A small taste from wiosna (tap) @ Tap & Tumbler Ebisu. Pours very dark brown with a medium tan head. Aroma is dry roasted malts with coffee. Flavor is dry roasted malts, coffee, hops. Good.

Lots of maltiness as you’d expect from an esb. Pretty authentic. But at the same time more interesting hoppiness. Light spiciness. It’s alright.

Flora Fermentation Ra Ra Ra Rye Lager 5.5% 25 IBU Apparently, this is a collaboration with Hino Brewing and CBM (Craft Beer Market I’m guessing). Nice amber brown with wispy light beige foam. The aroma is somewhat banana bread like. Medium to full bodied with a smooth mouthfeel. The taste is earthy herbal hops, banana bread and then spicy rye in the finish. Good but not what I was expecting. These guys are still contract brewing I believe and were really friendly and cheerful at the Otsu Craft Beer Garden.

On tap in Kyoto. Pours a very dark hue with a small beige head. A big sweet nose, coffee, roast. Sweet, chocolates, toast, pretty nice roast.

On tap at Craft Beer Bar iBrew - Shinbashi Eki mae, pours a clear golden with a small white head. Aroma brings out crisp grassy hops, straw, and crackery malt. Flavour is crisp, with biting grassy hops, some spiciness from the Saaz no doubt, and crisp crackery malt. Nicely balanced, well-hopped, with pleasing bitterness and crispness.

Hino Brewing Piwo Pils Polish Pilsner 29 IBU 5% Apparently made for a polish festival. It was an orange gold with a thick off-white topping of foam and a earthy stone fruit aroma. Full bodied, raspy carbonation and the taste matches the aroma. Decent enough but I get a chalky mouthfeel in the finish that’s a bit off putting.

Pretty exciting stuff. Exactly what it says on the tin but not as strong as I thought. Pleasantly fruity.

Tap. Honey malt, bit of caramel, crisp hops, resiny, herbal, stone fruit, citrus. The use of their own fresh hops is nice here. Not vegetal or too grassy. Nice one.

Tap. Gold. Lemon, grapefruit, wheat biscuits in the nose. SMooth, full body and flavor. rich malt, citrus. Finish a touch rough but good.

Tap. Pale gold, hazy, with a low head. Nose is wheat grains, lemon, lactic acid. Moderately tart but not super sour, lemony, wheat, lactic acid. Well balanced.