Bottle direct from the brewery via their website. Served in a pilsner glass, it poured gold with an orange tint to it & very opaque. A thick head of foam formed but it dissipated fast & left behind virtually zero lacing. Not too surprising as I’ve heard rye inhibits the formation & retention of heads of foam. Malty aroma, sweet grains, slightly bready, some rye & a bit of fruitiness. It has a hint of sourness lurking in the back of the aroma. Light bodied, sugary, lightly bitter, some bready rye or cracker notes... I feel a certain sourdough vibe from this beer. Fruity in the finish, with just the slightest hint of cardboard in the finish/aftertaste. Quite crisp. I find this beer to be a bit too thin bodied & sweet for me but is generally within the style guidelines of the BJCP. An alright rye lage but for a better Japanese Rye Beer seek out the Baeren Rye seasonal.

Draught at Namba Craft Beer Live 2011. Big malty, grainy nose of rye and malt, with a nice sour edge and fruit. Very strong cereals in the flavor, lots of rye, some apple. Nice and interesting, though the taste does not live up to the nose.