On tap at Bungalow, 600 yen for 7oz. 12% 55 IBUs served in a small wine glass reminiscent of the ones used at Mikkeller in Copenhagen. A glowing opaque deep copper with a nice light beige head of foam - classic barleywine look. Potent fruity hop & biscuity caramel malt nose. Full bodied with a velvety smooth initial texture that ends quite dryly. The taste is biscuit, pine, grape, citrus. Give this time to warm up as it opens up revealing more hop flavors - nice. It is nice but you can tell it is green and will improve with age. I hope someone is squirreling a few kegs away to age. This reminds me of the El Diablo from Sankt Gallen but more refined with a better balanced mix of hops and perhaps a bit fuller body. The choice of making a barleywine is obviously the Hair of the Dog influence as it is pretty far outside Shiga Kogen’s wheelhouse. Definitely try this if you have the chance. Good with the potential to become great given time. Don’t let this warm up too long because after half an hour the aroma was pure ethanol!

Draft at Craft Heads during the Shiga Kogen Tap Takeover event. Clear amber with off-white head. Aromas of citrus, floral, pine, honey. Tastes of citrus, caramel, malt, pine, light booze. Medium body with a dry finish.