Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale - Japan (ABV 7%)

Kiuchi Brewery have endeavored to recreate one of the earliest beers brewed in Japan, an English IPA style beer that has been aged in cedar casks. This type of beer was first brewed during the Edo period, probably in the 19th century.

It pours a cloudy orange amber with a delightfully hoppy aroma with just a hint of cedar. It is a very good ale tasting very much like a modern American pale Ale but with a subtle hint of cedar. Brewed using Marris Otter, Munich, Crystal malts and very much English IPAChinook, Fuggle, Kent Golding hops. The cedar is beautifully done with only a subtle flavour, not at all overpowering. Kuichi also brew Saki and Sochu so are well experienced in the use of cedar.

Nicely balanced  refreshing tasty IPA with just a hint of Japanese flavour.

Hitachino Nest - Red Rice Ale - Japan

An unusual beer brewed with the addition of red rice. It smells remarkably like Sochu (or Sake) but does taste like beer. I have seen photos of this ale looking a lot pinker than mine, so I don't know if the age and transport  have affected my bottle.

Smooth fruity tasting beer with a slightly different flavour. It does taste better than it smells.


SCORE 3.5

Numazu Lager & Teikoku IPA - Japan

Side by side tatsing of 2 Baird Beers:
The Lager a lovely golden amber colour with a small to medium head and good effervesence.
The IPA a slightly darker amber with a large chunky head.

The Lager has a smooth rounded malty taste with a hint of hop, a refeshing Lager.
The IPA has a slight caramel maltiness and a much more pronounced hoppy flavour with a slightly bitter finish, nicely balanced flavours

The Lager 3.7
IPA 4.2.

Suruga Bay Imperial IPA - Japan

This is one of the 4 Baird Beers I recently purchased for tasting.
It is a Double Hopped American style Pale Ale.
You can see in the photo it pours an orange/amber colour with a small head. This Imperial IPA does (as expected) have a lovely complex hop aroma. Has an almost sweet citrus hop flavour and is a very drinkable double hopped IPA.
I will buy this again!

SCORE 4.2

Baird Beer Japan

Angry Boy Brown Ale- Japan

Hoppy brown ale with a hint of nutty roasted maltiness.
Tight long lasting (chunky) beaded head.
Quite tasty- would drink again.

SCORE 3.9