BIN905
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HITACHINO NEST
KIUCHI BREWERY
Among the many suffering through the aftermath of the tsunami in Japan are several artisanal sake and beer makers that have been destroyed. Kiuchi brewery, a brewery in Naka, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, producing beer, sake and Shoshu, is of of them.
Despite their creation in 1823, it’s only in 1996 that the company started producing beers, becoming the first Japanese microbrewery to export beer from Japan. Their flagship beer, at least in international competitions, has been their White Ale, a Belgian-style wheat beer, flavored during the brewing process with coriander, nutmeg, orange juice, and orange peel. This light golden beer has a complex floral nose with notes of apricot, sherry, and coriander. A great drink for the summer.
Their Sweet Lacto-Stout harkens back to an older style. Beers made with the addition of milk sugars first came to light at the turn of the last century in England and continued in popularity until World War II, when their numbers began to dwindle in the face of competition from mass-produced styles. The lactose used in the beer was traditionally a by-product of cheese production, and the wisdom of the day held that this style of beer suited pregnant women because of its lower alcohol and sweeter flavor. Hitachino’s rendition is rich but not overly sweet, with a creamy texture and malty flavors plus elements of walnut and black tea.
An offering that is particularly Japanese, or at least Asian, is the Red Rice Ale. While many rice beer producers now use modern, technologically developed strains, Hitachino has decided to stick with the original. This is a far cry from using rice as an adjunct to stretch out a beer; the flavor of red rice is integral to the product. The brewing process requires polishing and milling of the rice grains just as sake-making does, and red rice is not the sole sugar source; pilsner malt is added after the rice’s starch molecules have been converted into sugars. The beer is actually fermented with both ale and sake yeasts. This complicated process creates a higher alcohol beer with strawberries, raspberries, and a streak of white pepper on both the nose and palate. The sake influence is noticeable but not predominant, making for a very smooth beer with a touch of glycerol on the finish.
Available today:
Hitachino Nest White Ale 330ml $5
Hitachino Nest White Ale 720ml $11
Hitachino Nest Red rice Ale 330ml $5
Hitachino Nest Red rice Ale 720ml $11
Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout 330ml $5
Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout 720ml $12
Hitachino Nest Sweet Stout 330ml $5
Hitachino Nest sweet Stout
Region: JAPAN - IBARAKI
