When I purchased several, quite overpriced import, Coedo beers, each bottle had a little label attached. The label touted that their beers had received a superior taste award in 2008 from Monde Selection, which appears to be a consumer testing organization in Brussels . I agree that Coedo makes an above average beer, especially when compared to most Japanese beers, their beer doesn’t blow me away. It is drinkable, refreshing, crisp, pairs well with salty food, and has flavor. Coedo Kyara, along with Coedo Ruri, which I also reviewed, both fall along these lines.

The brewery describes this beer as follows:

Rich golden brown with tinges of red – this is the color of Kyara Beer. Beneath the rich aroma of the hops and the finely textured head awaits the rich smooth taste of 100% malt. This beer is made to savor, and even if it is not fully chilled, the full-bodied flavor does not diminish. The name “Kyara” comes from the incredibly fragrant Aloeswood tree, and represents this beer’s unique color and aroma.

Where I Found It. Suruki Supermarket in San Mateo, CA.

Serving Type. 12 oz. bottle to a glass.

Date Reviewed. November 7, 2009

Appearance. Kyara has a white head with loose bubbles the head doesn’t have very much staying power. This beer has a golden-yellow with a tinge of orange. I think this beer might suffer from a tiny bit of chill haze because it was ever so slightly cloudy when I first poured it and it cleared up as it warmed up.

Smell. The aroma of this beer is rich, malty, with a hint of the lager yeast used to brew this beer. The hop bouquet is earthy and spicy. In conjunction with these aromas is a hint of copper.

Taste. The hint copper smell in Coedo Kyara is more pronounced in the taste but does not distract from the rich malty sweetness. The bitterness is smooth, subdued, and balanced by the rich malt. The bitterness is likely under 30 IBUs, which is what you would expect for this style of beer. On the whole, this beer tastes like a Japanese beer but with more rich malt flavors. With that said, it is a god beer but not spectacular. Being that it has such a premium cost, it might be worth waiting for it to go on sale before buying some.

Mouthfeel. This is a light bodied beer that is nicely carbonated and goes down smooth.

Overall. This is a very easy beer to drink and it goes great with burgers. It would likely also pair well with pizza or Japanese food.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (6%): 3.5
• Smell (24%): 3.5
• Taste (40%): 3.0
• Mouthfeel (10%): 3.5
• Overall (20%): 4.5
• Total: 3.5

Information

• Style: Vienna lager
• Brewery: Coedo
• Alcohol by volume: 5%
• Beer Advocate rating: 3.81 (as of May 17, 2010)

Other Reviews

• MoIppai – Coedo Kyara
• BrewReview – Coedo Kyara
• Odakyu Beacon – Kyara by Coedo
• Beer Advocate – Coedo Kyara
• Rate Beer – Coedo Kyara

When I reviewed Rising Sun Pale Ale from Baird Brewing Company, I also purchased a few more of their offerings including Red Rose Amber. This is a delicious amber ale with an inviting aroma and malty yet hop-spicy flavor. I actually enjoyed this amber ale more than their Pale Ale.The brewery describes this beer as follows:

The Red Rose is a most original Amber Ale – the result of high fermentation (with ale yeast) at an unusually low (lager-like) temperature. This robust, rich brew, with fruity, malty flavors, is nonetheless crisp, refreshing, and dry. As a rose – extravagantly layered, expansively fragrant, and just a bit prickly.

Date Reviewed. October 1, 2009.

Where I Found It. City Beer Store, San Francisco, CA.

Serving Type. 12 0z. bottle into a glass.

Appearance. Rose Red Amber Ale has a foamy head with a color like that of buttermilk pancakes batter. The head has some lasting power but does not leave a trace on the glass. The color of this beer has a brown-orange oak hue and is very clear. Even more clear if you don’t pour the sediment into your glass.

Smell. The hop bouquet is floral with a tinge of grapefruit citrus and maybe a little spicy. The floral and citrus sweetness is enhanced by a sweet malty, biscuit, amber aroma. There also seems to be a very subtle hint of white grapes, which makes me wonder if they used Nelson Sauvin hops. The smell is very inviting.

Taste. Red Rose Amber Ale is almost exactly what you would expect from the aroma and a little more. The flavor has sweet roasted malt and biscuit flavor juxtaposed by a spicy hop bitterness. This beer is actually a bit more bitter than I expected and I like it. The malt sweetness and floral qualities seem to give a hint of grape again in the taste but just a hint.

Mouthfeel. This is a medium to light bodied beer with a dry finish but the dryness does not mean flavorless because this beer is packed with flavor. It might be a bit too dry for my preference. The carbonation in this beer is very strong  but gives a foamy feeling in the mouth.

Drinkability. Red Rose Amber Ale is crisp, malty, and bitter with a great nose making it very drinkable. The hop bitterness can intense but fades nicely just as you’re ready for the next bottle.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (20%): 4.0
• Smell (20%): 4.0
• Taste (40%): 4.0
• Mouthfeel (10%): 3.5
• Drinkability (10%): 4.5
• Overall: 4.0

Information

• Style: amber ale
• Brewery: Baird Brewing Company
• Alcohol by volume: 5.4%
• Beer Advocate rating: 4.03 (as of May 16, 2010)

Other Reviews

• Beer Advocate - Red Rose Amber Ale
• Rate Beer – Baird Red Rose Amber Ale

I was shopping in on of the Japanese supermarket in San Mateo and spotted a brand I had never seen before, Coedo. Though a little pricey, I picked a few bottles of this brew which had a special label on it claiming to have won many awards. Coedo is a small brewery in Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan and produces mostly lager style beer but does have one wheat beer style.

Ruri is a pilsener style beer and the brewery describes Ruri as follows:

With the stark contrast of its clear golden hues and fluffy pure white head, this premium pilsener boasts a crisp refreshing taste. The name “Ruri” is Japanese for the gemstone Lapis, representing the pure clarity this beer abounds in.

Where I Found It. Suruki Grocery in San Mateo, CA.

Date Reviewed. September 21, 2009.

Serving Type. Bottle to glass.

Appearance. The color of Ruri is yellow straw with a hint of gold amber and a crystal clear opacity. You can clearly see all of the tiny bubbles floating to the top. The head is white  and foamy with loose bubbles that leave a thin film on the glass. It must be nicely carbonated because the head stays as a thin layer on top.

Smell. The bouquet of this beer is slightly coppery, a little spicy, a little earthy but also green and a little floral. It is not citrusy. The aroma sweet malty, a little bisquity, and has grain attributes as well.

Taste. Ruri is malty sweet balanced by a touch of smooth hop bitterness to help balance the flavor. For some reason, however, it doesn’t seem quite bitter enough. It seems to be missing a bit of the crisp bite that I was expected from the smell. The sweetness, however, adds a nice complexity to the beer that give it a very mild fruity flavor while still maintaining a flavor of fresh grains..

Mouthfeel. This beer is medium to light bodied with a normal to lighter-than-average level of carbonation.

Drinkability. This beer is smooth and easy to drink but does not lack flavor. After a couple of these you would not be bored of it.

Rating.

• Appearance (20%): 3.5
• Smell (20%): 4.0
• Taste (40%): 3.0
• Mouthfeel (10%): 3.5
• Drinkability (10%): 4.0
• Overall: 3.45

Information

• Style: pilsener
• Brewery: Coedo Brewery
• Alcohol by volume: 5.0%
• Beer Advocate rating: 3.43 (as of May 2, 2010)

Other Reviews

• Japan Lines – Beer Review 4: Coedo Ruri
• Brew Review – Coedo Ruri
• MoIppai – Coedo Ruri
• Outdoor Japan – Coedo Beer
• Beer Advocate – Coedo Ruri
• Rate Beer – Coedo Ruri

Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout is the union of an imperial stout with coffee which produces a very interesting and tasty beer. It is produced by one of Japan’s first craft breweries, Kiuchi Brewery, who has been brewing beer in Naka-shi, Japan since 1996.

I had this bottle around for several months and I was waiting for the right moment to decide to open it. When I read and reported that California Assemby Bill 1958 is in committee and might outlaw beer that contains coffee, I thought it was just the right moment to not only open my bottle of Espresso Stout but also encourage you to crack open a bottle of coffee infused craft beer.

Date Reviewed. March 12, 2010

Where I Found It. City Beer Store in San Francisco, CA.

Serving Type. Bottle into an imperial pint glass.

Appearance. Hitachino Espresso Stout has a dark black color but when you pour it out you can see that the beer is crystal clear. The head has a spot on espresso crema color. In fact, had I poured of this beer into a shot glass (and let the head settle a little) it would look exactly like a shot of espresso. The head of this beer is foamy, frothy, and quite nearly permanent. It took a very long time for the head to settle and left plenty of lacing on the side of the glass. It is quite the sight.

Smell. This beer has a chocolate, coffee, and mocha aroma. The chocolate aspect of the aroma is almost like chocolate syrup which further reminds me a a sweet dark chocolate mocha. The smell also has a nice espresso roast quality to it. There is also a hint of a fruity smell like pears.

Taste. The flavor of Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout really lives up to its name but is not quite as interesting as the smell and appearance. Don’t get me wrong, this is still a very tasty beer and there is no denying the coffee flavors. The bitterness of the hops and roasted malt combined with the coffee make this beer taste like a shot of espresso with a touch of dark brown sugar added to it. Add the silky texture to the mix and it is almost like an espresso con panna but not quite as sweet. There is an earthy spiciness to this beer like cola and anise or maybe just a touch of each. Finally, this beer is also a bit boozy, which might be expected at 7.5%, and slightly yeasty.

Mouthfeel. This beer is full bodied and moderately carbonated. Despite the foamy and frothy head, this beer is by no means over carbonated. It is just shy of a syrupy texture.

Drinkability. The bitterness of the roasted malt and/or coffee in Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout is a little distracting to the overall taste. Combine that bitter coffee flavor with 7.5% alcohol by volume and this is not a session beer but definitely a unique brew that very enjoyable.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (20%): 4.5
• Smell (20%): 4.5
• Taste (40%): 3.5
• Mouthfeel (10%): 4.0
• Drinkability (10%): 3.5
• Overall: 3.95
  

Information

• Style: Imperial stout
• Brewery: Kiuchi Brewery
• Alcohol by volume: 7.5%
• Beer Advocate rating: 4.04 (as of March 11, 2010)

Other Reviews

• Frosty Goodness – Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout. Coffee + Beer = Sink.
• Thom’s Beer Blog – Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout
• Good Beer and Country Boys – Hitachino Nest Beer Espresso Stout
• Enkidu Brew - Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout
• Beer Geek Heaven – Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout
• Beer Advocate - Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout
• 97 Bottles – Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout
• Draft Mag – Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout
• The Full Pint – Review – Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout

I had been casually searching for this beer ever since July and in November 2008 I discovered City Beer Store in San Francisco, CA and that they carried several of the Hitachino Nest beers. One of those beers that I picked up was the Real Ginger Brew.

Unfortunately, there is no information on the Kiuchi Brewery website about this beer. It is a very unique beer and it would by nice to know a little background information about it.

It looks like this beer is bottle conditioned so I might try to harvest some of the yeast the next time that I try one of the Hitachino Nest beers.

Where I Found It. City Beer Store in San Francisco, CA.

Serving Type. Poured a 330ml bottle into a glass.

Appearance. This beer has a foamy but not frothy yellow-white head and does not leave much foam on the glass. A small layer of head remains on top. This beer is hazy, which might be expected of an herb/spice beer, and has an amber or dark honey color.

Smell. Real Ginger Brew has a ginger aroma like that of ginger ale or ginger beer, which is a sweet smooth ginger smell. In fact the smell is almost indistinguishable from ginger ale or ginger beer. The bouquet is spicy with a bit of cloves and is enhanced by the ginger while accompanied by a light fruitiness. The hops are not pronounced and the malt only seems to be a vehicle to deliver the sweet ginger-ale-like smell. There is also a slight bready or yeast aroma present. I enjoy the ginger aroma but the yeast detracts from it a little bit.

Taste. The most pronounced taste of this beer is sweet malty ginger. It is almost as if this is a ginger beer made with malt, instead of cane sugar, and contains alcohol. It actually contains 7% alcohol but the astringent alcohol flavor is masked completely by the other flavors. Backing the ginger beer flavor is a sweet maltiness that is complemented with a touch of smooth hop bitterness. As you drink more of this brew the spiciness of the ginger builds but not so much that is it overpowering. All of these aspects combine to produce a crisp and refreshing flavor.

Mouthfeel. Real Ginger Brew is well carbonated, which adds to the comparison to ginger ale, and is a medium-light bodied beer. The taste of the ginger lingers just for a bit and fades nicely.

Drinkability. This beer is strong in alcohol content and strong in ginger flavor. On one hand it is crisp and refreshing like a ginger ale but also like a ginger ale I rarely want more than one. I would drink this again but I would not want more than one at a time. All in all it is an enjoyable beer.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (20%): 3.5
• Smell (20%): 3.5
• Taste (40%): 3.5
• Mouthfeel (10%): 3.5
• Drinkability (10%): 3.0
• Overall: 3.45

Caption on the Bottle

The following caption is found on the back of the beer bottles of Real Ginger Brew:

Fresh ginger roots aded to the brewkettle create and intriguing balance of ginger-spicy, sweet-malty and hoppy-dry flavors and aromas.

Information

• Style: Herb Spice Ale
• Brewery: Kiuchi Brewery
• Alcohol by volume: 7.0%
• Other ingredients: ginger
• Bottle conditioned
• Beer Advocate rating: 3.69 (as of April 1, 2009)

Other Reviews

• 97 Bottles – Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew by Kiuchi Brwery
• Freshly Squeezed Jew – Beer Review 5: Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew
• Chicagoist – Chicagoist’s “Beer of the Week”: Hitachino Nest Ginger Brew
• BrewedGirl – Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew
• Beer & Nosh – Cardamon Cauliflower Soup with Hitachino Ginger Beer
• Thom’s Beer Blog – 364. Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Ale
• New York Brew – Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew
• LivingSocial – Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew
• Beers, Beers, Beers – Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Ale
• Beer Advocate – Hitachino Nest Real Gingerr Brew
• Rate Beer – Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Ale

Baird Brewing started in 2000 by Bryan and Sayuri Baird and is located at the base of My. Fuji in Numazo, Japan. The brewer’s website describes this beer as follows:

This quenching brew is crafted in the American west-coast style. It sports a beautiful soft citrus hop aroma which gives way to a round, honeyed-fruit flavor. The finish is crisp and refreshing.

Where I Found It. I found this beer at City Beer Store in San Francisco, CA.

Serving Type. I poured the contents of a 355 ml (12 oz.) bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance. The head of Rising Sun Pale Ale has the typical egg-shell white color and lasts an average amount of time. The color is a nice orange caramel color but the clarity is semi-cloudy. It was even more cloudy when I forgot to stop pouring and emptied the bottle conditioning yeast into the beer.

Smell. The hop bouquet has a nice citrus, orange, and floral smell, which is noticeable but not intense. The aroma has background hints of sweet malt and grain. There is a slight touch of vanilla and something that I can only describe as Japanese grape-flavored hard candy.

Taste. As the caption on the side of the bottle claims, this beer is well balanced. It has malty sweetness and is not too heavy on the hops and bitterness. The taste is pleasant and has a honey sweetness with a touch of hop spice. Again, I pick up on another type of sweetness in the taste that reminds me of white grape juice.

Mouthfeel. The mouthfeel is a little too watery for my preferences. The initial hop aftertaste on the tongue is pleasant and fades quickly.

Drinkability. Despite the watery nature of Rising Sun Pale Ale it is highly drinkable. It is smooth, easy to drink, and has a nice hop nose while not being huge on the hop bitterness.

Rating. My ratings below are on a five point scale with five being the best score.

• Appearance (20%): 3.0
• Smell (20%): 4.0
• Taste (40%): 3.5
• Mouthfeel (10%): 2.5
• Drinkability (10%): 4.0
• Overall:3.45

Caption on the Bottle

The following caption is found on the side of the bottle:

This hoppy, brisk and refreshing Pale Ale is indescribably complex, but holds tenaciously to Japan’s prime aesthetic value — supreme balance. Behold, the Zen Brewmaster’s Pale Ale, a perfect beer for drinking now, later, tomorrow, the next day, every day. “In balance there is harmony.” Kampai!

There is also information about the brewery listed on the side of the bottle:

Baird Beer is brewed at the foot of Mount Fuji by Japan’s pioneering craft brewery. Lovingly and authentically crafted, it is unfiltered, re-fermented in the bottle, and naturally carbonated. Please drink contemplatively, Beer Drinker-san.

Information

• Style: Pale Ale
• Brewery: Baird Brewing Company
• Alcohol by volume: 5%
• Beer Advocate rating: 3.84 (as of March 21, 2009)

Links and Other Reviews

• Numazu Traveler – Baird Beer’s Fishmarket Taproom
• Chuwy Reviews – Baird Beer Taproom, Nakameguro
• Metropolis.co.jp – Big Taste, Small Breweries
• Beer Advocate Reviews
• RateBeer.com Reviews