Interesting. Strong and a little fruity but not so hoppy.

Onuma IPA 8% / 55 IBU, at a food fair in Fukuoka, from the brewery stand on tap. Hazy amber color, delicious moderately balanced (slight skew to bitterness) IPA with a caramel background flavor. Smooth bitterness with the traditional (older style) American IPA citrus aroma. Great with raw beef and uni sushi. Seems to have been better fresh on draft than most of these can reviews.

Pours hazy and brownish, slight film of foam. Aroma has some grassy hops, grass that has not been yet cut and is still growing. Winter apples. Subtle sweet undertone hints a malty base. Some sourness? Taste has some numb bitterness, mainly you feel malts but as the balance is not the greatest, everything feels sort of all over the place. Aftertaste turns sweeter and some fruits come out, finally. Sweet gummy bears. Total fail as an IPA, otherwise still meh.

I’m not entirely sure what this was, but at 8% and with the phenols it seemed like they were going Belgian or something. Lighter amber with haze. Medium head. Sweeter, bit of bubblegum, touch of alcohol, similar palate. Sweetish but there’s some balancing bitterness though it would probably get cloying if you drank a pint.

Can from Chitose Airport. First off be aware, this is nowhere near an IPA, it’s more of an English Strong Ale or a Light Barley Wine. Pours a clear amber with a nice soapy white head that lingers with great lacing. Aromas of caramel, peach, cinnamon and alcohol. Taste is more of the same with average carbonation and a warming finish. Very interesting if not considered an IPA. --- Beer merged from original tick of India Pale Ale on 06 Aug 2015 at 19:22 - Score: 5

8% I first had this brewery at the GJBF a few weeks ago and was not impressed so when I saw this bottle at Kyoto Isetan I decided to give them another shot. Served in a pint glass it is pretty clear honey amber with a thick foamy head that leaves some spotty lacing and a creamy looking film on the surface of the beer. Malts, lemon and some ethanol booziness, almost varnish or nail polish? The taste is rough, bitter pine, dirt, a bit ashy, earthy malts an alcohol heat burning down my throat in the finish. Having poured the dregs into the glass I get some butterscotch... I agree with KyotoLefty, this isn’t all that IPA like not even an English IPA, it would be more of an Old Ale or something. Bizarre but better than the kolsch I tried, this one seems confused but with some work could be interesting. Passable.

Backlog. Can, enjoyed in 2008. Cloudy amber color. Big, uneven head. Aroma’s: sweet fruit, sugar, herbal. Flavor is moderate sweet, fruity. Medium bodied. Long finish, starting dry and fruity, eventually with a light bitterness. More a triple than an IPA.

Medium white head. Hazy light amber body. Fruity alcoholic aroma with syrupy notes. Dry-sweetish fruity wooden roasty taste with grainy bready alcohol notes. Warming mouthfeel. Mid-bodied. Dryish chalky fruity aftertaste with alcoholic notes. Quite nice. (0.33l bottle, gift. Rated twice.)

From a can bought next to the brewpub. Darkish amber color, with orange. Cloudy, tall head. Aroma of yeast, amber malt, some dark fruits. Not an IPA aroma. Not enough hops. Tastes more like an old ale. Smooth and round, strong, with dark fruits, a bit sweet, ok hops but not outstanding, cherryish, port-like. Alcohol heat. This is nowhere near what I would call an IPA. It is a barley wine or an old ale. It is rather sweet, without the strong hops, relying mostly on alcohol for balance. Pretty decent, though.

Amber golden color, soft EKG hops with some gentle cotton candy. Perfectly balanced mildly syrupy mouth with oranges, brandy and a moderately bitter finish. Wow this one really surprised me!!