Hitachino Nest Weizen - Kiuchi Brewery

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Hazy golden straw brew with a large foamy head and a thick ring of`lacing.

S - Coriander, sour grapes, and allspice.

T - Mild spicy brew - allspice, coriander, nutmeg, cinnamon. Sour aftertaste that resounds of grapes.

M - Smooth, thin, refreshing.

D - Good. Easy to drink, worth a try. Another winner from Kiuchi.

Serving type: on-tap

06-02-2007 00:35:09 | More by mrasskicktastic

rainydays2020

New York

3.71/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Drank it from a tulip glass. I don't remember the specifics as I drank it yesterday afternoon. It had a very dry Japanese, Sapporo-esque dryness that I didn't prefer at first. After a few sips it really grew on me. An interesting Beer with a very light smell.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 21:19:36 | More by rainydays2020

metter98

New York

3.76/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A: The beer is hazy pale yellow in color and has a moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a half finger high white head that died down and left a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of wheat are present in the nose along with notes of bananas.
T: The taste very much follows the smell and has flavors of wheat and bananas. There are some hints of spices towards the finish.
M: It feels light-bodied on the palate and has a moderate to high amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is easy to drink and is a good representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 15:08:38 | More by metter98

Hoppsbabo

United Kingdom (England)

3.96/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Cloudy straw yellow. Big white head.

S: General wheat smell and a sherbet-like yeast aroma.

T: Full flavoured with a bit of banana. Slightly bitter for a weizen which is fine by me. Tiny bit of marzipan and some coriander right at the back as it's going down the gullet.

M: Not much in the way of carbonation, which I like.

O: Better than your average weizen but not quite top notch. I bought it in Korea which is next to Japan and yet it was ludicrously expensive. Otherwise it's a very sessionable beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 00:04:08 | More by Hoppsbabo

Serge

Alberta (Canada)

3.3/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

It pours a nice, hazy orange-golden body with a small off-white head. Slightly yeasty nose with some banana and lemon, sweetness and a little bit of cloves. Almost syrupy sweet in the mouth, with some fruity sourness, cloves and banana. Strange, but quite nice, even though it’s far from the regular hefeweizen. Effervescent. Lemony, acidic finish. For a hefeweizen, it’s both very sweet and very sour.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 04:45:24 | More by Serge

merc7186

New York

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into pint glass.

A: Hazy Orangish Hue, Passes Most Light, White Head Ring, Mild Lacing

S: Wheat, Oranges

T: Corn, Wheat, Mild Oranges, Mild Cane Sugar

M: Mediocre Carbonation, Light to Medium Bodied, Mildly Sweet

Overall, the carbonation was a little lacking but the taste was good enough, definitely not worth the 5.69/bottle that I paid though.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 21:03:53 | More by merc7186

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

2.78/5  rDev -26.1%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This beer poured out as a bright yellow color with some floating particles in there. The head is fizzy and white. No retention or lacing at all on this beer. The smell of the beer is a little spicy, the traditional clove aromas are there. The aroma doesn't give off my o the soft bready aromas that I feel it should. The taste of the beer has a big clove flavor with a minimal banana flavor like most have. The mouthfeel of the beer was a little high in carbonation and a bit watery. Overall I wasn't very impressed with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 22:28:49 | More by Knapp85

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is golden yellow with a relatively reserved head that disappates quickly. Minimal lacing on the glass. Mouthfeel is good with finer carbonation bubbles - somewhat creamy but more present on the front end. Smells of citrus and mild grassy hopping. Taste is clean and refreshing - nice citrus and spices.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 23:26:35 | More by Oakenator

sfprint

Germany

3.33/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: I love the color. an almost flourescent orangy yellow, very hazy. but basically no head.
S: Yes, hefeweizen like, but somehow creamier and smoother. banana cream yeast
T: watery. not a very full flavor, okay but a bit sour. unimpressive but okay.
M: sharp numbing, but otherwise flat.
O: Mediocre but okay.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 00:31:30 | More by sfprint

bluHatter

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Really light, crisp and clean looking beer. Lots of bubbles, but only about 1 finger of quickly fading head.

S: Nice wheat and slightly cirtrusy or lemony sweet aroma. Some clove. Just slightly musky. Nicely balanced.

T: Very nice signature Hitachino bite. I haven't met a Hitachino I haven't loved, and this is no exception. Wonderfully deep and complex without being overpowering. One of their lighter offerings, but still worth checking out. Delicious beer.

M: Great carbonation, a bit of an alcohol scrape on the swallow, but nothing too bad. Mild alcohol and clove aftertaste.

O: Another great beer from Kiuchi Brewery. Not their best work, but certainly better than most.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 01:16:57 | More by bluHatter

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a cloudy straw yellow in color. The beer has a quarter finger tall white head that very quickly reduces to a small patch of extremely thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass.

S: There are moderate strong aromas of banana and clove, some lighter notes of citrus/orange, and hints of Belgian yeast.

T: The flavors are very similar to the aroma, the beer has a huge banana presence. After that, there is a substantial clove notes and some lemony citrus in the finish. Also, there is a slightly spicy note from the Belgian yeast that is bordering on peppery.

M: On the lighter side of medium bodied with low to moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: This beer is very refreshing, enjoyable, and easy to drink. I think this beer is very sessionable and would be great at a summer cook-out.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 22:09:23 | More by dbrauneis

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Weizen glass welcomes a cloudy light orange brew. Capped with a finger of head. 3.5

Meaty banana aroma with a fantastic clove character. Sweet wheat grains and ripe fruits. Very light bubblegum and orange. Pretty effin' fantastic. 4.5

Clove steps in to match the massive banana flavors. Lemony kick feels out the finish. Lively spice notes that border on peppery. Sourdough malts reminiscent of the tanginess. Pretty exceptional. 4.0

Milky liquid feel. Easy drinking. There is, however, an unexpected alcohol bite in the mouth. 4.0

Amazing smelling hefe with great feel and great flavor. Not as complex as the Germans, but comparable overall. 4.0

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 02:14:30 | More by thecheapies

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.58/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Cloudy, golden & thin bubbly white head with ok retention.

Spicy yeast and banana aroma to begin with along with some coriander and a lot of spice to it. There is a tiny amount of clove and a very fruity, citrus infused.

A very spicey and banana tasting beer that has touches of clove, coriander and citrus throughout. I also detected some yeast and wheat.

Light medium in body and with a lot of spice and good carbonation. There is a good refreshing taste too.

A very nice beer although probably not good enough to rank alongside the beer German hefeweizens, still a solid effort though with a good banana flavour that was pretty refreshing.

1001 Beers Blog:
http://abarwithnoname.wordpress.com

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 13:36:47 | More by flyingpig

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.93/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

For those who like their Hefes very bananay and clovey- well, here ya go!

A creamy and medium gold pour rounds the glass with a medium haze and no apparent yeast sedement- surprising in that most are much more hazy and has obvious yeast particles floating about. A creamy and light head builds from the liquid and forms a cotton white cap that dissapates quickly and without the classic lace of traditional hefeweizens.

Very estery aromas of apples and bananas quickly become the more prevailant of the beer's scent. Matched with the balance of clove gives a sweeter spicy note that offers a bit of complexity against the sweet wheat malt base.

Sweet to taste with wheat malt, light breads, yeast, and powdered sugar. The counterpart of banana and apples rise, but the banana character certainly dominates the flavor. A balance of clove spice and lemon-like acidity supports the banana ester but doesn't rival for attention, just lurking a bit behind. Light alcohol taste of mint, wood, acetone, and a hint of herbal hops give just a hint of variety in finish.

Bready and sweet textured as well, with a focus on malty creaminess that lingers well into finish where the mild and minty alcohol warmth and semi-sweet closure. Low in bite and dryness, this beer should apease those with a sweet tooth.

Low on complexity, this Hefeweizen is focused on banana and clove, and little else. Low-lying peppery character, lemony acidity, or malt dryness hinders the beer slightly but the signature banana/clove balance is spot on!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 03:23:50 | More by BEERchitect

GinaBeerInc

California

3.28/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Clear golden lively body. The head is a fomay white pillow. The aroma is wheat with hints of esthers. The flavor contains much more esthery banana then the aroma, in fact this is the dominant flavor with wheat playing second fiddle with some other floral flavors in the backup band. The body is nice and very drinkable. Better than I had expected.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 19:49:14 | More by GinaBeerInc

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hitachino Nest Weizen
Kiuchi Brewery

12oz stubby bottle. Pours a hazed straw color, head retention is low. Smells of wheat malt, lending musty hay and lemon scents. In the taste, mild banana notes, rye like spice, possibly from a peppery hop concoction. Grassy, noble type hop. Mouthfeel is light/light medium bodied , juicy and spicy. A really nice wheat beer, good flavor and body.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 06:27:32 | More by Stinkypuss

champ103

Texas

3.45/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a pretty much clear golden/yellow color. A towering white head forms with good retention. The foam finally recedes and leaves some rings of lace. Seems like this is filtered.
S: A big spicy clove aroma hits the nose right up front. Actually the clove was so powerful that it sent me into a sneezing and coughing fit. A shock to the senses. Lots of banana esters fairly sweet in the nose as well.
T: After the initial shock from the nose, I was a bit more prepared for the heavy dose of spicy clove here. Again banana esters and a lingering sweetness.
M/D: A medium body but a bit lifeless. I wish there was some more carbonation. It is also to slick/oily for my liking. Easy to drink. I will have no problem finishing the bottle.

A nice Hefeweizen, if a bit on the thin side. I would almost call this a Krystalweizen because I think this is filtered. Though not a big deal. Check it out.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 23:48:57 | More by champ103

chefelf

New York

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This weizen from Kiuchi was a good beer but not completely what you'd expect from a weizen.

Overall I've enjoyed the Hitachino Nest line of beers but I can't help wondering why they are priced so high. They're good but at $4.99 a bottle they should be great.

For less than half the price you could get an excellent German weizen. For a third the price you can get a decent American weizen.

Again, it's a good beer but I think for what it is it is a bit on the expensive side.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2011 18:14:29 | More by chefelf

paperbackfoster

Missouri

4.22/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Starting with a light, thin pour, the immediate impression you get from this beer comes from one of its biggest highlights: the carbonation. A solid one-finger head quickly froths up, fluffy as a cupcake with an intense column of fizz bubbling underneath.

The smell's a telltale lightly sweet scent of yeast with just a hint of berry, bitter/tangy spice, and citrus zest.

Taking a drink, it's tart, almost like a green apple. This is quickly followed by the smooth wheat, finishing with the citric hit of lemon/lime. Not being a fan of sweet beers myself, this one tackles the idea with a tartness that can stand for bitterness. It has the quality of a fruity beer, particularly the light/refreshing factor, but it's not at all syrupy or sucrotic.

The big star here, though, is still the carbonation for me. It almost feels like a shandy, all on its own. With high acidity and a consistently tingly mouthfeel, this is a great summer brew, as well as a good spacer for those long sessions.

Overall - if it wasn’t for the yeasty tartness, I’d barely call it a weizen. I agree with those I’m finding that call it a wit, and more on the belgian side at that. Good for those that want a summer, lawnmower beer but don’t want to abandon the sour notes of bigger beers.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2011 07:07:20 | More by paperbackfoster

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

2.83/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Another bottle out of my now-infamous basement. I am happy to be emptying it out over the course of the summer, if anyone cares to join me.

My pour resulted in a lovely finger-and-a-half of fluffy eggnog-colored head with good retention. Color was a cloudy deep-brown, like fresh-squeezed apple cider. Nose was citrusy, like a lemon had already been squeezed into it. Mouthfeel was thin, kind of watery with a gentle wheat flavor and not much else. It could have used a squeeze/slice of lemon or something, anything. Finish was bland and unassuming. Not a very good iteration of the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 22:07:28 | More by woodychandler

EORS

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Hefeweizen glass.

Appearance: Pours a pale gold with a large, billowing ecru head. Very minimal lacing. Active carbonation.

Smell: Tangy citrus and green apple, with a musty, spicy aroma from the yeast

Taste: Very big on citrus. Pleasantly tart.

Mouthfeel: Refreshing and full, the carbonation comes to life as you sip the beer.

Overall: Big on flavor and very refreshing, this is a very enjoyable beer. However, it really isn't a Hefeweizen: it tastes and is built more like a Wit, and really can't get full marks for the style. I haven't been able to find their White Ale, but if it's similar to this one, I'll really enjoy drinking it.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 02:26:44 | More by EORS

schmoopsbeer

California

3.6/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

poured into pint glass

Color: Vibrant orange with golden notes at the core. No head or vi sable lacing is left on the glass. Little carbonation also.

Nose: Coriander, lemon zest and other citrus hit the nose with potency. Hints of grass and orange peel.

Palate: The tartness is the first thing your tongue gets. It is followed by a semi sweet orange and some light sourness from the lemon. This is light bodied beer and its soft and refreshing too.

Finish: Long and tart. goes down clean with waves of lemon zest and grassy notes, but not very complex. Lacks texture and a bit of presence at the back end.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2011 05:24:47 | More by schmoopsbeer

vfgccp

New York

3.98/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A – Pale yellow gold / light grade honey. Pours a loose icky head that settles quickly into a light dusting, leaving little lace.

S – Bright, tart, acidic nose. Crisp wheat with green apple.

T – Acidity accelerates to a quick crescendo over a light wheat backdrop. Once it peaks, the acidity trappers off slowly, leaving a trail of tart apple, peach pit, and plant stems.

M – Medium / light body. Soft, with a light carbonation for the style.

O – Built closer to a Berliner Weisse than a Hefeweizen, but struggles under either categorization. As a Hefe the acidity is heavy and off-balance, and as a Berliner the tartness and acidity are actually mild for the style. Overall though, the beer is drinkable as is – it doesn’t beg for a shot of sugar like a solid Berliner does. The profile this beer brings to the table pairs nicely with light, but rich meals like coconut Thai curries. The acid cuts the fat and substitutes for a lime accent on the dish, but the relatively low carbonation keeps it from punching through bigger curries like Indian Kormas and Tikka Masala.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2011 23:52:31 | More by vfgccp

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - cloudy golden with a thumb of white head that dissipated quickly, leaving very little head anywhere
S - sweet banana and sour peach, light wheat note
T - strong flavour dominated by yeast esters of sour apricot, some light banana, light spice note, the wheat malt is there but burried
M - prominent carbonation kick, somewhat light with a strong puckering tangy feel
O - definitely on the tangier fruitier end of the hefe spectrum, enjoyable and flavourful, but different than a traditional hefe

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2011 02:47:41 | More by joemcgrath27

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

330ml bottle, 5.5% ABV. I haven't subjected myself to that Battling Seizure Robots-afflicted owl on Hitachino's labels for a while now...

This beer pours a cloudy, bright golden orange hue, with one skinny finger of sudsy white head, which settles quite quickly, rendering little in the way of lace. It smells of sharp grain, musty yeast, citrus, banana, and clove - all bases covered. The taste is sweet wheat malt, bitter, acidic citrus pith, lemon zest, and earthy, dry floral yeast, which just seem to add to the overall tartness . The proclaimed banana-like flavour is pretty much AWOL. The carbonation is average, though a bit airy, the body compensating somewhat in its fruity weightiness. It finishes fairly dry, the acidic fruitiness tugging things in that direction.

While this has a nice Deutschlander in Nippon complexity and thoroughness, the overwrought bitter (dry, acidic, sour) edge detracts from an otherwise enjoyable hefe.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2011 22:04:03 | More by biboergosum