Category Archives: Japan

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Japan, Stout - Imperial, West Coast Brewing

West Coast The Black Book BV

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Brewery: West Coast Brewing
Country: Japan
ABV: 14%
Style: Stout – Imperial

Brewer Description: (from can) Imperial Stout w/ blueberries and vanilla beans.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.25
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 500ml can, canned on 9th April 2024. Poured into whatever glass was available at the hotel room in Bangkok.
Appearance: Black in colour with a thin brown head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Dessert, cake, milk chocolate, blueberry, vanilla, with notes of coffee.
Taste: Light to moderate sweetness, chocolate, blueberry, vanilla, with a roasty, coffee, bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, creamy, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Nice blueberry dessert characteristics, but not like overly sweet pastry stouts as there is enough roasty coffee bitterness to balance. A good enjoyable sipper.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Inkhorn Brewing, IPA - New England / Hazy, Japan

Inkhorn Silvereye

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Brewery: Inkhorn Brewing
Country: Japan
ABV: 7%
Style: IPA – New England / Hazy

Brewer Description: (from can) Hazy IPA. Hops – Galaxy, Citra, Mosaic, Strata, and HBC638.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.26
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 355ml can, with a best before date of 31st August 2024. Poured into whatever glass was available at the hotel in Tokyo.
Appearance: A hazy yellow orange colour, with a thin white head that had decent retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Light mango notes, grapefruit, orange zest, citrus pith, and maybe a touch piney.
Taste: Light mango sweetness, bitter grapefruit zest, citrus pith, with notes of pineapple, black tea, and pine. Nice light fruity bitterness at the end.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Enjoyable aroma and flavours, and drinks real easy.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Inkhorn Brewing, IPA - New England / Hazy, Japan

Inkhorn Kingfisher

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Brewery: Inkhorn Brewing
Country: Japan
ABV: 6.5%
Style: IPA – New England / Hazy

Brewer Description: (from can) Hazy IPA. Hops – Mosaic, Mosaic Cryo, Mosaic Incognito, Citra, and Strata.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.1
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 355ml can, with a best before date of 15th August 2024. Poured into whatever glass was available at the hotel in Osaka.
Appearance: A hazy yellow orange colour, with an almost one finger white head that had pretty good retention, while leaving nice lacing.
Aroma: Mandarin orange, citrus zest, grapefruit, floral perfumy.
Taste: Light tropical, mango, grapefruit zest, citrus pith, a touch grassy, with a lightly bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Light, easy drinking, with good aroma and flavours.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, IPA - New England / Hazy Triple, Japan, Uchu Brewing

Uchu Grand Cross

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Brewery: Uchu Brewing
Country: Japan
ABV: 10%
Style: IPA – New England / Hazy Triple

Brewer Description: (from Untappd) TDH TIPA. Hops – Motueka, Nelson Sauvin & Rakau.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.07
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 350ml can, with a best before date of 29th July 2024. Poured into whatever glass was available at the hotel in Osaka.
Appearance: A hazy murky yellow orange colour, with a thin white head that dissipated quickly, while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tropical and citrus fruity, mango, grapefruit zest, citrus pith, light melon, and a piney grassy note.
Taste: Light mango, melon, grapefruit peel, citrus pith, with a moderate but lasting bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Nice aroma, while flavour was perhaps affected by being too cold at first, but definitely improved as it warmed a bit. Booze was well hidden, with an appropriate amount of enjoyable bitterness.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, IPA - New England / Hazy Double, Japan, Uchu Brewing

Uchu Fractal Enlightenment

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Brewery: Uchu Brewing
Country: Japan
ABV: 8.5%
Style: IPA – New England / Hazy Double

Brewer Description: (from Untappd) TDH DIPA. Hops – Citra & HBC1019.

My rating: 3+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 350ml can, with a best before date of 26th July 2024. Poured into whatever glass was available at the hotel in Osaka.
Appearance: A hazy orange yellow colour with a thin white head that dissipated fairly quickly, while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tropical fruit juicy, mango, melon, coconut, notes of grass, with a splash of citrus peel.
Taste: Mango, orange peel, grapefruit zest, a lasting moderately bitter finish, with a touch of booze.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Good aroma, but take away the booziness from the taste would have helped it.