Hitachino Nest 3 Days - Kiuchi Brewery

nimrod979

Maryland

3.53/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

550ml bottle into a Hoegaarden glass.

Appearance: Clear amber color threw me off, was expecting this to be a lot lighter in color. One finger beige head that just never seems to go away. Spotty lacing here and there.

Aroma: Interesting brown sugar, caramel malt. Notes of fruit and
ome musty basement funk.

Taste: Sweet caramel malt. More brown sugar. Yeasty slight spice. Basement funky flavors. Hints of fruits, white grape comes to mind. Definitely some complex and interesting flavors going on here.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and soft, easy carbonation. Somewhat mouth-caoting. Lingering funky lactic thing going on here. Not really what I would expect from a "witbier" More like a dark Belgian strong.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 01:09:38 | More by nimrod979

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks goes out to the GBX Crew (beeruser & funkydelic) for sharing this one during a recent tasting! Served from bottle into a Boulevard tulip. Poured yellow-orange with a half finger off-white head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, nutty, nutmeg, subtle smoke, and fruit. The flavor was of sweet malt, fruit, subtle smoke, and nutmeg. It had a light feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was a decent brew. If I’m honest, not a lot stood out on this one as far as the style goes. However, I did like the smoky note I picked up on in the flavor as it added another nice tone to the brew. I really just wish it would have brought a little more to the table. Worth your time trying it if you get the chance.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 10:48:18 | More by thagr81us

oberon

North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a large tulip glass a medium amber/brown with a nicely formed one finger slightly off white head.Spiced yeasty phenols and vanilla dipped roasted pears really stand out in the nose,note's of brown sugar come into play as well.I really like the play of roasted pears and yeasty spice on the palate,normally not a fan of phenols but it works here,slightly medicinal with the lactic flavors really mild in the finish,the alcohol provides a little zip as it warms.This is a pretty damn good beer,it's different and a nice change of pace.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 21:43:28 | More by oberon

yamar68

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a tall slim bottle that I'm guessing is a 22oz? No real indication. Awesome concept...

A harsh pour shows a amber gold body with little beading other than what is forced from the etching. Healthy, slightly off white head that leaves a good trail.

Grapes, wheat, some kinda weirdness... something spicy. I'm struggling to pin this one down.

Maltier than I had expected... great light grain presence, some grape bits, very mellow and approachable. Nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 01:58:49 | More by yamar68

womencantsail

California

3.68/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The pour is almost copper in color with a white head (maybe a little off-white). A really interesting aroma. Strong banana with a fair amount of spices to it as well. Lots of sweet bread and maybe a light ester quality (apple?). The flavor does have a light tartness to it, but it’s really just more of a typical Belgian style flavor. Banana and spices are prominent, as is the bread and maybe some yeast flavor, too.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 16:42:18 | More by womencantsail

megahurts4

Louisiana

4.08/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hitachino Nest 3 Days

Appearance: cloudy caramel, medium head, and a little lacing.

Smell: yeasty pear and other fruits.

Taste: yeast, wheat, and a faint citrus sweetness.

Mouthfeel: medium and smooth.

Overall:
This is a good accidental brew. It has almost a milky texture while being smooth. It is very interesting.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2012 05:32:29 | More by megahurts4

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a hazy caramel to dark amber in color. The beer has a half finger tall creamy tan head that reduces to a thick film, a thicker patch, and an even thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Significant lacing is observed.

S: Slightly sweet smelling with hints of citrus and coriander. Malty with light amounts of dark fruit.

T: Light notes of citrus, some spices, and just a hint of sourness. The beer has a solid malt body with some sweetness including a light presence of dark fruits. Additionally there are hints of banana (esters) and some light caramel notes along with wheat.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Creamy but it also really coats the inside of your mouth + tongue.

O: This beer is extremely unique in style, likely due to the story behind why/how it was made - this is an interesting result to the experiment forced upon the brewery. I enjoyed this beer quite a bit and would recommend others to try it. There is a slight presence of alcohol in this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 18:02:04 | More by dbrauneis

metter98

New York

4.03/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is dark hazy amber in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter-finger high off white head that has good retention properties and consistently left a thin head covering the surface.
S: The smell is somewhat malty and has notes of citrus and hints of spices.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and is a bit sour with complex flavors of dark fruits, orange citrus, spices and wheat.
M: It feels a medium-bodied and a bit tart on the palate and coats your mouth. There is a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This is an unusual variation of the Nest Beer that is quite malty for the style and has some interesting bits of sourness. The alcohol is very well hidden.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 19:55:43 | More by metter98

drabmuh

Maryland

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Disaster beer, pretty good actually. Beer is amber / red and clear with a nice white head, some lacing, decent retention.

Aroma is interesting, mostly lactic and some malt.

Beer is pretty tart and sour, it is very lactic and succinic. It is nice and odd at the same time, definitely a happy accident. I do enjoy it and might even have it again. The sourness wins overall.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 15:58:17 | More by drabmuh

MatthewWilde

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sample: 1 bottle 2011

A: Reddish orange in color, moderate internal carbonation, pours decent lacing, only the slightest bit cloudy

S: Quite fragrant, dried fruit, some lemon zest and coriander, nice citrus, some herbal elements, touch of alcohol, very pleasant

T: Very flavorful, identical to the nose, fruity, heavy citrus, coriander, herbal notes, some mint, light alcohol to finish, nice balance

M: Incredibly smooth, very refreshing, light fruit/citrus aftertaste, not drying or overpowering

O: A unique and delicious wit, smooth, fragrant, and flavorful; great marketing but with the beer to back it up

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 00:30:39 | More by MatthewWilde

kylehay2004

Florida

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: 3 finger frothy head with decent retention for its size on a murky amber body.

S: nice malt profile with some fruitness and even an herbal and corriander note.

T: caramel malts up front transitions to a dark fruit, spicey flavor with a tart, funky finish. Relatively yeasty throughout.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: Interesting story and beer. The lingering funky aftertaste is its greatest shortcoming otherwise its almost like a very malty belgian dark strong. A must try.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 22:07:57 | More by kylehay2004

Doppelbockulus

Florida

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very nice clear bronze, beautiful color. The head is very thin but lingers for a while.

Smells like a good dunkel weisse with the addition of a tart nose.

The taste is light and very much like a sour wheat beer. There is a bit of banana yeast flavor, a touch of sour, and some light or faded hop character.

Mouth feel is very smooth, it feels like a cask ale. Slight tingle and a pillowey texture.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 00:47:30 | More by Doppelbockulus

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.53/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Strong, malty aroma has a firm cider-like undertone of apple. It pours a clear, dark copper with a decent light tan head that leaves a good amount of lacing. Flavor fills the mouth with malt, apple, pear, a bit of an alcohol nip, and hints of caramel and cinnamon candy. Lively, edgy texture has above-average body and leaves a fruity, malty, slightly spicy finish.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 00:11:12 | More by Cyberkedi

palma

New York

4.23/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Deep copper/dark orange color body. A centimeter deep head recedes quickly leaving a very faint lace.

Nose: minor funk immediately. Not big time but definitely noticeable that this beer had some spontaneous fermentation going on. Very interesting. Fruity, berries, spice and also some nuttiness in the nose. Ginger. Green apple.

Taste: Caramel malt. Ultra ripe fruit. Maple, wheat bread, citrus notes, cooked sugar. Very complex. Delicious. The funky yeast flavor throughout in the background makes it even more interesting.

A wit farmhouse style with some pseudo brett effects? Cool. A very nice and intriguing ale. Too bad only 8000 bottles produced.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 18:19:01 | More by palma

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

What an unusual beer, in numerous aspects. The way it looks and smells are way off for the style. The flavor is alright, but it feels overdone somehow. I'm having a hard time drinking it in a timely fashion. I suppose it is silly to judge a beer whose execution was hampered by a massive natural disaster, but this is what a ticker does, I guess. Interesting. Nice label. No need to try to recreate this one in order to make it more than a one-off.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 07:33:21 | More by RblWthACoz

zaphodchak

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sea-foam light tan head, thinnish but retains well. Clear, light brown.

Mild nose, very faintly tart. Kinda saison-y?

Sour/off tang at the beginning, metallic. Rich, full wheaty body. Kinda funky. The metallic taste is vaguely 'off' but not a dealbreaker. Some orange and spice.

Mouthfeel is lovely and smooth.

I was nervous about this; I didn't like that last Hitachino I had and I assumed this was one that had gone from bad to spoiled; I was wrong. Not amazing, but definitely not worth throwing out as a bad batch.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 01:20:14 | More by zaphodchak

MasterSki

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Bob (klipper) for the share. Served in a Hill Farmstead glass.

A - White foam settles to a partial cap and thick collar, but no lacework. Hazed orange-brown body.

S - Funk, spicy Belgian yeast, some dry leather, a hint of sourness. Smells like an infected wheat beer alright.

T - Taste is quite bready and yeasty, with wheat, spice, light fruitiness, a bit of funk. No alcohol presence - wouldn't have guessed this was 8%.

M - Zesty carbonation, dry texture, medium body, clean finish, and a touch of alcohol warmth after a full pour.

D - Not bad, but pretty tame. I was expecting a really wild beer, but this was more of an Imperial Nest White Ale with a touch of funk. Good cause, but not a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 04:17:45 | More by MasterSki

cvm4

Mississippi

3.9/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours amber in color with an off white head. Minimal lacing.

S - Spice & orange peel with a bit of floral to it.

T - Spices & orange peel. Citrus flavors abound with some malt.

M - Great mouthfeel & carbonation. Really coats thd palette.

O - Not sure what style this is but i like it.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 20:45:54 | More by cvm4

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a bottle of this at Julio's. Very anxious to try this beer as the story behind it is it was in the tanks when the earthquake/tsunami struck. It then sat in the tanks for 3 days and wound up spontaneously fermenting. They were going to dump the beer, but then tasted it only to discover it tasted good! So, they bottled it. Very limited amount of this stuff.

A - Poured into a Duvel tulip a crystal clear amber, like maple syrup amber. Atop this was a nice, two finger off white almost maple hued head that faded to leave spotty clouding and a light halo.

S - Very interesting. Its a combination of darker fruits and citrus fruits. Nice figs, plum, cherries, raisins, and then theres oranges. Almost like a candied orange. Some spice notes too...definately some cloves, maybe some nutmeg too.

T - Really different. Not your typical wit whatsoever. Those dark fruits are there and present, though lighter. Slight figs/raisins, good cherry notes. A little sour too. The oranges are back on the finish. Really weird, but in a good way. Really, really not a witbier. Drinks like some sorta wild ale hybred. Some jam qualities in this. Really unique.

M - Mouthfeel is a bit heavy/syrupy. It did slowly rise from the bottle upon opening, so maybe that affected it a little. Lower carbonation on here. More would definately help this out.

O - Overall, this is a truely unique beer. It transcends the style. Really nice and unique. Good sourness and tartness, with these dark fruits intermingling with the cherries and oranges. Going to have to buy another bottle or two of this. It already isnt wit like and doesn thave alot of carbonation. Wonder what age would do to it...

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 23:01:13 | More by rudzud

siege06nd

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A. Pours a cloudy orange copper. No head to speak of. Very faint lacing.

S. Some light cherry, citrus, pomegrenate, and a little acidity.

T. Sweet cherry, some biscuity malt, something that tastes like Belgian spice or yeast. Some very light acidity on the finish.

M. Well carbonated and moderate body. Finish is a little malt heavy, but I like the acidic notes. Pretty good.

O. What a cool story behind the creation of this one. Drinks like an APA/wild ale hybrid, and it's pretty good at that. Warms the heart to see such creativity and dedication in the face of such tragedy. I will order one of these anywhere I go.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2012 17:17:00 | More by siege06nd

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Pizza Paradiso in Alexandria. Served in a snifter.

Pours a moderate reddish-brown color; a bit murky. Short off-white head without much lacing. A good nose with a light bit of acidity along with some cherry and a touch of malt. Good acidity there. The flavor has light malt and fruit flavors with a bit of acidity. Feel is light-to-medium with a moderate acidity and a touch of sweetness. Nice brew; interesting story.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 23:52:30 | More by Thorpe429

Jayli

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Consumed 2/14
Poured in to a pint glass

A: This beer pours a deep rust color with a one finger of head. Head recedes quickly leaving minor wisps of lacing.

S: Nose is plum, toffee and raisin.

T: Taste starts with a decent toffee sweetness before plum comes through. A continued plum flavoring pursues and some roasin with toasted notes come in. A touch of spicing is present...almost like a nutmeg.

M: Medium body, medium carbonation, somewhat crisp at first and then fills up with a chewier body.

O: Goes down easy, tasty, not too filling, nice kick, different, but decent representation of style.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 00:20:26 | More by Jayli

Florida9

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Dirty dark copper in color. Somewhat hazy. Forms a moderate sized tannish colorsed head with some extra large bubbles . Minimal retention and some light lacing.

S: Fairly aromatic with lots of spice. Orange peel, clove, and nutmeg. Mild floral sweetness.

T: Very flavorful with a slight sour or tart quality. Lots of orange, but the flavor is more like orange rind than orange juice. Some more spice as well, predominantly clove. Luckily it's a light clove flavor and not an aggressive one. Mild bitterness on the finish.

M: Medium bodied. Mild bitterness. Appropriate carbonation. Slight spice in the mouth.

O: overall, very well done, regardless of whether it was supposed to be like this or not. Good drink ability. Tries to serve this with some Japanese food, but it didnt pair all that well.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 00:56:10 | More by Florida9

WrathsU

Florida

4.53/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Copper and amber hued body with a thick moderately long lasting slightly off-white head. Lacing looks to be great. Body is hazy but see through.

S - Lots of complexity in the nose. Clove, orange peel, and ginger hit up front strong, some fruity perhaps peach esters and tartness in it as well.

T - The spice is definitely strong up front. I get the clove and orange peel and other spicy tastes right away. The ginger is there but less pronounced as it was in the smell. A touch of alcohol but it is neither warm nor boozy. A very mellow faint tartness throughout that plays with the mellow bitterness well. It's all there but doesn't over saturate the beer at all.

M - The first thing I noticed on my first sip wasn't the taste, it was the unbelievable smoothness that the beer had to it. Coats your tongue with a slick feeling that isn't undesirable but rather nice. Has a medium body with a moderate carbonation level and slight alcohol burn.

O - This beer is phenomenal. Every aspect of it works perfectly together. It's an 8% abv beer but even being that high it is incredibly drinkable. Refreshing, not too heavy, and delicious to the nose and mouth.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 23:57:09 | More by WrathsU

beerbiatchMD

Maine

3.83/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Novare Res in Porland, ME into a 25cL bier glass.

A: reddish orange in color, minimal white head and lacing. looks good, but not very witbierish.

N: sweetness up front, honey, light fruit--maybe honeydew melon though I might be pushing that one a bit, and some citrusy hops.

T: some fruitiness (darker tasting than the nose), a reasonable hop character, some sweet caramel, herbal characteristics as well.

M: good, smooth, small carbonation, no real problems at all with mouthfeel.

O: this is a unique and good ale. It's difficult to describe the overal tastes, but it does taste like I'd imagine a Japanese beer should (for whatever that's worth). I definitely recommend it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-30-2012 09:42:45 | More by beerbiatchMD