Kiuchi Brewery - Hitachino Nest

Microbrewery in Naka, Ibaraki, Japan 🇯🇵
Associated with 4 Venues

Established in 1996

Contact
1257 Kounosu, Naka-shi, Naka, 311-0133, Japan
Description
Kiuchi Brewery (木内酒造) is a brewery in Naka, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. It was established in 1823 by village headman Kiuchi Gihei as a sake and shochu producer. Craft beer production began in 1996 after a change in Japanese law governing micro brewing. A number of Kiuchi's products seek to combine European beer-making technology with traditional Japanese brewing techniques; for example, its XH Hitachino Nest Beer is matured in shochu casks.

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6.3/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6.5 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
330ml bottle. Pours a clear gold yellow with a small, foamy, short lived, white head that fully dissipates. Aroma of bready wheat malt, yeast, coriander, lemongrass and floral hops. Sweet flavour of grainy wheat malt, orange peel, coriander, nutmeg, floral and grassy hops in a crisp, dry, mild bitter finish. Light body with a watery texture and average carbonation. A little disappointing.
Tried from Bottle from Distilled Liquor Co. on 01 Mar 2026 at 06:58

6.8/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6.5 Flavor 7 Texture 7 Overall 7

Appearance: Clear color with no head.
Aroma: Yeast, rice, mild fruity and some oak.
Palate: Medium body. Slightly sweet and a mild bitterness. Soft carbonation.
Taste: Yeast, mild oak, alcohol, rice and light fruity.
Overall impression: A nice girl tried to learn me something about sake. And I think she was clever. For the first time I liked it. It had a round mild texure. Taru means barrel aged.
Personal stats: Bottle at Beer13 in Oslo, Norway
Tried from Bottle on 25 Feb 2026 at 09:32

6.1/10 Appearance 5 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 6

Appearance: Hazy white color with no head.
Aroma: Yeast, rice, and mild fruity.
Palate: Medium body. Moderate sweet and a mild bitterness. Soft carbonation.
Taste: Yeast, alcohol, rice and light fruity.
Overall impression: A nice girl tried to learn me something about sake. And I think she was clever. For the first time I liked it. It had a very fresh and “fizzy” texure. This one should be the first pressed sake from the tank. And yeast still left in the bottle.
Personal stats: Bottle at Beer13 in Oslo, Norway
Tried from Bottle on 25 Feb 2026 at 09:31

5.8/10
Tried from Bottle on 13 Feb 2026 at 12:45

8/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
A regular pale ale, almost an IPA, sweet and resinous, pine tree, side of strawberry, decent hop and malt, well balanced, smooth, 25.02.19, at Bonfol
Tried from Bottle from Liebick Getränke on 11 Feb 2026 at 19:53

5.3/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 5 Flavor 5 Texture 5 Overall 5
It is not my favourite beer, free of alcool, like a feldschlossen on the same style, watery, a bit salty, lack of malt and hop, buying it at Madrid and drinking it at Sevilla, 29.01.20
Tried from Bottle from Más que cervezas on 18 Jan 2026 at 10:41

6.8/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
From my sake backlog. 350 ml bottle. Unclear oily, yellow body without any head. Aroma is relatively fruity with marzipan, rice and a hint of anise. Flavor is sweet, fruity, hint of anise and quite smooth. Strong body and medium aftertaste. Quite OK, but feels a bit boozy.
Tried on 03 Jan 2026 at 13:58

5.9/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
From my sake backlog. 300 ml bottle. Clear, pale straw yellow with light oily body. Aroma is light acidic, rise, a hint of licorices and medicines. Flavor is quite alcoholic, fruity, rise and flower with a slightly harsh finish but not in a bad way. Medium body. Nice sake, but just a little bit too much alcohol flavor for my liking.
Tried on 03 Jan 2026 at 12:49

6.5/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Bottle Kville Hop & Deli 2025-12-21 Göteborg
AR: citrus, roasted malt, wee honey, dry,
AP: pale amber clear, no head
F: citrus, roasted malt, wee honey, dry
Tried from Bottle from Kville Hop & Deli on 21 Dec 2025 at 14:53

2/10
vies, goor en tevens niet lekker
Tried from Can on 21 Nov 2025 at 21:15