Hitachino Nest Commemorative Ale - Kiuchi Brewery

Boto

Connecticut

4.35/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

330ml bottle: 2011 version. This one pours a hazy amber color. There was almost no head on it, and what was there was off-white. This one has a really nice nose. Definitely spicy, with coriander at the top of the list. A bit peppery too. The taste very good. Peppery and coriander notes on top of a malty brew. There is a slight tartness and bitterness to the taste. Definitely some fruity notes, and very complex. A really nice brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 00:12:34 | More by Boto

UCLABrewN84

California

3.74/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

On tap at Beachwood BBQ & Brewing in Long Beach, CA.

Pours a clear golden orange with a foamy bone head that fades to nothing. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, honey, and slight spice aromas. Taste is much the same with honey and spice flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that smells slightly better than it tastes in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2013 02:40:25 | More by UCLABrewN84

stcules

Italy

2.6/5  rDev -31.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Hazy orange,a lmost no foam, and floating chunks.
Spicy smell, strange: cinnamon, corianderm in a strange mix. Decent malty base.
Some sugar in the mouth, but again spices, more strong, for a sweet candy effect, quite tiring, realy.
Light body, the aftertaste starts with a soft sugariness, but quickly overwhelmed by a too strong spiciness.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 20:15:55 | More by stcules

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2010 version. Pours a amber to brown with a full, frothy and easily two finger head at pour. Cloudy in appearance - looks hearty. Head disappates over time. Not much lacing. Smell is spices and orange citrus. Strong orange gives it alcohol presence even on the nose. Taste is semi-sweet with more spice presence - vanilla and coriander. Orange peel is present and gives some burn on the back of the throat but not overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 01:34:20 | More by Oakenator

Jayman931

Mississippi

3.88/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Hitachino Nest Commemorative Ale 2011
11.2oz bottle served in a snifter 8%

Very nice orange/amber color...white head that disappeared pretty quickly.

Decent malt smell and faint spices (hint of licorice and some orange and I guess the other is coriander)...wouldn't hurt to have a little more but this is 2 years old.

Its a solid beer. I would purchase it again. Really nice malt character but not overboard. Little caramel with light spices. I bet if this were a newer vintage it would have more spice flavor to it but I was expecting a little more spice but i am very okay with the lighter spice flavor.

Mouth feel is good. Well balanced and no heat from the alcohol.

Over all I think its a solid ale. I have had quite a few better...but have had a ton alot worse.

Cheers

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 03:42:54 | More by Jayman931

cliff1066

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hitachino Nest Commemorative Ale 2012, 8% ABV.
Pours a frothy light amber head with moderate retention with a deminishing head.
Aroma is malt, hops and spices - coriander and nutmeg feature with hints of vanilla and
cinnamon.
Flavor is a mix of fruity flavors, citrus, and spices, with a decent malty backbone, late vanilla, coriander and nutmeg notes. The alcohol is well hidden.
Overall very drinkable spiced beer reminiscent of a belgian.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 05:03:15 | More by cliff1066

IDontBelieveYou

4.01/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

This beer, and the brewery, ignite an expectation of greatness that is not executed in this brew. The expectation of greatness almost is the downfall of this beer itself. If I had discovered it in a back alley, I'd want in engraved on my epitaph... it's intriguing texture, body, and mouth filling properties ... with citrus, banana, dominican republic essence, session potential, paired with balance and complexity .... yay beer. but i've seen you do better

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 01:25:43 | More by IDontBelieveYou

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.2/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a hazy caramel orange amber with a half-finger off-white head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, orange, banana, holiday spicing, especially cinnamon. Festive. Flavor follows with caramel malt, orange citrus, coriander, cinnomaon clove and a hint of ginger. Well integrated. Finish somewhat thinner with residual spices, caramel and orange. Very pleasant creamy medium body. I enjoyed this take on a Belgian inspired holiday ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 04:26:14 | More by LiquidAmber

CloudStrife

New York

3.98/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

11.2 oz bottle poured into a snifter. 2012 on the label.

A: Pours a bright ruby orange with a 1 finger white head. Some visible carbonation but a fairly cloudy brew. Head sticks around for a minute or two before fleeting to the edges. Leaves some lacing on the edge of the glass. Layers nicely in the glass.

S: At first I get a banana like yeast from it. Reminds me of a German wheat beer. There is still some spicing you can pull through but it is fairly light. A pretty fruity aspect to it, raisin or fig, also orange.

T: As with the smell I do get a yeasty banana taste, not too much spice but the vanilla seems to mellow things out. Pretty complex, takes you on a ride from the banana to a sweet malt, vanilla and even a hop kick at the end.

M: Medium bodied with a creamy velvety mouthfeel. Real easy drinking. Sort of low carbonation.

Overall always a beer I look forward to. Have had the last few years and it continues to ease in the winter season. Great mix of german roots and new age spices.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 23:15:32 | More by CloudStrife

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy orange-ish color with an off white head. In the aroma, mellow citrus hops and coriander, with a faint gingerbread like malt. In the taste, a mellow gingerbread like malt with an orange citrus hop, coriander, and some other spices to make it come alive. A slight bite and a medium bodied mouthfeel, with a dry orange citrus hop in the aftertaste. Nice hops, spice, and mellow malt.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 16:47:05 | More by OWSLEY069

JohnnyMc

Ohio

3/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

First ever beer from Japan that I have tried.

Pours out a fairly dark orange with hints of ruby red and a nice 2 finger off-white fluffy head.

The aroma is heavy on the coriander and citrus notes with hints of malt and yeast.

The taste is dominated by the coriander and citrus notes and then those fade to a slightly sweet malty character and then that fades into a nutmeg/cinnamon with spicy characteristics. All the flavor are pleasant, but they don't seem to mix/blend together which is a little odd.

Overall, a very nice beer for this style and I'll have to pick up more from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 19:32:32 | More by JohnnyMc

PatrickSwayze

California

2.7/5  rDev -28.6%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A: Pours a light orange with a haggard foggy brown tent to it. Not the prettiest looking beer

S: Orange peel rolls into your nose like a blistering freight train

T: Orange peal mixed with ginger followed by a light hint of vanilla bean and finally apple spice . Not sure if it really works together, as the flavors seem to detract from each other. On paper it sounds good but not really a well rounded beer.

M:  Full bodied with a medium dry finish. Nice carbonation

O: This beer was one of those that had such potential but kind of fell short. It is worth a  try but kind of unimpressive

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 04:49:27 | More by PatrickSwayze

metter98

New York

3.85/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is very hazy golden yellowish orange in color with some fine particles visible floating in suspension and a moderate amount of carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high dense off white head that died down but consistently left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface and coating the sides of the glass.
S: There are moderate enticing aromas of orange peel in the nose along with some hints of coriander spices.
T: The taste has flavors of cantaloupe melons and orange peel along with hints of nutmeg and vanilla beans.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a bit smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: Although the alcohol was well hidden from the taste, this is an interesting beer that is probably better off as one to be sipped.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 01:58:30 | More by metter98

superspak

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

11.2 ounce bottle into tulip, bottle code of NY.11.11(presumably November 2011?). Pours hazy reddish orange color with a nice 1-2 finger dense off white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Some slight spotty lacing on the glass. Aromas of big bubblegum, coriander, orange peel, banana, cinnamon, pepper, wheat, caramel, vanilla, biscuit, and yeast spices. Very nice aromas here with good strength and complexity. Taste of big banana, bubblegum, pepper, coriander, cinnamon, caramel, clove, nutmeg, orange zest, wheat, biscuit, and yeast spices. Slight spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, banana, bubblegum, pepper, orange zest, and yeast spices on the finish for a good bit. Great balance of flavors with good complexity. Medium carbonation and body; with a nice creamy and slightly slick mouthfeel. Very easy to drink for 8%; with hardly any alcohol warming noticed on the finish. Overall this is a great spiced amber ale. A lot of great flavors that have nice complexity and balance.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 03:14:54 | More by superspak

kojevergas

California

3.23/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Commemorative Ale 2011.

11.2 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a pilsner glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live.

A: Pours a one finger head of fair cream, decent thickness, and pretty good retention for the ABV. Colour is a nontransparent light grapefruit red. Generally appealing - it's beer.

Sm: Bright fruit, clean malts, some toasted or caramelized malt, spices, cream, chestnut, caramel, perhaps plum, and hints of floral hops. A mild to moderate strength aroma.

T: Caramelized and toasted malts, subdued fruit notes - none of them distinct, chestnut, hints of floral hops, and varied bright clean malts. Decently balanced but lackluster and a bit scattershot. Built okay. No alcohol comes through, an impressive feat. Indistinct. I don't detect vanilla bean even when I search for it.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with adequate thickness and carbonation. Complements the flavours generally, but doesn't feel tailored to them.

Dr: Drinkable but not impressive. I like it but I wouldn't have it again, especially at import prices. I imagine it's quite well-priced in Japan, but here it's too much for its limited quality.

High C+

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 06:59:05 | More by kojevergas

ToddT

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Light orange amber colored liquid topped with a medium off white head. The head fades quickly to a ring and leaves a little lace on the glass.

S- Sweet malt, caramel, clove, spice, and orange.

T- Notes of orange and ginger balanced out with a nice malt and caramel backbone. Finish is semisweet and dry.

M- Medium in body and carbonation. It has a nice clean finish and is refreshing.

O- A nice surprise, I wasn't sure what I was getting into with this one and it was really good. The 9.0% ABV was equally surprising I didn't notice it at all. If you run across this one try it.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 04:47:39 | More by ToddT

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a hazy golden yellow to light orange with a half finger tall beige head. Head reduces quickly to a thing ring of bubbles at the edges of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Very soft, not an intense aroma. Orange, ginger, vanilla, floral notes, coriander, and some sweet malts are present.

T: Light hint of alcohol is observed. Flavors are dominated by zesty orange and spices - ginger, coriander, cinnamon, and vanilla. The finish is grassy and earthy.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation and a slightly dry finish.

O: Not as spicy as I was thinking it might have been - the spices are more subtle and that improves the enjoyment of this beer. Very interesting flavor profile but slightly lacking in the nose. Glad that I tried this beer which is a good example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2012 18:56:41 | More by dbrauneis

donmonkey1

Tennessee

2.73/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Appearance: Cloudy brown with an enormous head. It recedes at a nice rate but must be poured slowly. Nice lacing from the frothy tan head. There appears to be good carbonation but it's hard to see through the murky head.

Smell: Raisins, caramel, sweet malt.

Taste: Cloves, corriander, some type of sweet and sour fruit.

To be fair, I think this is probably a good, well made beer, but I just don't like it at all. It's got some spices I can't identify and I don't care because I'll never drink this beer again unless it's all I have. I have had a lot worse beers though.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 23:13:13 | More by donmonkey1

bluHatter

Michigan

5/5  rDev +32.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

My bottle was labelled "Commemorative Ale 2009". One would expect it to be a little past its prime, but that was not the case.

A: Pours as almost 100% big bubbly head, which slowly melts into a bright red/amber color. Lots of bubbles, but mine didn't gush as others have reported.

S: Old wooden cask, musky flowers, spice... wow there's a lot here. Phenomenal.

T: Dry oak, red rice, sweet malts and vinegar. Extremely unique flavor, really brilliantly balanced. The wood notes are so vivid they bring a tear to the eye.

M: Perfect carbonation. Medium bodied. Brilliant.

O: Kiuchi Brewery does it again. I am blown away by this ale, even 3 years after its prime. The only problem is that now my store has run out, and I doubt they will get it again. So sad!

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 01:40:16 | More by bluHatter

Pintofbrown

Iowa

3.78/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This gusher was poured into a nonic pint glass.

Appearance- A hazy, marigold body with darker highlights has quite the impressive head. It is a white and mountainous, two-finger scoop of dense foam.

Smell- The nose is very soft for a spiced beer. All I am really getting are some oranges and biscuit malt. Maybe the ginger and vanilla will be on the palate?

Taste- That orange hits the palate right away, thankfully, it is paired with some ginger. It builds more spice as the drink progresses, cinnamon and coriander mainly.

The finish is a little too boozy for my tastes, earthy and spicy. The nice sweetness is gone at this point.

Mouth feel- The body feels just fine, a solid medium. And it does go over the tongue pretty smooth. The main complaint here is it is a little caustic from the boozy finish.

Overall- The spices used should make for an interesting, and good beer. However, they are a little too all over the place, and do not end up complimenting each other very well.

Maybe the vanilla that this beer was brewed with would have served to even things out, but it is nowhere in this beer.

The sweetness of the drink should not die so quickly. I also did not appreciate how dominating the booziness was in the finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 03:47:27 | More by Pintofbrown

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

GUSHER ALERT!!!
Poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a cloudy burnt orange with 3 fingers of fluffy head that dissipates extremely slow. Good lacing and moderate carbonation.

N: Banana, orange juice, hints of coriander and strawberry. There's also a subtle funk and a hint of nutmeg.

T: Strawberry banana upfront along with orange cream flavors and some funk. More orange cream mid-palate along with some lemon zest and grassy noble hops. Finishes with some beautiful funk notes of barnyard, hay, grass, earth and peppercorn. There's also some lingering hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and possibly ginger.

M: Medium bodied, creamy, smooth, spicy and refreshing.

O: The spice notes are not as pronounced as I expected which is nice. Beautiful blanket of Belgian funk really takes over and I love that. Strawberry, banana and citrus notes are huge. Finishes similar to a funky Saison. Complex with no alcohol presence.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 15:42:20 | More by justintcoons

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured out as an amber color with a cream colored head on top. The smell of the beer was a little on the spicy side with some sweet malts shining through. The taste of the beer has some nice herbal flavors that I found pretty interesting. The mouthfeel was well balanced and was drinkable with a good carbonation. Overall this beer was pretty good, it's one that I would be interested revisiting.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 02:47:22 | More by Knapp85

TheHoppiest

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up at Warehouse Beverage. The label identifies this as being a 2011 vintage ale.

Poured into a small chalice from a short, squat 330 ml bottle. Pours a reddish-orange color, with a minimal white head that quickly dissipates. The color nicely catches the light, giving it a gem-like appearance.

Has a spicy-sweet aroma, with cinnamon, banana, nutmeg and corriander. A mild malt gives it a bit of a bready smell as well.

Whoa, this is one spicy mama! Aromatic, this is as much a tea as it is a beer. Nutmeg, corriander, allspice, banana, and vanilla creme combine for a very flavorful brew. There is a bit of an acidic, bitter-dry finish, like from the pith of an orange. Finishes, in fact, a bit like a wassail.

Medium bodied with a dry finish, the sweetness of this does begin to tax the feel a bit.

A sweet, aromatic brew, this is one time I'm glad Hitachino Nest comes in a small bottle. While I enjoyed this ale quite a bit, a little bit of this intense beer goes a long way.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 02:42:05 | More by TheHoppiest

mooseo

Pennsylvania

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

12oz bottle poured into tulip.

A - Cloudy orange amber with a modest white head that quickly dissipates.

S - Sweet fruit aromas mixed with yeast, caramel malt, and peppery spice.

T - Taste follows the nose, with delicious orange and banana flavors hitting first. Caramel malt is present throughout, with cinnamon and other spices coming in at the end. Spice and grainy malts linger into the aftertaste.

M - Medium bodied with a creamy feel. Mildly carbonated.

D - I'm glad I picked this up. Well balanced and highly drinkable. The high alcohol is not very noticeable. This is definitely one of the better herbed/spiced beers available.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 01:27:43 | More by mooseo

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.88/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked this up at macadoodles in Springdale, AR; not sure if this is a freshness date, but NY 11.07 is at the bottom right of the rear label...

Pours a very effervescent copper with a pinky of fast fading cream colored head. Some lacing & head retention

S: Juicy fruit gum & white grapes

T: Ginger, cinnamon & apple peel with a touch of juicy fruit gum up front (this is actually working for me). The spices seize the day as this warms along with some pear brandy. Finishes warming with a nice mix of spices, some green apple peel & a touch of orange peel showing up very late to the party..

MF: Medium bodied, spritzy carbonation with a warming sensation. Thins out a tad as this warms

The spice mix in this beer works well, this is a bit of an odd bird, but pretty enjoyable. Would go great with dessert, or most Asian food

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 03:28:36 | More by russpowell