364. Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Ale
I went to Downtown Wine & Spirits tonight to pick up some new beers to try. I noticed that they had a new offering from Hitachino Nest so I picked up a bottle. I stuck this in the fridge while I showered and it was slightly chilled by the time I was done. I served this in one of my New Belgium snifters. Beer Advocate places this in the catch-all Herbed/Spiced Beer category.
Appearance (3.5): Pours a slightly hazy ruby color, with a thin beige head that thins to a persistent thin layer with nice lacing. The little chunks of ginger floating about were a bit disconcerting.
Smell (4.0): Sharp acidic nose, sweet malts, and spicy ginger.
Taste (4.5): Toasty malt flavors greet the palate upfront. Spicy ginger predominates in the center. Fruity sweetness appears in the finish followed by mild bitterness and spicy alcohol.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Mild carbonation, smooth, oily.
Drinkability (3.5): The flavors are nice, but the alcohol and spiciness in the finish can be harsh.
Overall (4.05): I was worried that the ginger in this beer would be overpowering (like a Ginger Altoid), but they did a really good job of allowing the ginger to be the focus of the beer without letting it overpower the other flavors.
I went to Downtown Wine & Spirits tonight to pick up some new beers to try. I noticed that they had a new offering from Hitachino Nest so I picked up a bottle. I stuck this in the fridge while I showered and it was slightly chilled by the time I was done. I served this in one of my New Belgium snifters. Beer Advocate places this in the catch-all Herbed/Spiced Beer category.
Appearance (3.5): Pours a slightly hazy ruby color, with a thin beige head that thins to a persistent thin layer with nice lacing. The little chunks of ginger floating about were a bit disconcerting.
Smell (4.0): Sharp acidic nose, sweet malts, and spicy ginger.
Taste (4.5): Toasty malt flavors greet the palate upfront. Spicy ginger predominates in the center. Fruity sweetness appears in the finish followed by mild bitterness and spicy alcohol.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Mild carbonation, smooth, oily.
Drinkability (3.5): The flavors are nice, but the alcohol and spiciness in the finish can be harsh.
Overall (4.05): I was worried that the ginger in this beer would be overpowering (like a Ginger Altoid), but they did a really good job of allowing the ginger to be the focus of the beer without letting it overpower the other flavors.
Labels: Herbed/Spiced Beer, Kiuchi Brewery, Reviews
