7.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
On tap at Popeye’s. Rich, thick wheat malt flavor. On the sweet side, but has a good bitter finish. Not sour at all. Crisp, but rich, with medium plus carbonation. Very nice, with lots of spice and banana. A top Japanese wheat beer.
Tried
from Draft
on 01 Dec 2008
at 01:31
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle from Yamaoka. Pitch black with a thin, lacy brown head. Spicy, flowery roasted malt aroma, slightly earthy and nutty, dry, with dark fruit and orange. Fruity, strong malt flavor, with raisins, ginger, orange, a touch of chocolate. Slightly sour edge and not very sweet at all. Well attenuated for sure! Funky, barnyard character in there as well. Not what I was expecting. Pretty good roasted malt bitterness in the finish as well. Or is that hops? Rather thin palate with low carbonation. Really different. Nicely done. Can’t taste that 10% alcohol at all!
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Nov 2008
at 06:38
7.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle from Yamaoka in Kyoto. This beer is 5%, and so really is not so much an English Strong Ale as an English brown ale, I would say. Rich dark malt aroma, with caramel, nuts, grains, and detactable but light hops. Medium reddish/amber color, a bit too light for the name “dark ale," but attractive nonetheless. Very thin head that went straight to lace. Rich, malt-centered flavor, nutty, with lots of cereal malts, caramel, a touch of chocolate, and a slightly roasted flavor. Quite complex. A bit of dark fruit, with a slight citrus touch. Lightly hops, but they come in near the end to provide a rather bitter finish. Well balanced and tasty. Good stuff.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Oct 2008
at 07:40
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Draught at Eni-brau in Osaka. A very fruity, smooth, and mild version of a pale ale. Medium caramel malt richness, with bready taste, medium to light hops, bubble gum. Good balance, with just enough hops. Super smooth. Very well done and understated.
Tried
on 05 Sep 2008
at 19:25
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 9
Draught at Eni-brau in Osaka. Burnt, smoky, woody flavor and nose. A relatively complex strong stout, sweet, but balanced, with notes of dark fruit, chocolate, coffee, wine, and hops. A complex stout with a dry, bitter, finish. Great stuff.
Tried
on 05 Sep 2008
at 19:21
4.3/10
—
Appearance 2
Aroma 5
Flavor 4
Texture 4
Overall 5
Way too pale, way too few hops and way too grassy for me. Disappointed. Tasted at Yokohama GJBF
Tried
on 19 Sep 2007
at 07:38
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Draught. Brown with a light tan head. Aroma is sweet malt, fruit, alcohol, and spice. Flavor was similar. malt, yeast, fruit, sweet and alcohol. Nice body to it. Tasty.
Tried
on 28 Apr 2007
at 23:48
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Draught at Popeye’s. Poured hazy yellow with a nice white head. Aroma was fruity, wheat, yeast, banana, and citrus. Flavorful and refreshing. Very fruity, banana, yeast, wheat, bubblegum. Had a light, crisp body. Enjoyable.
Tried
on 28 Apr 2007
at 23:25
7.2/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Small brown head does not last. Pitch black body. Oily spicy gingery aroma with notes of pepper and licorice. Dry spicy fruity licorice taste with notes of coriander, cinnamon, and other spices. Ginger, too. Very sweet; leaves sugar on the lips. Spicy aftertaste. Considerable alcohol heat, but no alcohol taste. Very nice. No idea what style. (0.5l bottle from a small shop in Takayama.)
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Apr 2007
at 08:29
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Huge creamy brown head. Completely opaque black body. Sweet burnt minty aroma with chocolate notes. Sweet minty burnt taste, slightly watery and somewhat acidic. Some chocolate as well. Dry chocolate and pine needle aftertaste. A good stout, probably not a lot of alcohol in it. (0.35l can.)
Tried
from Can
on 22 Apr 2007
at 08:27