy oak, with some very, very acceptable head-retention. The retention is definitely where this beer shines.
Hoppy, slight sweetness balances out an initially striking bitterness, followed by more hoppiness. This is solid. A fine example of the capabilities of the IPA, but nothing outstanding. I always find Hitachino beers really quirky, and this beer has impressed me more than the rest of the line. I don't go for IPAs, but this one is pretty swell. The mouthfeel is full, but not overwhelming. Carbonation is moderate, and drinkability is good. The relatively high alcohol content is very well-balanced, especially with the lingering hoppy aftertaste. Worth a look.
Aug 28, 2005Hoppy, slight sweetness balances out an initially striking bitterness, followed by more hoppiness. This is solid. A fine example of the capabilities of the IPA, but nothing outstanding. I always find Hitachino beers really quirky, and this beer has impressed me more than the rest of the line. I don't go for IPAs, but this one is pretty swell. The mouthfeel is full, but not overwhelming. Carbonation is moderate, and drinkability is good. The relatively high alcohol content is very well-balanced, especially with the lingering hoppy aftertaste. Worth a look.
More User Ratings:
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
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, 2022aroma 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
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
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, 2021Rated by Pervy_Sage from Texas
4.31/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
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, 2021Rated by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois
3.83/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
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, 2021Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana
3.78/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
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, 2020Reviewed 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
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, 2020A: 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
Reviewed by Greywulfken from New York
4/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
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, 2020Reviewed 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
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, 2019Imagine 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!)
Reviewed by Brew_42 from Massachusetts
4.18/5 rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
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, 2019A: 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.
Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale from Kiuchi Brewery
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
490 ratings
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