Hitachino Red Rice Ale

So I was thinking of making dinner. Instead I decided to drink beer. So here is a live beer review of Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale.

The nose is elegant, sweet, a little malty, with some sour citrus notes at the end. There are also some musty notes around the start, like what most Bridgeport beer smells like, but less so. I see sedimentation, so it must be bottle conditioned, which would explain the smell. There is a bit of a floral note at the back as well.

The beer itself is a rich amber in hue, with a very complex flavor. It is warm and round without being particularly full bodied. The start is pretty smooth, as is the middle, but there is a nice sourness to the finish. This is a very warm beer, with good, rich flavor.

I could drink a lot of this. The sourness lingers a little overlong but otherwise this is a really good beer. I’m at a loss at ways to describe it effectively. It is superbly balanced and delicious. I’m not done with this one yet and I already want another.

I’m going to go ahead and christen this the best Japanese beer ever. Or at least the best Japanese beer that I have ever had. By a lot.

WDTB? Japanophiles? I’m not certain that the average Japanophile white guy would drink this. They tend to have already convinced themselves that they really like Kirin (ugh.) Lucky bloggers (my dad got this for me).

WSDTB? People who want to try something new for whom price is not important. Do it if you have the chance, at least to prove that all Japanese beer is not really only suitable for quenching thirst before you have a real beer.

Rating: 9.4/10