Kanpai!
@111hotpot
The beer history of China began in a far-flung corner of the empire, in a city that was being practically built by Russians. Harbin is China’s remote bastion in the frigid north that only exists due to the Tsar’s desire to shorten the arduous route of the Trans-Siberian Railway by taking a short cut through China’s north-east region – a project that gave birth to the Chinese Eastern Railway. To quench the thirst of many Russian railway workers in Harbin, a Polish entrepreneur, Jan Wróblewski decided to establish a brewery in this bustling city in 1900. It was at this brewery that the first documented batch of genuine beer was ever brewed in China.
Jan’s brewery grew into a major brewer now known as Harbin Brewery, which of course stands as the oldest brewery in China. The brewery produces traditional European-style lagers, but within China, it is also renowned for its "ice beer" style that is made by freezing portions of the brew during production, leading to a crisper and somewhat stronger beer.
Not long after Harbin Brewery was founded, German settlers in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao were also eager for a taste of home. Tsingtao Brewery was founded in 1903 using world-famous German beer brewing expertise and German ingredients, including imported malted barley, hops and yeast. This pioneering enterprise, though initially aimed at fellow German expatriates, is credited for introducing beer to the wider Chinese market at a significant scale. Tsingtao is also arguably the most recognisable Chinese beer brand outside of China.
As we turn to the darker decades of the Japanese occupation of Manchuria, Kirin Beer and Dai Nippon Beer (the Asahi Beer that we know today) formed a joint venture in 1934 to establish a brewery in Shenyang city. After surviving the tumultuous tides of World War II and the Chinese Civil War, along with changing hands several times, the brewery would finally find a steady handunder Chinese state ownership and be renamed as Snow Beer (or Xue Hua) – a ubiquitous beer that can be found in practically every corner of China today.
Despite already having these 3 beloved and familiar brands, China was newly embarking on economic reforms and eager to project an image of national pride in the 1970s. The government might have found itself in a bit of a quandary because the top three beers, Tsingtao, Harbin, and Snow Beer all boasted roots in foreign influence and colonialism. So, in 1980, Yanjing Brewery was established in Beijing as a state enterprise and a wholly Chinese-founded brewer. Yanjing Beer also earned the privilege of being the official beer served at important state banquets in the Great Hall of the People.
Yet it wasn’t until the mid-1980s when China began to experience a real beer boom. Consumption increased fivefold and breweries sprang up everywhere to serve their vicinities.
Guangzhou, a metropolis where China's Pearl River meets the South China Sea, became home to another major state-owned brewery in 1985. The aptly named Pearl River (Zhujiang) Brewery reflects the brewery’s connection to the city’s iconic river. Pearl River Beer has since grown into a big player in the southern Chinese market with its iconic green packaging and association with Cantonese cuisine.
Hangzhou, a city renowned for its natural beauty also received its own brewery in the same year – the Hangzhou Qiandaohu Brewery, which has been given a rather cute English name: Cheerday. What sets them apart is a focus on brewing exceptionally light beers, perhaps taking inspiration from the pristine landscapes surrounding them.
This rich tapestry of Chinese brewing history sets the stage for us to explore the 8 flagship beers from China’s most iconic beer brands. To ensure our palate doesn’t give out on us halfway, we’ll start with tasting the lightest and lowest ABV beer (Cheerday) and work our way to the standard ABV offerings.
Brewed by Hangzhou Qiandaohu Brewery
Tasting notes
Nose: Very crisp, very citrusy. This beer bursts with refreshing citrus aromas – think zesty lemon peel and hints of pomelo. There's a subtle sweetness, like lemonade and a touch of corn, along with a delicate barley grain aroma reminiscent of Korean barley tea.
Palate: The crispness really shines through. It's light and spritely on the tongue with a bubbly effervescence that adds a lively zestiness. The lemon zest flavours intensify upfront, creating a pleasantly drying sensation similar to a Japanese karakuchi sensation, but just a tad drier. There's also a delicate malt presence - almost like a whisper of sweetness.
Finish: Short, yet distinct. Earthy barley notes rise momentarily, along with a hint of yeastiness that emerges right at the very end. There's absolutely no hop presence to be found in my opinion.
My Thoughts:
Cheerday lives up to the connotations of its name. It's incredibly light and refreshingly dry, with a vibrant citrus character that's perfect for quenching your thirst. The barely-there alcohol content makes it feel almost like a sophisticated non-alcoholic beer, but those lovely malt and barley notes add a welcome touch of complexity.
If you enjoy a dry beer with a clean, crisp profile, this is definitely one to try.
My Rating: 7/10
Brewed by Beijing Yanjing Brewery
Nose: Very welcoming mix of bright citrus – a hint of lemon hard candy – alongside a mildly sweet, pleasant toasted malt character.
Palate: Like Cheerday, it has an incredibly light body enhanced by a lively effervescence. Upfront, it showcases a more obvious steamed pearl barley character and sweetened barley water (薏米水). A clean dryness sweeps in, balanced by a subtle citrus essence that's less pronounced compared to Cheerday. There's also a faint yeastiness that adds a hint of complexity.
Finish: Lingers for a moment while maintaining a clean profile. Lingering dryness nips pleasantly at the back of the throat, while a subtle roasted malt note carries through to the end. As with Cheerday, hops are nowhere to be found.
My Thoughts:
For such a low ABV beer at just 2.5% ABV, Yanjing U8 packs a stunning amount of flavour. It shares Cheerday's refreshing nature but leans more heavily into a malty profile, offering a bit more depth and less dryness.
Another excellent choice for anyone seeking a light, easy-drinking beer with just enough character to keep things interesting.
My Rating: 7.5/10
Brewed by Guangzhou Zhujiang Brewery
Nose: Clean and sweet. It presents an intriguing, slightly synthetic honeyed sweetness reminiscent of corn – something I often get in macro lagers. There's a stronger sense of graininess here, setting it apart from its lighter counterparts.
Palate: Medium body with a satisfying weighty texture for its low ABV. Upfront, there's a burst of malty sweetness with a hint of citrus, along with an yeastiness that brings to mind savoury notes like Marmite or chicken essence. The grain and corn flavours continue to dominate, balanced by a gentle effervescence. While not overly sweet, this beer definitely leans towards sweetness rather than dryness.
Finish: Brief, with a quick fade. It does, however, reveal yet more distinct yeasty character, almost umami-like, with a touch of unexpected white floral notes. Not much hops character detected here either.
My Thoughts:
Pearl River offers a pleasingly substantial texture at 3.6% ABV. Its focus on sweet malt flavours makes it a good choice for anyone who prefers less dryness in their beer.
This thickness and malty backbone would pair nicely with the richness of some Chinese dishes, like Chong Qing grilled fish, although if you’re having something very oily, you might prefer a dryer beer.
My Rating: 7/10
Brewed by Qingdao Laote Brewery Co., Ltd.
This beer originates from Qingdao city which is renowned for the world-famous Tsingtao Beer. Funnily enough, we realised it’s actually produced by an unrelated Qingdao Laote Beer Company. Not to be confused with original Tsingtao Brewery!
Nose: Sweet and bright. Similar to the Pearl River, there's once again a touch of synthetic honey and sweet corn, layered with distinct grainy notes and a hint of yeastiness.
Palate: This one strikes a fine balance. It’s got a medium body with sweetness from the malt and a touch of citrus, along with subtle yeastiness and actually a very pleasant aroma of jasmine rice.
Candied lemon notes dominate upfront, intertwined with barley malt and just a hint of yeast. A touch of umami yeastiness also emerges as you sip. It leans slightly towards dryness but it's balanced with very well-integrated flavours.
Finish: A light, lingering sweetness reminiscent of steamed rice, with just a whisper of hop bitterness.
My Thoughts:
Laote delivers a surprisingly robust and fragrant flavour profile for such a low ABV rice lager. While this should pair very well with food, this is a bit more complex and would be a beer you could enjoy on its own.
My Rating: 7.5/10
Brewed by China Resources Snow Breweries
Nose: A subtle citric freshness. But more interestingly, there's a slightly ashy note with a roasted quality – a bit surprising, but not unpleasant. A touch of corn-like sweetness rounds out the aroma.
Palate: It’s got a medium-to-light body with a satisfying texture. Upfront, lots of distinct barley malt sweetness takes centre stage, followed by a light, citric dryness that adds a refreshing balance.
Finish: The finish lingers a bit longer than some of its counterparts, showcasing more of those sweet barley notes with a hint of toasted cereal grain.
My Thoughts:
Snow Beer is incredibly straightforward but quite enjoyable, focusing primarily on its barley and citric character. It's a great choice for anyone seeking a Chinese beer with a slightly richer texture and more maltiness. This would pair nicely with stir-fries or other hearty Asian dishes, and it's the kind of beer that lets you enjoy your food and conversation without distraction.
My Rating: 7/10
Brewed by Tsingtao Brewery
Nose: Lightly sweet, with a pleasant toasted maltiness, à la to Snow Beer. It brings to mind the aroma of roasted coffee beans at a traditional Singapore coffeeshop.
Palate: Tsingtao has got a remarkably fluffy texture due to the effervescence that expresses itself the moment you take a sip. Opens with dominant notes of barley and toasted cereal, quickly followed by an equally intense citrusy dryness.
Finish: The most expressive part of this beer is the finish. While a light barley sweetness continues, there's a lovely hop aroma that shines through. Think grapefruit pith, accompanied by a hint of barley candy sweetness. Overall, the flavours are very clean and lack any distinctive umami yeastiness.
My Thoughts:
It's clear why Tsingtao is a well-known brand with a reputation for authenticity. It's clean-tasting and offers a touch of hop character compared to some of the other Chinese beers. However, I find that its strong citrusy dryness somewhat overshadows other potential complexities. A decent beer, but it didn't stand out as much as I expected for something at a higher ABV of 4.7% ABV. Interestingly, I find Laoshan Beer, also from Tsingtao Brewery, much more memorable (see below).
My Rating: 6.5/10
Brewed by Tsingtao Brewery
Nose: Presents a gentle richness, starting with honeyed notes, a touch of citrus, and a light, inviting maltiness. The overall impression is a pleasant and mild aroma.
Palate: A sweeter profile with a medium-light body and a slightly creamy texture from the denser foam. Sweet barley flavours dominate upfront, followed by a mild yeastiness and a touch of that karakuchi dryness right at the end. There's a hint of pomelo and toasted cereal adding depth.
Finish: Relatively short. Rice notes emerge, and surprisingly, it also offers more bitterness than I expected, with hints of pomelo or grapefruit pith. Just as it fades, a light yeastiness lingers, faintly reminiscent of ginjo sake.
My Thoughts:
Laoshan stands out as a slightly more flavourful, denser option among the Chinese beers tasted so far. It leans sweeter and boasts a touch more hop character, complemented by pleasant rice and barley notes. While still relatively neutral overall, its more dominant flavour profile and dryness makes it a versatile pairing for various foods. Really reminds me of a Japanese dry beer.
My Rating: 7.5/10
Brewed by Harbin Brewery, AB InBev
Nose: This beer opens with a rich maltiness, showcasing layered barley sweetness along with hints of corn, cereal and light florals. Overall, though, it’s quite mild and gentle on the nose.
Palate: Delivers an incredibly refreshing experience. Bright and luscious from the very first sip, amplified by a fluffy texture of the foam. Sweet malt notes and a touch of lemon zest dominate the palate.
Finish: The beer remains clean and luscious on the finish. A distinctive floral hop aroma rises, accompanied by hints of anise and a sake-like yeastiness. As the other flavours fade, a light, almost coffee-like character also emerges in the aftertaste.
My Thoughts:
Harbin’s Imported Premium Lager stands out as the most complex, layered and well-balanced among the Chinese beers I've tasted so far. Its increased hop presence might not be for non-beer drinkers, but most beer enthusiasts will likely appreciate this one for being one of the most multifaceted beers from the Chinese beer industry. It's also impressively bright, clean-tasting, and luscious – a very delightful beer experience.
My Rating: 8.5/10
This journey through these eight Chinese beers has been a delight. For those seeking lighter options - think shandy or a refreshing lemon spritz - both Yanjing U8 and Cheerday impressed me. Yanjing U8, at a mere 2.5% ABV, surprised me with its depth and flavour, showcasing a balance of barley and dryness that makes it highly quaffable. Cheerday, another low ABV option, offered a clean, crisp profile with a pleasant citrusy character – a perfect refresher for a hot day.
On the richer end of the spectrum, the Harbin beer really stole the show. It’s got a complexity and layering of flavours unmatched by the others. From its rich maltiness to the surprising floral hop character and hints of coffee on the finish, it's a beer that keeps you engaged with every sip. Following closely behind is Laoshan Imported Premium Lager, which left a lasting impression with its distinctive rice aromatics and touch of sweetness.
So don’t cast all Chinese beers under the same light – they’re generally lighter in body, but within the richer brews, there’s still plenty of nuances with lots of character. Try a couple of them the next time you visit a Chinese restaurant – you might just surprise yourself.
@CharsiuCharlie
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A while ago there was a comprehensive review of Japan's best known classics - we're talking Asahi Super Dry, Sapporo Black Label, Suntory's Premium Malts, Kirin Ichiban Shibori, as well as Yebisu's Gold Label (the review is here by the way). These are typically collectively known as the Big 5 of Japan and represent the face of the biggest commercial breweries of the country.
And what was the response to that review? A whole bunch of people saying the Yebisu Black had to be reviewed.
Now, outside of Japan, the Yebisu Black is not the easiest to find, but if the people ask for it, we'll find a way to make it happen - and so here we have the Yebisu Black. I really wonder what the excitement is about, I guess we're about to find out together.
But first, let's talk about what the Yebisu is. Yebisu, for those new to the brand, belongs to Sapporo (and was once jointly owned by Asahi too), and is meant to be the brewery's premium lineup, and thus features the deity Yebisu, one of Japan's Seven Gods of Luck, and is often depicted as a fisherman holding a fishing rod in one hand, and a sea bream in the other. He's therefore a representation of fortune, a patron of fishermen, and also a 100% malt beer.
I suppose compared to the other lagers available, Yebisu comes off with a fuller taste and texture because of the high malt content - malt's expensive! It also runs counter to the big trend of Happoshu's which is a lower malt style of beer that's popular in Japan for being cheaper (but often is touted more so for being less on calories).
Sapporo brought back brewing of Yebisu to Tokyo's Ebisu district in 2022, after a 35 year hiatus.
The Yebisu Black - as is the Yebisu brand promise - is 100% malt, but here the malt has been roasted over a charcoal fire which is said to give it a really great aroma. Don't mistake this for a stout though, rather it's more technically precise to call it a Schwarzbier - the difference being that a stout is an ale, while a Schwarzbier is a lager.
Lagers are bottom fermented at cool temps for a longer period of time, while ales are top fermented at warmer temperatures for shorter periods - practically speaking though, lagers tend to be lighter as compared to ales. And so with the Yebisu Black, we should expect this to be lighter bodied as compared to a typical stout, and also weigh in at a lower ABV. So keep in mind that while appearances might be similar, you can't expect a stout from Yebisu's Schwarzbier lager.
With all that said, let's get to it! Onward!
Colour: Espresso Black
Aroma: Really malty with a good amount of roastiness of espresso coffee. Also a light bit of burnt ends. There’s a subtle creaminess to it too.
Taste: Medium bodied, caramel, light roastiness, more espresso, treacle, a light bit of herbaceous parsley.
Finish: A little bit more of that bitterness of burnt ends - this oily savouriness.
It’s got a pretty full flavour, but not all that dense a body (which should be the case for a Schwarzbier) which makes it very sessionable and easy to drink. It holds off on the bitterness but still keeps the roastiness - which again makes it really approachable and while it’s pretty straightforward in flavours, it does have pretty big flavours at that. It’s smooth, easy and pretty aromatic, and really just a very approachable brew altogether. It’s basically black coffee (or kopi-O) in beer form but sweeter.
I can see why folks are a big fan of the Yebisu Black - it's got a very nice richness to it, big flavours, but at the same time is light enough that you don't feel full or boozy drinking it, making it rather refreshing. As a beer, it's like a lighter version of a stout with pretty much the same flavours, but as mentioned, it really feels most like cold pressed coffee.
Kanpai!
@111hotpot
2023 was a big year for Suntory and Japanese whiskies as a category - it was the 100th anniversary of when local whiskies were first produced in Japan, which props to Suntory, took place at Yamazaki Distillery. It's really cool to see that 100 years on, Yamazaki is as big as ever, and the Japanese whisky scene has become more vibrant than ever (no thanks to a global rise in interest in whisky, amidst other things).
Yet, funnily, there wasn't nearly as much hoorah from Suntory as one might've expected given the significance of the occasion. There was a tidy commemorative release of several of Suntory's most popular brands - Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki - each sporting the 100th Anniversary insignia, but aside from that nothing all that spectacular, with just a pretty standard lineup of NAS, 12 Year Old and 18 Year Old (nothing we haven't already seen to be honest) expressions. Some say it's to do with the whole shortage that Suntory has been facing when a couple of years ago, there was an industry-wide unexpected surge in interest for Japanese whiskies - but really, who knows, right?
It gets the people going!
It was therefore up to a rather unlikely hero to come and jig the fan's excitement - a couple of 100th Anniversary canned ready-to-drink (RTD) highballs. Who would have thought canned highballs (considering Suntory doesn't usually indulge in Yamazaki/Hakushu canned-anything), which are already quite a staple, would create such excitement (at least for a hot minute, and then as is the case, the cycle continues, and also it was rather pricey at 660 Yen or US$4.35). There were initially two canned highballs announced - a Yamazaki Highball (reviewed here) and a Hakushu Highball (reviewed here). And then quietly, almost as if Suntory didn't want anyone to notice, a third canned highball was released - a Hakushu Sherry Cask Matured Blend Highball!
| Read: Hakushu Canned Highball (Reviewed)
The Hakushu Distillery.
Sherry-anything is already enough to stir up some enthusiasm, but a Hakushu Sherry Blend - all the more! After all, Hakushu has amassed a pretty solid fanbase for its more herbal and minty flavours - it's no Yamazaki in the way of mass appeal, but it's certainly got its fans (myself included).
The contents of this canned Highball are pretty self-explanatory - it contains some Sherry Cask-aged Hakushu whisky that's been blended into a Highball and canned at 9% ABV.
Let's give it a go!
Colour: Light Gold
Aroma: Light smokiness, it’s buttery, malty, with a light dusting of confectionary powdered sugar and also a wedge of lemon. It’s quite rounded with a good cohesiveness, a good depth and richness to it - so not too bright and confectionary.
Taste: Oooh more of the sherry flavours coming through - alittle more sherry sweetness, this red wine sort of concentrated berry sweetness, more maltiness and honey, with some confectionary vanilla, still a light smokiness, light hit of lemon.
Finish: Clean finish, more of that sherry sweetness, some ashiness, here it’s giving lemon sherbet. Slight bit more of that powdered sugar.
This was a pretty tasty highball. The Sherry flavours don’t immediately come through on the nose, but it does come through in the form of a sort of denser, more concentrated berry jam sugar of sorts that I’d place as being closer to red wine or simply sherry.
What I liked here is how this highball isn’t too bright or confectionary - sometimes they can be really sugary and just feel like heaps of sugar or fondant. Here it’s just the right sort of richness, not too bright nor dense. The sherry flavours while an interesting touch, could be alittle better integrated and more obvious - or at the least more consistently evident from nose to palate and into the finish. Perhaps a stronger and more persistent jammy sweetness would be nice.
Nevertheless, this was still pretty tasty, the smokiness was quite enjoyable and gave it an added dimension to savour. And also solid points for being rich and being malty and buttery.
If you happen to come by one, I’d say it’s worth a pickup. But don’t bail on your grandma’s birthday and hop on a flight just for it.
Kanpai!
@111hotpot
Tucked away in Osaka Prefecture lies Minoh City, renowned for its breath-taking Minoh Park. Just a while ago, this place was overrun by playful troops of around 200 wild Japanese macaques (snow monkeys or Osaru in Japanese), that thrived amidst the autumnal beauty of Minoh Park. These intelligent creatures, with their thick reddish-brown fur and expressive faces are beloved symbols of the area and would occasionally interact with locals and visitors. Unfortunately, due to occasional conflicts with another ape species (humans), the monkeys were relocated to the higher reaches of Mount Minoh, so hikers continue to have Osaru sightings but they are much less frequent now. It is this city where Minoh Beer Brewery was born.
Founded in 1997 by Masaji Ohshita, a liquor store owner, this brewery sought to break the mould of Japan's beer scene, which at the time was largely dominated by a handful of major players with a homogenous focus – you may remember the “Dry Beer Wars” sparked by Asahi where the major Japanese brewers focused on perfecting one specific style that appealed most to consumers. Masaji thirsted for diversity and yearned for a more artisanal touch lacking in Japanese beer. His craft beer venture was perfectly timed, aligning with the 1994 shift in Japanese law that eased restrictions around small brewery licenses.
It wasn’t just blind passion. Masaji’s vision for Minoh Beer was shaped not only by the lack of variety in the Japanese beer market, but also by the fallout of a fierce discounting war between many Japanese liquor stores and grocery chains. This price battle chipped away at profits, and fuelled his desire to produce and sell a unique product of his own.
Although the brewery was started by a Japanese ojisan, it has a distinct feminine flair thanks to the importance of Masaji’s three daughters in the success of the brewery, who are affectionally dubed the “Minoh Sisters” in local media. His eldest daughter Kaori’s involvement has been most pivotal – Kaori took over as head brewer and was responsible for making many of Minoh's acclaimed beers. Kaori's passion is matched by her sisters, Mayuko, who oversees the Minoh Beer Belly bars in Osaka, and the third sister, who joined the business in 2010. The strong family ties and the leadership of the Minoh Sisters have become a defining characteristic of the brewery itself.
Minoh's lineup of beers sport iconic primary colour labels, and covers a range of styles from a pilsner, to IPAs, stouts and pale ale. In this review, we turn our attention to their orange label Pale Ale that is made from American hops and promises a beautifully balanced brew.
Nose: This opens with a classic American pale ale character – rich, sweet malts, vibrant citrus like grapefruit and orange peel, and even a hint of vanilla. There's a touch of floral brightness with a lingering richness with an overall hoppiness that seems a bit less bitter than a traditional American pale ale (I’m using Sierra Nevada Pale Ale as a benchmark).
Palate: Very vibrant, citrusy and layered. Grapefruit leads the way, followed by a pithy, layered hop character that's surprisingly well-balanced. The texture is lovely and creamy with pleasant pillowy foam, and it’s medium-bodied, with an interesting touch of brininess. Malt sweetness seamlessly blends into an aromatic barley note at back of the palate. There’s also light floral flourish of an osmanthus jelly-like flavour that is both refreshingly bright and subtly bitter.
Finish: Refreshing, clean, and light. The pithiness continues at just the right intensity, leaving that malty barley sweetness on the palate. There's even a light soapy quality that reminds me of baby shampoo.
Very well-balanced, a pale ale with a Japanese character that really shines through. There's a beautiful harmony between creamy texture and those bright citrus hops. The maltiness, grapefruit, and pithiness all come together beautifully and seamlessly.
While it’s not overly complex, it's very tasty and incredibly drinkable.
My Rating: 7.5 /10
Nose: Very rich, sweet and really malty – almost like an amber beer but a little more citrusy. Sweetness dominates upfront, showing layers of toffee, caramel, and a hint of maple syrup. Balancing this are subtle fruit notes, like grapefruit zest and a touch of red dates. As it warms, hints of roasted malt emerges, not quite full roast, but adding smoky depth alongside dark, umami savoury soy sauce notes.
Palate: Perhaps the ‘W’ in “W-IPA” stands for “Wow!” because wow, this is a heavy hitter! Rich malt characters take hold immediately – toffee, caramel, cream cracker biscuits and a bready, slightly yeasty quality reminiscent of marmite on toast. Grapefruit sweetness shows up, but a wave of assertive hop bitterness quickly takes over mid-palate along with a dry citric zestiness that constantly zaps the tongue. Over time, the robust alcohol begins to open up more depth, with notes of roasted cereal, a hint of vanilla and lingering coffee with hints of resin adding to the complexity.
Finish: Long and memorable. Bitterness remains a dominant force, alongside the malty sweetness and a distinct roasted coffee bean note.
This is one of my favourite IPAs I have tasted in a while. It’s rich, bold and pulls no punches, giving us a delicious story of bold malts, bright citrus, and roasty coffee undertones. This is the sort of beer that leaves a lasting impression and invites you back for more.
Its hoppy intensity would mean that it gets overwhelming for those who dislike strong bitterness. But that’s not something you can complain about – for hop-lovers, this delivers exactly the powerful punch that an Imperial IPA promises. It is, after all, the cask strength whisky of the IPA world.
A robust beer like this would pair incredibly well with bold dishes. Think spicy curries, roast meats or strong aged cheeses.
My Rating: 8.5/10
Nose: Rich, sweet and milky. Burst with sweetened Starbucks café mocha with a splash of milk, all underpinned by lots of rich roasted malts. There's also a distinct syrupy sweetness of dates, monkfruits and perhaps a light Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa (Chinese herbal cough syrup) flavour.
Palate: Rich, roasty and dry. It continues on the theme of roasted malts with a subtle hint of dark soy sauce. It's fairly straightforward, and also lighter bodied for a stout which makes it incredibly easy to drink. Flavours unfold with milk coffee and hints of marshmallow, but also a distinct karakuchi note that emerges – that dry, almost citrusy prickle that cuts through the richness. The texture would be a bit better if there had been more foam, but this batch doesn't seem that foamy.
Finish: Relatively short, leaving a touch of slightly burnt roastiness lingering on the palate.
This is a well-balanced and incredibly drinkable stout from Minoh. The karakuchi note makes this a perfect pairing for rich, oily dishes.
While enjoyable, the competition is fierce the Japanese beer industry. So even the mass-produced porter or stout-style beers like Asahi Black can offer fantastic quality at a lower price point. This is a good stout, but not one I'd go out of my way to find.
My Rating: 6/10
Nose: Sweetness leads the way with classic West Coast IPA tropical notes - ripe mango and pineapple jump out immediately, along with a burst of citrus. There's a sweet, almost sherbert-like quality with hints of lemon and orange, tempered by an underlying grassy freshness.
Palate: The initial sip is all about the hops, delivering a wave of bitterness and citric influences. There's a straightforward malt base that quickly gets swept away by spicy hops, with plenty of pithiness and citrus notes. Hints of dried mango and some indistinct tropical fruits offer a bit of tropical sweetness, but those fade quite quickly and meld into a subtle grassiness.
Finish: On the shorter side, dominated by basic hoppiness with a touch of pinenuts and a slightly drying sappy sensation.
This is definitely one for the hop lovers! It channels that classic West Coast IPA feel, but for me, it unfortunately leans a bit too heavily on bitterness and dry citrus. I'd prefer those upfront hops to be balanced with perhaps some sweeter malty or bright fruity flavours on the palate to keep things a bit more balanced. It's a decent brew, but it left me wanting those richer, juicier more decadent notes that the child in me would enjoy.
My Rating: 5.5/10
Score/Rating Scale :
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@CharsiuCharlie
]]>An apple martini in beer form?
Fruited sours are playful breed of sour beers that is often touted as a beer for non-beer lovers.
For fans of the drink, the beauty of a fruited sour lies in its approachability. Put simply, it often involves the addition of pureed or whole fruits into beers that are made to be deliberately tart and sweet - balancing (and sometimes even masking) the malty hoppiness of traditional beers. The category also lends itself to quite some variability - with many different craft breweries producing textures ranging from thick and smoothie-like to fizzy and effervescent.
When it comes to fruited sours, a name that is not to be missed is that of Vault City Brewing, an independent Scotland-based craft brewery that specialised in heavily fruited, sour beers. Since its founding, the brewery has often prided themselves on their decidedly modern take on fruited sours, made with a range of adventurous yet accessible flavours (A paradoxical offering? They think not!). Many of Vault City’s more eye-catching fruited sours (such as their 5th year anniversary release, a blueish-tinged Raspberry Blueberry Bubblegum Bottles Sour, or their dark violet wine-looking Blackcurrant Kir Royale) are so unconventional and novel that they often have old-school beer traditionalists griping about whether such expressions even constitute beer anymore, yet conceding that regardless, they are nonetheless delicious.
I hate to sound like a positively phototactic insect, but as I sat down for dinner the other day, my eye’s couldn’t help but be drawn to a luminescent (almost glowing) green glass sitting on the table next to mine. It was hardly a colour I had expected to see grace any glass in a beer tap house! This, I found out, was none other than Vault City’s Apple Soor Session Sour Beer. At this point, I’ve heard so much about Vault City’s famed fruited sours that I knew I had to order a pint for myself to try.
It should be noted that the Vault City Apple Soor Session Sour was released to commemorate St Patricks day, hence the evocative luminescent green tint of the expression.
Appearance: Neon, luminous green.
Aroma: A sweet bouquet of apple candies and tart sour gummy worms.
Palate: Very creamy yet effervescent, with a substantial body that still feels very drinkable and refreshing due to a zesty undertone. Just as with the nose, I again get sweet and chewy notes of apple candies, but this time with some touches of cream that reminds me of lime pudding. It's very fruity and flavourful, like an apple martini in beer form.
Finish: Short, with notes of apple gummies and lime zest.
Overall Thoughts:
🍏😗
A real solid sour, with a refreshing puckering tartness that's well integrated with sweet fruity green apple notes. It's really easy to drink, and I especially enjoyed the punchy apple gummy notes that are prominent on the aroma!
Happy sipping!
@lotusroot518
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Playground Brewery comes from Ilsan, Goyang, South Korea, sitting northwest of Seoul. The brewery, which was started in 2015 by founder Chun Soon-bong and helmed by brewmaster Jaehyun Kim, is easily recognisable by its incredibly distinctive beer can labels that feature various characters and Hwahoe masks which are paired with various beer expressions, almost personifying them - the high ABV lager is matched with the character of suited gentleman, whilst the stout is given the character of a witch.
These Hwahoe masks are taken from a traditional Korean dance drama epic called Andong Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori ( 하회별신굿탈놀이) which the brewery believes is not just an homage to its Korean heritage (and would make the beers easily identified as being Korean), but is also an encouragement by the brewery to its consumers to have fun and embrace being playful with each brew offering a different perspective and persona - thus its motto "Drink Better, Play Better".
The brewery has produced over 50 expressions to date, and much of its success is owed to its perspective of creating beers that is missing from the market and that might interest Koreans. Founder Chun believes that Koreans aren't necessarily interested in simply any beer that is foreign, but that they fundamentally want tasty beers regardless of provenance. This led him to debut with the brewery's Gentleman Lager which was a standout at the time of its launch with a 7.6% ABV versus the 4% that most lagers sport - this was a big hit with many wheat beer fans who were used to the higher ABV but found Playground Brewery's lager to be maltier.
The brewery in true Asian style, also focuses on pairing its beers with food, and is said to have one of the best taproom food menus in South Korea. And so you can expect its beers to be created with select dishes and flavours in mind. The brewery even got a chef who trained in the Cordon Bleu institute in Australia!
Going back to its origins, Chun had initially found the South Korean beer scene to be incredibly challenging initially as much of the infrastructure was not well developed as South Korea had only recently then deregulated craft beer making, allowing craft brewers to produce and retail its beer directly to consumers nationwide. This meant that getting hands on ingredients such as malt and hops was difficult, and thus he had initially considered being an importer of American beers, but eventually felt that locally brewed beer would still be the freshest for drinkers in Korea. He had also sent the brewery's brewmaster to the US to learn beermaking, as well as being first to obtain a canning machine that made Playground Brewery the first craft brewer to sell its beers in cans as opposed to kegs.
Since its founding, the brewery has begun to increasingly focus on domestic sourcing of its ingredients, such as Korean black raspberry (bokbunja), which the brewery hopes can allow its beers to become even more reflective of its locality. This has boded well with locals, and as you might guess, the brewery's beers are incredibly popular with locals in the Ilsan area, although since its inclusion into nationwide convenience chains, has become a full Korean phenomenon.
With all that said, let's give the beers a go!
The Gentleman Lager is Playground Brewery's interpretation of a Czech Pilsner but with a high ABV which is what was the brewery's early claim to fame. In coming up with the expression, the brewery had looked to the popular Korean Somaek (beer and soju combo) and wanted to create something that would offer a similar experience. The mask on the label is called the Aristocrat.
Color: Deep Gold
Aroma: A good scoop of honey, deep notes of mangoes and apricots, with a faint scent of hoppy greenness residing in the back. There’s a substantial malty quality about it too.
Taste: Thick and rich with dense and heavy notes of honey and mango puree, really creamy, and then alittle more diesel from the hoppiness - it’s the hop oil! There’s a brief wave of bitterness.
Finish: The hoppiness evolves into a more leafy quality, alittle medicinal, before retreating back into the tropical fruit puree. Lingering touch of bitterness.
I really liked how rich, dense and fruity this was, the flavours are big and heavy, while being supported by a good hefty texture. This gives it a very satisfying density!
The hoppiness really only hits towards the back of the palate but it does come in rather heavy, with a good deal of those hoppy greenness persisting through to the finish. It can be alittle high toned - think diesel fumes - so that does take some getting used to, but thankfully it stops short of being overwhelming.
This is a big boi lager that packs a whole lot of flavour.
This is a raspberry saison ale that makes use of locally grown raspberry. The character here is that of the Punae which is a character with a white face with red rouged lips and cheeks that is said to possess super ordinary beauty.
Color: Deep Gold / Amber
Aroma: Lots of buttery wheat and honey, quite rustic, with a gentler side of fruit jam at the back.
Taste: The fruit jams take a big step forward - raspberry and strawberry jam pushes forth first, and thereafter there’s Rice Krispies, wheat, a slight bit of foamy bitterness. A medium-bodied brew with full-bodied flavours.
Finish: A waft of uncooked rice, lightly nutty, but also some more chewy glutinous rice notes. Some slight bit of bitterness that’s typical of lagers. Finishes off with bigger berry jam notes.
Very solid raspberry ale! On the nose, I was a slight bit concerned, but as it warmed up slightly, the fruit jam notes began to reveal itself alittle. Thankfully on the palate the fruit jams stepped up - quite substantially even - and was complemented with the Rice Krispies flavour to give a fully stacked flavour spectrum of lighter and brighter umami flavours alongside denser and richer jammy fruit flavours. Really lovely thickness to the body as well.
The finish was just as well terribly enjoyable - almost like a rice lager with the nutty raw rice flavours with some chewy glutinous rice, you know I love these rice notes! And then more of those fruit jams - heck, bigger here even.
Overall, a really lovely well-integrated and rounded flavour that combines the raspberry notes perfectly with the hefty texture, and also a nice bit of complexity on the finish.
Very, very nice.
Here we have a chocolate stout that is made with the addition of oatmeal. This has the character of Halmi which translates as an old woman that dons an expression showing her anguish from a harsh life. The idea here was apparently that the chocolate stout would be a "big boost in life with its sweet chocolate".
Color: Espresso Black
Aroma: Roasted, charred coffee beans, burnt toast, a light bit of marmite, earthy notes of soil, unrefined cacao, roasted nuts.
Taste: Lighter-bodied than you’d expect, still good integration, notes of mocha, dark chocolate, roasted nuts, with just a slight bit of oiliness and bitterness.
Finish: Almost feels alittle more gritty here - spent coffee grounds and cacao nibs. Pretty clean finish, leaving a more smoky mocha or hot chocolate aftertaste.
Pretty enjoyable stout - what struck me first was how earthy it was. Even on the nose, it was incredibly earthy, more so than most stouts, almost like it was more unfiltered. That gave it a very uncut and raw quality that I really appreciated.
On the palate, it was somewhat lighter than I had expected, a touch under medium-bodied, but the flavours were still very cohesive, and this time more of the chocolate showed up, and again a really nice earthy quality to it - and personally I liked that this wasn’t too dense or bitter. In fact, I found it very friendly - almost like the tail end of drinking a mocha.
This was perhaps the most earthy stout I’ve had so far - it’s not sweet, nor particularly bitter, but entirely earthy. Which makes it not just unique amongst stouts but also very approachable and friendly.
This hazy IPA is designed as a low-alcohol session beer made in the NEIPA style.
Color: Hazy Orange Juice
Aroma: Already the classic pineapple tepache and cut grass aromas are coming through - entirely like freshly harvested and cut pineapple with both the fruit and the leaves tossed in.
Taste: Lighter than expected, and not nearly as bitter as feared! Here it’s more fruit forward, with more pineapples and orange juice. A good harmonious body that’s well-rounded and even alittle sweet! It’s got a nice vibrancy about it with a body that’s refreshing and not too dense.
Finish: Just a slight bit more bitterness coming through of cut grass. And then we’re back to the raw orange juice and pineapples.
This was initially alittle fear-inducing because of how hoppy it was on the nose - I had thought this was going to rip through me with the bitterness of a field of hops, but surprisingly its palate showed so much more restraint! The palate was my favourite part as you can probably tell - it was much more fruit forward, with great roundedness and integration, but technicalities aside, it was really juicy and refreshing, with a body that didn’t come off too dense, but still flavour packed.
Kanpai!
@111hotpot
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Hawkers Beer represents a remarkable journey from the war-torn terrains of the Middle East to the colourful craft beer scene of Australia. Established in 2015 in the Reservoir suburb of Melbourne, Hawkers Beer was started by Lebanese brewer Mazen Hajjar, known for founding the first craft brewery in the Middle East called 961 Beer in 2006 amidst the chaos of the July war between Israel and Lebanon. He was previously a war photographer, investment banker and even founded a budget airline company.
After running a successful business in Lebanon and exporting to over 20 countries, Mazen took a business trip to Australia and observed a gap in the Australian craft beer scene which he felt was lagging behind the dynamic American craft beer scene. Inspired by this potential, Mazen relocated to Australia and began with a grassroots approach to promotion – taking to the streets of Sydney, promoting from door to door with bags full of beer samples. This inspired Mazen to name his Australian brewery “Hawkers” as an homage to immigrant vendors who roamed the streets of Australia selling their wares from carts during the early days of the British colony.
The company rapidly ascended to become one of Australia’s leading independent breweries, expanding across Australian states and foraying into overseas markets, becoming available in UK supermarkets like Marks & Spencer’s.
This beer I’m reviewing is the Hawkers Lucky 13° Bohemian Pilsner that is apparently made according to traditional brewing techniques and ingredient lists. It’s made with Bohemian floor malt, Saaz hops and then lagered (matured in cold temperature) for two months. Whisky enthusiasts might be familiar with floor malt, but let’s do a recap for the benefit of those who aren’t familiar. Floor malt tends to be a bit more expensive than regular malt because they are made using a more effort-intensive method that involves spreading malted barley on a floor to germinate, during which the malt is then turned by hand to ensure even drying and germination. Only a small number of whisky breweries and beer breweries continue to use floor malt due to the belief that such malt provides a more authentic flavour.
Let’s give it a taste.
Nose: Vibrant, fruity and aromatic. It opens with a sweet lemony citrus scent that oddly reminds me of lemon-flavoured car fresheners – though in a good way. The foundation is a fresh malty aroma, complemented by subtle toasted corn and nuances of bread toast. There’s some caramel and cereal grains, wrapped up in a light tropical flair of passionfruit and pineapple juice.
Palate: Crisp, fruity and refreshing. The initial attack is notably dry, quickly followed by a burst of sweet and crisp starfruit and green apple juice. A rather aromatic hop character for a pilsner, marked by distinct but not overwhelming pine and a fresh earthy undertone.
There is a backbone of toasty maltiness that weaves through the fruits, while a consistent, tingling dryness on the tongue is maintained throughout. Some barley notes along with a mild bitterness make a late appearance.
Finish: Swift and clean, primarily led by hops and barley, along with a light peppery dryness that lingers longer than the primary flavours.
The Hawkers Lucky 13° is a thoroughly enjoyable example of refreshment and subtlety in a beer. It perfectly balances that slight sweetness, crispness and pronounced malt character we love in a classic pilsner. The hop essence is also very present, adding a layer to the intricate flavours without overwhelming it.
This is really well done and deserves a high score for nailing down a great pilsner’s profile and nuances down to the T.
For Singaporean readers, this beer is available on Thirsty.com ! Search “Hawkers Lucky 13° Bohemian Pilsner” to locate this product.
P.S.: I’m sad to hear that a great brand like Hawkers Beer was recently declared to be insolvent and has entered voluntary administration (a process of repaying creditors). Let’s hope that the brand pulls through this difficult time and continues serving up brews one way or another in the years to come!
My Rating: 8/10
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@CharsiuCharlie
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SpaceCraft is a Thai craft brewer that's done pretty well for itself! Bagging no small number of big awards, despite having to remain a cuckoo brewer as many of its fellow Thai peers are as well - a topic that its founder, Kan (กาน-กาญจน์ เสาวพุทธสุเวช) has been really vocal about. The brand was started around 2014/2015 and has largely had to produce its beers in Vietnam and then more recently Cambodia, before having it exported back into Thailand for sale - a practice common with Thai craft beer brands as a result of the tough regulations being imposed on them by local authorities.
Kan, the space explorer! (Image Source: Voice TV Thailand)
While not much about the brand is offered, we only know that Kan is a fan of science fiction and takes much of his inspiration from various spaceships and space objects. He likens himself to a space explorer looking for unknown treasures - the beer - which he brings and offers to his drinkers.
I personally first took notice of the brand when I had saw that this little known brand had bagged a bunch of big awards and was curious that I had heard very little about them. When the chance arose to try them - they were being stocked at a supermarket in Thailand - I knew I had wanted to see what they were about.
So let's give two of their beers a go, we've got the Discovery Wheat Beer and the Event Horizon Stout.
As SpaceCraft puts it, an Event Horizon is the region of space and time around a blackhole where events inside cannot be transmitted outside - thus an appropriate name for their oatmeal stout! This uses 6 types of malt and 1 hop and is supposed to be a medium-bodied stout that goes well with cream-based dessert.
Color: Espresso Black
Aroma: Roasty, espresso flavours but brighter - very aromatic and yet mellow. Exactly like a good cup of latte with extra shots.
Taste: Medium-bodied, not your usual heavy stouts. Yet it packs in all the coffee flavours - roasty coffee beans, espresso, with a light char bitterness. There’s a good amount of milkiness too that keeps it very smooth. Still very aromatic, and very well-rounded but also brighter and more lifted than your usual stouts.
Finish: Bright milkiness, more milk sugars, before a gentle touch of espresso bitterness - very aromatic. Pretty clean and surprisingly refreshing finish.
Wonderful stuff! I really enjoyed this stout - this runs counter to the trend of intensely heavy, dank stouts. This one is bright, aromatic and lifted - it’s very well-rounded with great coffee flavours, but none of the dankness. It’s also rather light bodied - not watery though - just standard almost IPA heaviness, which complements perfected the more lifted flavours.
If you’re someone who enjoys stouts but don’t like the super heavy, dank styles (like me!) this one is definitely for you.
Superbly enjoyable, it’s like spiked cold coffee - aromatic, great flavours and body, lovely refreshing finish!
According to SpaceCraft, this one's called Discovery, taking its name from the early NASA space shutter that's gone into orbit. SpaceCraft says that for them this is symbolic of their years of research that they took to start creating their own beers and determining the path and altitude of their own journey.
Color: Light Gold
Aroma: Bright fruity but bitter notes of pineapple tepache, starfruit, passionfruit. Hoppy green grassy bitterness too.
Taste: Medium-bodied with gentle notes of pineapple puree, starfruit juice and a much lighter green hoppy bitterness.
Finish: Clean, finish with some lingering pineapple flesh.
This was a pretty enjoyable, light, clean brew that came off more as an IPA than a wheat beer. On the nose there was quite a strong hoppy bitterness but surprisingly on the palate this was much more subdued and gentle.
Overall, good body and flavours, good cohesiveness, it was aromatic and friendly to drink, but also leaned towards a milder side.
Kanpai!
@111hotpot
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Avery Brewing is a well-known craft brewery in picturesque Colorado. Established back in 1993, the company has carved its niche in the craft beer industry with an ethos that marries audacious innovation with a reverent adherence to traditional brewing techniques.
The journey began with a young, 27-year-old Adam Avery in Boulder, Colorado who discovered that he had a talent and passion for homebrewing. At the same time, Avery stood at a crossroads – he had just been accepted into law school, only to realised that his true calling was in beer brewing. Funnily enough, his friends from the legal industry saw Adam’s passion and convinced Adam to trade legal briefs for brewing vats. Adam thus made the bold decision to step away from law school. After his son’s persuasion, his father, Larry, also made the bold decision to gamble a portion of his retirement savings on a brewing venture that was anything but certain.
This bold decision set the stage for what would become one of the most successful breweries in the United States, which was so successful that the Spain-based brewing giant San Miguel and Michigan-based Founders Brewing Company both made sizable investments in Avery Brewing to acquire stakes in it.
A defining characteristic of Avery Brewing is its pioneering work with high-gravity beers, a term that refers to beers with a higher alcohol content, typically north of 8-10% ABV, pushing the boundaries of beer styles. Focusing on high-gravity beers requires a lot of skill and finesse, requiring a delicate balance of increasing fermentable sugars without overwhelming the flavour, and meticulously managing fermentation conditions to ensure the yeast thrives despite the higher alcohol levels where yeast tends to die. Finally, high-gravity beers often benefit from some barrel aging to mellow out the alcohol's harshness and integrate flavours – managing this aging process is another challenge and requires a deep understanding of how these beers evolve over time.
The brewery is one of the pioneers of the barrel-aging process for American craft beers, and experiments with aging beers in barrels that previously held a range of different spirits like bourbon, rum, tequila and Irish whiskey.
All these technical feats achieved by the company are a testament to Avery's mastery over the beer-making process.
We’re reviewing one of Avery's crowning achievements, The Maharaja, an Imperial India Pale Ale that exemplifies the brewery's flair for high-gravity, hop-forward beers. The iconic beer clocks in at 10% ABV and promises a bold, hop-forward character.
Let’s give this a taste.
Nose: Rich and indulgent, popping with sweetness and florals. Opens with rich maltiness, leading into layers of caramel, crème brulee, vanilla and butter cake. There’s heady aromatic florals, lavender and rose syrup. There’s also a mild oakiness akin to that found in bourbon.
Palate: Wow! This is incredibly rich, thick and viscous. Bursts with vibrant hoppiness, followed by malt and cereal notes forming the backbone, with a dry cereal and grist-like quality. Segues into caramel sweetness, praline and subtle nuttiness weaving through, all with an ever present background music of aromatic hoppiness.
Finish: Long and robust, and carries on with the intensity of the palate. Hoppiness continues to linger but there begins to be a growing zinginess or bite – like a mild punchiness that reminds me of malt whisky.
This is incredibly potent and strong – its intensity is both intimidating and exhilarating. This is a beer that demands your undivided attention. You might have this with a hearty meal, but take a sip of it and you’ll be reminded of what you’re drinking.
This would be delicious to any IPA lover. But the high bitterness would certainly be an acquired taste to new drinkers of IPA, or even put off people who do not like anything with the name “Imperial” on it. The sheer potency of the beer might also feel a little bit overwhelming for casual drinkers – so a can of this shouldn’t be wasted on these folks!
My Rating: 7/10
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For Singaporean readers, this beer is available on Thirsty.com! Search “Maharaja IPA” to locate this product.
@CharsiuCharlie
]]>Rainforest Brewery has debuted their third beer (read our review on their debut beer Lavender Haze here) !
This beer, the Crushed Alive Calamansi & Sour Plum Gose, has hit the local beer watering holes sometime early February. Here's the description straight from the brewer's mouth:
Inspired by a local drink called Air Limau Asam Boi (Lime & Plum Juice in Malay), a refreshing Gose-style beer is crafted to perfection with a tantalizing blend of freshly squeezed tangy calamansi and sweet-salty sour plum (Asam Boi).
Embrace the crisp, slightly salty character of Gose, elevated by the subtle zesty notes of calamansi and the delightful twist of sour plum. Lightly hopped with Motueka, this brew promises a crisp, citrusy adventure that'll leave you craving another sip.
Here is what the beverage that inspired this beer looks like - often with some calamansi and sour plums soaking in the beverage. Source: DailyMakan
For the record, calamansi (Citrus x microcarpa) is a small, almost perfecetly spherical lime that is native to the Philippines, but has widespread use in Southeast Asian cuisine. The plums here probably refer to the dried, sweet-salty sort that can be eaten on is own, or used in cooking and beverages.
As with half of my beer tasting origin stories, I stumbled upon this brew one particularly sweltering afternoon. If the beer is fashioned after Air Limau Asam Boi, you bet that was what I needed.
And hence I got a half pint at Locality, a beer taproom that only stocks locally made brews.
Nose: The nose is very, very delicate. There is a hint of preserved sour fruits. If anyone has ever opened a bottle of sour plum candy, like Pikin Plum Candy for instance, there’s that green plum aroma that is coupled with a bit of confectionery sugar syrup. A faint aroma that reminds me of light, low alcohol and dry perry lingers around the top as well, however delicate.
Taste: The first wave of flavours you get is that half salty, half sour flavour of dried sour plums. It develops quickly to a preserved sweetness - not too sweet, but just enough to break up that salty sour profile. At subsequent sips, the sourness leans away from the plums, and more towards a weak calamansi juice profile.
Finish: There is a “cooked” sort of flavour at the finish. It’s somewhat malty, but coupled with the plain saltiness of table salt - very similar to a table water or a saltine cracker. Amongst the cereal salty flavour, there is a mild funky aroma as well, reminding me of a dry cider or perry. Interestingly, long in the finish, I got a bit of pandan-infused sweet soup aromas lingering on my palate as well.
A refreshing brew for sure. However, the brew tends to come of quite strongly on sweet sour plum candy - which may be a put-off for some. Nevertheless, this is a well balanced sour beer that balances the sweet, sour, and salty well, without any obviously strong or overpowering flavours and aromas. I do wish there was more the beer could offer in fragrance, and perhaps with more calamansi or acidity in general, but it’s a loveable brew that has its place on a hot sunny day or a warm stuffy evening.
Rating: 7.2/10
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@vernoncelli
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Orh Gao's celebrating it's 5th anniversary and so there was simply no excuse to not join in the celebrations. It might've been 5 years but it may as well have been 50 because not only was the turnout in celebrating the occasion great, but it was also filled with folks who love the iconic Singaporean taproom - friends, fans, partners, ex-staff members; everyone turned up in droves despite the rainy weather to give cheers to the craft beer haven that many have called the stopover before home.
Orh Gao has been such a massive supporter of the craft beer scene, always open to showcasing emerging or legendary, local or foreign, IPA or stout, craft beer brands alike. To its fans it's always a place to hang out and relax, have some nice upscaled Singaporean food, and either have a chat with a friend or even just mind one's own business - and if you're ever caught without company that you're looking for, the folks at the bar are always happy to talk to you.
There's always this sense of authenticity and if you're a follower of their Instagram, you'll quickly see that Orh Gao makes no apologies for itself - always embracing its outgoing, fun, edgy and lively personality (as is custom at its anniversary parties, all are welcome to chug a pint of craft beers with their tops off - you've just gotta be there).
It never feels like just any craft beer bar, it always feels like a personality of its own - one that will just as much always embrace you. The taproom is itself the friend you always wish you had at the bar.
And so on this fine Saturday evening, I got myself over and had to try their anniversary brew - a grape ale by Rocky Ridge in collaboration with Orh Gao. The beer itself, Grape Expectations, is a beer-wine hybrid brewed with 225 litres of Sauvignon Blanc Semillon juice from the Margaret River area in Western Australia, and hopped with Super Sauvin infused with Phantasm.
The producer, Rocky Ridge, is a 5th generation family farm in Western Australia that not only produces beer but also grows its own hops. The brewery has always had a good relationship with Singapore's craft beer scene, so it's not a surprised that they've been tapped to create Orh Gao's 5th anniversary brew.
Now with all that said, all that's left to do is TAH! Orh Gao Wansui!
Color: Honey Water
Aroma: It's got a gentle scent - honey, wheat, light malt, green grape, chardonnay - lightly sweet. A deep inhale finds a fragrant greenhouse hoppiness and leafyness.
Taste: Medium-bodied with a full flavour of light tartness, honey, bright green grape juice and champagne - it's clean and uncomplicated but also full. It's got this effervescent quality that makes it champagne-esque, except it's not as bright and is also alittle more yeasty and bready.
Finish: More maltiness and wheat, before the heaps of barley sugars hit - clean and refreshing. Final bits of light honey and wheat.
This was a really sessionable and perfect celebratory beer because it felt like the beer equivalent of champagne. It's light and easy to drink but has a satisfyingly full flavour whilst being uncomplicated and tasty. It's alittle heavier on the green grape juice than natural champagne, and also not as bright, and is also alittle more yeasty. It feels like a cross between champagne and a unpasteurised ale.
I really like the full-bodied flavour paired with the light and effervescent quality of it - super tasty and easy to drink, well-balanced body, nice clean finish.
To many more years Orh Gao!
Kanpai!
@111hotpot
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Heralding from the vibrant heart of Warsaw, Poland, Browar Funky Fluid emblematises the innovative spirit of the country's burgeoning craft beer scene. Established in 2018 by a trio of beer enthusiasts—Michał Langier, Karol Mizielski, and Grzegorz Korcz—Funky Fluid quickly distinguished itself within the so-called "second wave" of Polish craft breweries. The powerhouse team is composed of Michał who brought his brewing experience from the Langier Beer brand, Karol contributed his extensive history of being a beer retailer, and Grzegorz has expertise in organising beer festivals.
Funky Fluid's beer portfolio spans classic styles, powerfully hopped IPAs, NEIPAs, and adjunct-loaded stouts. However, it is their Gelato series—rich, adjunct-loaded pastry sours inspired by the flavours of Italian gelato—that catapulted them into the limelight when the brewery was barely 2 years old.
Right after the Gelato series was launched in 2019, it was met with such acclaim that Funky Fluid was named the third-best brewery in the world by Ratebeer in 2020. You might chalk it down to marketing - I mean, who wouldn’t be intrigued by the idea of a gelato-flavoured beer. But the fact that the series continues to be popular is testament to the quality of their brewing.
The quirk of the Polish craft brewing landscape is that contract brewing is prevalent, and even the top craft beer brands are technically contract brewers (that do not themselves own the brewing facilities). Funky Fluid too, utilises the advanced infrastructure for contract brewing to produce most of its beers.
Nonetheless, the brewery has reached a scale where it's begun to express its desire for its own brick-and-mortar facility to further refine their brewing processes. The reality is that the set up of each brewery makes it better suited for producing certain styles more so than others, so Funky Fluid’s professional brewers have to constantly drive to different locations to brew different batches of beers. Perhaps brew-driving isn’t as dangerous as drink-driving but all the travelling certainly sounds like hard work!
Last week at Orh Gao Taproom Singapore, we experienced Funky Fluid’s acclaimed Gelato series for the first time. This is one of the iconic flavours - the Berries & Cream Ice Cream Sour.
As I mentioned, this series is inspired by the indulgent, creamy flavours of Italian gelato and showcases the brewery's skill in translating these dessert characteristics into the medium of beer.
If you have a look at the Gelato series on the brewery’s website, the range of flavours is so wide you’d be left wondering if these guys might one day pivot into ice cream making. It’s as extensive as a gelateria with flavours such as Blueberry Cheesecake, Mango Sticky Rice, Raspberry & Banana Shake, Passionfruit Mango & Peach, and the said Berries & Cream.
The Berries & Cream variant we’re sipping has been brewed with raspberries, blackberries, marshmallow and vanilla and comes in at 5.5% ABV.
Let’s give this a taste.
Nose: Akin to diving into a bowl of raspberry sorbet or strawberry purée. The strawberry sweetness veers towards confectionery and creamy rather than purely fruity. It also has this distinct scent of strawberries and creme candies, reminiscent of those Italian Galatine sweets.
Accompanying this is a subtle zesty sweetness of lemon candies, intertwined with the distinctive sweet-tartness of sugar-coated Chinese hawthorn balls (山楂).
Palate: Flavourful and wonderfully balanced. It’s medium bodied, presenting a substantial texture that stops short of being heavy, and allows the fruitiness to maintain a refreshing character. Opens with a burst of rich raspberry ripple ice cream, followed closely by an intense strawberry jamminess. Milker notes of vanilla and cream soda emerge from the midst, alongside a gentle mellow marshmallow note reminiscent of the toppings on a hot chocolate. The flavours gradually develop towards a slightly yoghurty lactic sourness and tangy twist of sour plum candy.
Finish: Towards the end the fruitiness develops into a slight dryness and a puckering sensation, but the palate cleans up its act quickly. The final notes are remarkably light with a clean barley-like aftertaste you’d get in a good lager.
This is a beauty - one of the best pastry / confectionary / dessert sour style beers I’ve tried.
It really hits the sweet spot - it’s got everything you’d love about a raspberry ice cream, but doesn’t tip over into the overpowering too-sweet territory that many other brews do. It’s also refreshing but not too thin, and layered in berry and cream influences. Over all it’s very easy to drink.
What I love most is how it keeps its beer identity strong, with those subtle barley notes making a cameo after the main gelato act is done - right where you want them. If you're into dessert but fancy it in a pint glass, this is your go-to. And for anyone a bit wary of diving into “sour” beer, this Berries & Cream number is like the perfect introduction. It's got all the complexity and depth you'd want, but it's as approachable as a smoothie.
So hats off to Funky Fluid for nailing it with this one. Now, I’m on a hunt for other batches and flavours from this series.
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@CharsiuCharlie
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8LBB uniquely stands for “8 Lorong Bakar Batu”, the address for the head office of Thirsty – Singapore’s largest and leading online craft beer retailer which has been around for more than 10 years.
Thirsty’s magic doesn’t just lie in its vast beer selection, its polished website or its quirky marketing banners. It distinguishes itself by taking the effort to introduce shoppers to each brewery’s beers sold on the site when you’re looking to purchase. What really grabs my attention, though is the hoppiness scale that accompanies each brew (telling you exactly how bitter or sweet it is), and the thoughtful lowdown on everything from the beer’s style, tasting notes, the place of origin and transparently stating its best before date.
It's a bit like having a beer buddy by your side, guiding you through what's going to be sweet and what's going to remind you of your bitter ex – pretty crucial when you're navigating the craft beer world. Little thoughtful things like these make you more confident in your purchase when shopping for craft beers.
Now, onto the 8LBB Dragon’s Breath West Coast IPA. This is a collaboration between Thirsty and The Craft Alliance, steered by none other than John Wei of Brewlander Brewery’s fame, practically a craft beer celebrity in Singapore.
Dragon’s Breath is said to be a nod to the heart and soul of Singapore’s food scene – the hawker centres. After all, these bustling food courts are a UNESCO-recognised cultural heritage of the nation state, where you could explore Singapore's rich culinary stories at one location. The brew is dedicated to the hawker "aunties" and "uncles," the culinary heroes of us who operate these challenging businesses and keep Singapore’s unique food culture alive.
Thirsty’s website sheds more light on how the collaboration took form. Apparently, they had a dim sum lunch with John before the Thirsty team provided the label art and some recipe ideas. John’s team at The Craft Alliance took charge of the brewing.
Labelled as a West Coast IPA, Dragon’s Breath uses neutral malt and those famously aromatic hops from the American Northwest. Light pine and tropical hop notes are said to flicker across our palate like the flicker of a dragon’s fiery breath. A little bit over the top? Probably. But it’s all in good fun especially since this is the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Dragon.
Let’s get into this beer!
Appearance: Just an observation – most West Coast IPAs tend to be amber clear. This one presents a translucent gold hue, almost a New England IPA-like appearance.
Nose: Fresh, with indistinct tropical fruits, the most obvious being some ripe mango puree and Nestle’s Mango Sjora. There’s also a subtle undercurrent of pine complimented by light white florals.
Palate: Vibrant and citrusy, with light tropical notes once again. The initial impression is a burst of lemon zest and indistinct tropical fruits – passion fruit and coconut cream, buoyed by a thick and velvety texture reminiscent of a NEIPA. It quickly transitions into a cleaner profile marked by a clean confectionary candied sweetness, a solid malty backbone and some Digestive wheat biscuits.
Finish: Clean, concise and straightforward. It has a basic barley essence coupled by an emerging clean grassiness of hops.
This one’s another straight crowd pleaser. Rather than being bolder and much hoppier like a typically robust West Coast IPA, this strikes a middle ground between a West Coast IPA and a NEIPA. It has a very pleasant hazy mouthfeel with a very restrained bitterness, paired with light tropical sweetness of mango and coconut cream, making this super easy to drink.
This will enjoy broad appeal as a friendly, tropical IPA that wouldn’t turn off hop-phobes .
For Singaporean readers, this beer is available on Thirsty.com ! Search “8LBB” to locate this product.
@CharsiuCharlie
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It looks like Singapore's biggie brewery Tiger has a new flavour joining its Radler family - a new Pomelo Radler.
Now if you've been following this site, you'll know we're big fans of Tiger's Radler (we reviewed the classic trio Grapefruit, Lemon and White Grape here) - they've just got it down tight! And so while it wasn't long after Tiger had stealthily released a limited edition Mandarin & Honey Radler (we tried that too - review here) that seemed earmarked for Chinese New Year, yet another expression was quietly dropped into local supermarkets - the Pomelo. It seems like Tiger is really leaning into more Asian-inspired expressions.
As big fans of Pomelo (the fruit), of course we had to try it!
Let's have a go! Onward!
Colour: Cloudy Apple Juice
Aroma: Really aromatic, fruity and almost candied, with loads of candied wintermelon, snow pears, alittle bit of zesty notes of grapefruit and pomelo, even a little bit of freshly squeezed orange juice. It’s got a really rounded, sweet but also alittle bit earthy or herbal - like cold asian desserts of cheng tng or honey sea coconut with ice jelly. Over time, alittle bit more lemon-y notes appear with some pith too.
Taste: Really lovely rounded body - it’s a got a very satisfying somewhat denser weight to it, carried through with rich notes of candied wintermelon, some sugarcane juice with lemon wedges, again it’s got a slightly earthy and herbal quality to it that reminds me of traditional asian desserts. It’s not overly sweet, but more of a herbal sweetness to it, with some gentle wafts of lemon.
Finish: Really satisfying clean and refreshing finish with just a light bit of carbonation. Lingering aromatic notes of sugarcane juice with lemon wedges and still that candied wintermelon in brown sugar soup. Long after there’s alittle bit of that pomelo greenness that creeps up ever so slightly.
Really splendid stuff - I don’t know about Pomelo - but this was incredibly tasty and I thought it had a really nostalgic vibe to it. It kept reminding me of traditional asian desserts I grew up eating, but that aside I really loved the combination of candied fruits and herbal, earthy sweetness, with just a twist of citrusy zest.
It wasn’t overly sweet, and had a very nice rounded body and an incredibly satisfying thirst quenching finish with a perfect amount of carbonation.
It somehow had a very full flavour on the body that was complemented by the heavier body as well, that made it so rounded, cohesive and flavourful.
Perfectly done. I could drink this everyday of my life.
My Rating: 10/10
Score/Rating Scale :
Kanpai!
@111hotpot
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In a bid to continuously excite customers, Asahi came up with the The Double in 2018 (back then it came in a red-coloured can) which was meant to offer up a unique beer combo that would feature a "golden ratio" of ale and pilsner. The idea was to create an expression that had the richness of an ale, and the full-bodied and crisp quality of a pilsner.
For the new edition of the Asahi The Double, it now comes in a white-coloured can that features a cute drawing of an ale and a pilsner clinking to each other.
Let's see if this lives up to its goal! Onward!
Color: Clear Copper
Aroma: Slightly darker and heavier with more on caramel, dark honey, toasted bread, light notes of wheat. It’s somewhat reminiscent of a dunkel. There’s alittle bit of char of roasted malts. Definitely richer. Over time more of the hoppiness shows up.
Taste: Definitely richer and more full-bodied, with more caramel, toasted bread, dark honey, still alittle bit of that roasty notes. There’s a quiet but noticeable hoppy bitterness at the back.
Finish: Clean with a slight bitterness of char. Over time a more crisp and drying bitterness becomes apparent, with a slight umami savouriness of oyster sauce.
Hmm… This is certainly pretty easy to drink but takes some getting used to. It truly is what you think the combination of an ale and a pilsner might taste like. The richer, darker and heavier ale notes definitely takes the fore, with the crisper, lighter pilsner characteristics taking some time to show up.
Initially the aromas and the taste on the palate were pretty ale-forward - all those caramel, toasted bread, honey and that slight roastiness. But over time the more crisp, hoppy and slightly bitter and drying pilsner backbone becomes more apparent - on the aroma it’s a slight fragrant leafy hoppiness, and on the palate and finish there’s definitely more crispness and bitterness.
What does it make this brew? Well, it’s sort of neither here nor there, which is why it takes some getting used to.
It’s heavier and richer than a pilsner but lighter, more crisp and drying than an ale. It’s overall a decent brew, but I still don’t know if this would be my top pick.
Kanpai!
@111hotpot
This beer was launched early in 2023, with a very aesthetic design I might add, almost looking like a beer keg, and is Suntory's new Triple Draft Nama Beer.
The "Triple" comes from the triple decoction method used to produce the beer, which is a traditional European method where at three points of the beer's production, are specific ingredients of the beer removed, boiled and then returned to the beer mash. I won't go into technical details, but the goal with the method is to help to increase the malt flavour, depth and foam. It's ultimately a really time and labour intensive method that isn't commonly applied these days.
This comes as a result of Suntory having done some studies on the beer drinking market and concluding that folks were drinking more slowly over meals or hangouts, and thus the beer should keep fresh for longer.
Let's give it a go!
Color: Gold
Aroma: Gentle notes of uncooked rice, wheat with a light malty buttery vibe. The rice is most prominent here.
Taste: Pretty full in flavour with a thicker note of honey, buttery malt, wheat, light bit of rice and just a very gentle bitterness. It feels alot richer here and very rounded, cohesive and buttery. It’s lightly honeyed but very malty.
Finish: The rice becomes prominent here again with a mix of raw rice and glutinous rice. There’s still some honeyed sweetness in the background. Still really velvety and buttery and it just stays on, but in a weirdly very nice way.
I really enjoyed this Nama beer from Suntory a whole lot, it’s really rounded and cohesive and it’s texture is just something else altogether - so ridiculously buttery. The flavours are pretty consistent and they sort of meld into one another, with the rice notes most prominent on the nose and finish (I’m a huge sucker for the rice notes).
This isn’t a super bright or yeasty beer which I initially thought it might’ve been - rather it’s really rich and full bodied, super super malty. Probably the best texture on a commercial lager that I’ve tried till date.
Kanpai!
@111hotpot
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Beerfarm is a microbrewery from Metricup, Western Australia, which makes a wide range of brews, from lagers to IPAs, sours, saisons, cask ale and even apple cider. Founded in 2015 by a group of five self-described misfits - George, Ian, Craig, Ben, and Josh - Beerfarm transformed an old dairy farm, converting a hay shed into a cosy tavern and establishing a microbrewery in what was once a round house. The early years saw the five founders working hands-on, juggling roles from bartending and venue management to cooking and table service.
At the core of Beerfarm's ethos is a deep commitment to sustainability and conservation. The brewery implemented solar panels and recycles water used from the beer brewing process. Spent grain from brewing is also fed to the Black Angus cattle that graze the surrounding paddocks, a testament to their commitment to circular economy principles.
One of the most interesting projects is their Native Series of beers that pays homage to the indigenous ingredients and stories of Australia. This series is a collaboration with Fervor, a high-end roving pop-up restaurant known for its focus on native Australian ingredients. The mission is to educate Australians about the sustainable use of indigenous ingredients and celebrating the cultural significance of these native crops to Australia’s First Nations Peoples. It’s also a creative way to build a bridge between traditional indigenous knowledge and contemporary craft brewing techniques.
We’re tasting the 9 th edition in the Native Series which brings spotlight to the Boab fruit and Nyul Nyul Aboriginal custodian Robert Dann. The Nyul Nyul people are one of the indigenous groups of Australia located primarily in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. A “Nyul Nyul custodian” is a member of the Nyul Nyul community who holds traditional responsibilities for caring for their land, waterways, and cultural heritage. This includes conducting cultural ceremonies, preserving sacred sites, and passing on language, stories, and knowledge to younger generations.
Bet you didn’t expect to learn so much about native Australian culture from a beer review!
Now, the Australian Boab Tree is iconic tree native to the Kimberley region. It is known for its unusual bottle-shaped trunk and large, swollen base, which can store vast quantities of water, allowing it to survive the arid conditions of its environment. Indigenous Australians like the Nyul Nyul have used the Boab for food, medicine, and materials for centuries. The nut of the tree, or the Boab But can be eaten raw or roasted.
Beerfarm’s Native Series 9 Boab Nut Brown Ale is a twist on the brown ale with the inclusion of the Boab nut, with its slightly tangy and nutty flavour.
Let’s give this a taste.
Nose: Sweet, roasty, rich and malty, reminiscent of an amber ale. It carries a blend of caramel and citrus, underpinned by a mildly umami character akin to the dark fermented essence of Chinese sweet sauce (甜酱) – the sort commonly used in spring rolls or popiah. The malty backbone is quite prominent, setting a robust stage for the nose.
Palate: Initial taste has the lighter, fresher aspect of a classic amber, albeit with a more muted intensity with a good balance. Opens with plenty of citrus, notably sweet grapefruit with a just as present light roasted malt character, developing into caramel, toffee and milk coffee and culminating in a Werther’s Original-like salted caramel sweetness. There’s a bit of spiced nuts too.
The roasted character is distinct but its bitterness is balanced by the citrus.
Finish: Medium length, with a transition towards more aromatic coffee, joined by a dry lager-like character.
This makes for a decent, well-balanced brown ale that leans towards a lighter amber ale style. The palate is fairly satisfying and well-balanced. The most standout feature for me would be the aromatic coffee finish right at the end, which elevates this above some of the common black ale or black lager offerings such as Guinness foreign stout or Asahi Black.
The only thing that leaves me curious is that the influence of the Boab Nut remains elusive to me. I haven’t even eaten a Boab Nut before. This would receive an even higher score if they packed a sachet of Boab Nut to accompany each can.
Overall, it's a decent and balanced amber with a broad appeal.
My Rating: 7/10
Score/Rating Scale :
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For Singaporean readers, this beer is available on Thirsty.com! Search “Boab Nut Brown Ale” to locate this product.
@CharsiuCharlie
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Nestled in the heart of the Redwood country of Eureka, California is Lost Coast Brewery which was founded in 1989 by Wendy Pound and Barbara Groom. Wendy had a background in marriage and family counselling, while Barbara had been a pharmacist for over two decades.
The inspiration to open a craft beer café came to Barbara after a visit to the newly-opened Hopland Brewery back then, a trailblazer as California’s first brewpub. At the same time Barbara was feeling that her job as a pharmacist didn’t quite live up to her expectations and was more effective lulling her to sleep than popping two Ambien tablets. A craft beer café was the perfect outlet for Barbara’s stifled creativity and brilliance.
This realisation led the duo to embark on an exploratory journey into craft brewing.
Because America’s craft beer movement was still nascent back in the 80s’, the women visited numerous breweries across England and Wales, immersing themselves in the rich brewing traditions of these places. They returned to California and opened Lost Coast Brewery and Café in a spruced-up 100-year-old building that dates back to 1892. Their homebrew was popularly received and Wendy and Barbara's venture swiftly grew, becoming one of the most successful female-owned craft breweries in a traditionally male-dominated industry. Their expansion continued with the opening of a new facility in 2014, further cementing their legacy.
Lost Coast’s beers have distinctively vibrant and quirky labels, often showcasing Picasso-style fragmented or distorted faces of beings. They are best known for their Great White Ale, a crisp and refreshing Belgian-style white beer that delights people with subtle notes of citrus and coriander.
The beer we’re reviewing today is another Belgian-style white ale called Stargaze Wit. This is made with wheat, rolled oats, Belgian witbier yeast (said to be the secret sauce for high phenol content and herbal aromas), orange peels, coriander and Sterling hops. From the looks of it, this appears to be a more robust version of the brewery’s signature Great White.
Let’s taste it.
Nose: Clean but multifaceted and aromatic. Begins with a distinctive pop corn, toasted tortilla scent complemented by a bright, lemony undertone, a combination reminiscent of Italy’s Peroni beer. Followed by a light herbal bouquet of lemon grass and coriander delicately intertwined with fresh orange peels. Turns slightly richer with a backdrop of biscuity maltiness and lemon shandy, subtly accented with a hint of peanut butter. Very complex.
Palate: Light textured but the flavour profile is robust. Initial taste is a harmonious blend of clean, sweet malt and zesty citrus, followed by an increasing presence of cereal notes and some buttered pop corn. As it continues to develop, a yeasty, bready character emerges along with vanilla and caramel, as the background turns towards a dryness.
Finish: Moderately short. It’s got clean barley notes that gradually give way to a lingering lemon zest, accompanied by sour patch candy (those mouth watering candy gummy strips dusted with sour sugar) and once gain… an enduring pop corn note which slowly fades.
The Stargaze Wit is very intriguing with a lot going on. It has a light body and zesty citrus notes that are true to the Belgian witbier style with a nice distinct popped corn flavour that makes it really stand out. Yet it also has a light dryness that makes it refreshing and an excellent accompaniment to rich and hearty foods.
That said, this is perfectly satisfying to drink on its own which makes it a good versatile brew that you can't go wrong with. It’s flavourful, nuanced, yet highly sessionable, refreshing and a pleasure to drink.
My Rating: 7/10
Score/Rating Scale :
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For Singaporean readers, this beer is available on Thirsty.com! Search “Stargaze Wit Belgian-Style Beer” to locate this product.
@CharsiuCharlie
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In the serene backdrop of Western Australia, the story of Eagle Bay Brewery is not just about crafting beers but also a testament to the family's dedication to preserve a beautiful family heirloom. Founded in 2010 by third-generation farmer siblings Nick, Astrid, and Adrian d’Espeissis, the brewery sits atop a hill on the peninsula at the northwestern tip of the Margaret River region, a locale renowned for its wineries and surf breaks that is surrounded by family farmland and stunning views of Western Australia's coastline.
The d’Espeissis siblings faced the challenge of a declining value in their picturesque estate which was inherited from their grandfather who founded it in 1950. Their resolution to not sell the farm despite financial pressures and turn from agriculture to craft brewing (and winemaking) to sustain and reinvigorate the estate.
The brewery uses only malt, yeast and hops with a commitment to sustainability by using rainwater and solar power in their brewhouse. It also doesn’t add preservatives, additives, or pasteurise their beers is a nod to the purity and integrity of their craft. Focused on drinkability, the brewery’s year-round core range includes a Kolsch (for which it’s best known for), Vienna Lager, Mild, Pale Ale, and ESB, with an ever-evolving lineup of seasonal beers.
Eagle Bay’s favourite Kolsch was interestingly born as a refreshment for a hard day of work during the building of the brewery. Nick would experiment with various craft beer recipes in 50 litre batch for the builders. The builders’ favourite was his Kolsch, which has since become the brewery’s most popular beer to date.
Beyond beer, the d'Espeissis family has also ventured into viticulture with a small 15 acre 25-year-old vineyard on their farm which provides grapes for winemaking. The family collaborates with other Margaret River winemarkers to produce very limited run Eagle Bay wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay that are available only at the cellar door.
In this review, we delve into Eagle bay’s first foray into the New England IPA style, which is also known as the Hazy IPA. This is described as a triple dry-hopped “juice bomb” by the brewery, which the brewery promises is very low on bitterness and big on haze.
Nose: Creamy and thick, with a blend of indistinct tropical fruits, predominantly pineapple and sweet mango, underpinned by a distinct sappy, rubber-like scent. Mild notes of soursop and a gentle piney character add layers to the aroma, though the pine aspect is not very pronounced.
Palate: A combination of citrusy dryness and tropical flavours. The texture is notably velvety yet maintains a clean profile, devoid of the thick sedimentary feel found in some thicker NEIPAs. Notes of pineapple juice with hints of stone fruits evident, but more on the aromas – the beer is not overly sweet. It has a consistent dryness from the initial taste through to the full palate.
A grassy note develops towards the end, accompanied by the subtle sweetness reminiscent of duku langsat and a continued sappy note or sensation.
Finish: Clean and rather brief, characterised by very light pine notes and a lingering barley aftertaste.
This is exceptionally easy to drink and true to style, it has very minimal bitterness.
The beer is mostly straightforward, with the prominent dryness being the most interesting dimension to the beer. It's not overly sweet or bitter, and only moderately tropical with an easy-drinking nature. It doesn't have any standout traits that might define it more distinctly, positioning it as a crowd-pleaser rather than a challenging drink. Personally, I do feel that it could significantly elevated with more boldness, but perhaps I should just look for that in a DIPA.
My Rating: 6/10
Score/Rating Scale :
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For Singaporean readers, this beer is available on Thirsty.com! Search “Eagle Bay TDH New England IPA” to locate this product.
@CharsiuCharlie
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KAIJU! Beer, a family-owned enterprise that has carved a niche in the hearts of hop lovers in Victoria, Austraila. Founded in 2013 by brothers Nat and Callum Reeves, the brewery is earlier known for stirring the local craft beer scene with the hoppiest brews. In fact, their debut beer, the Aftermath Double IPA, was so hop-heavy that it caused a state-wide shortage of Simecoe hops. Talk about making an entrance!
KAIJU! - a term meaning "strange beast" in Japanese (怪獣) - is not just a name, but a nod to every giant, city-stomping monster you've seen in movies. Think Godzilla with a pint or King Kong on a brewery tour. For the brothers, the branding of a monstrous beast inspires the creation of their intensely flavourful monstrous brews their own.
But why the use of Japanese though?
Originally, they were known as “Monster Mash”. But it turns out, another monster in the beverage world, Monster Energy, wasn't too thrilled. The team had to bow out from this potentially contentious trade mark issue and reinvent their brand identity. The vibrant artwork on every can still continues to feature giant monsters of course - a visual feast crafted by New York artist Mikey Burton. Indeed, many of their hop-forward brews are intensely flavoured creations, a ‘kaiju’ in their own right.
Let’s turn our attention to the Pleazure Kruze Hazy Pale Ale which we’ll be reviewing today. In terms of ABV and robustness, this beer showcases a more delicate touch. Yet it isn’t a departure from KAIJU!’s typically hop-heavy lineup. The beer is brewed with baby malt, oat and wheat, and brewed with a blend of six different hop varieties - Amarillo, Citra, Mosaic, Nelson Sauvin, Eldorado, and Galaxy.
Let’s give this a taste, yea?
Nose: A creamy and juicy blend, dominated by tropical scents. Mixture of pineapple and dried mango, intertwined with the fresh warm sweetness of persimmon and orange juice. Pleasantly aromatic hoppiness and light pineyness, the profile enriched by subtle grassy notes that evoke pandan leaves and steamed coconut rice. Vibrant and pretty complex.
Palate: A very clean body, surprisingly not as texturally hazy as I expected. It strikes a medium balance in terms of flavour intensity. Opens with barley and malt, leading into subtler notes of starfruit and pine with more sweetness of honey melding with a light, citric lemon zest. There's a faint hint of coconut milk, reminiscent of the traditional Nonya Kueh, specifically “rainbow kueh lapis” (九层糕 ). The foaminess that persists gives this a pleasant velvety texture.
Finish: Clean and relatively long, with a compelling hoppiness that's assertive, nuanced but not overwhelming, before concluding with a mildly drying sensation. There’s a sweet aftertaste of lychees.
This KAIJU! Beer strikes an interesting balance. It isn’t incredibly flavourful, but it surprises with certain nuances and subtleties that I can only attribute to the diversity of hops. The beer's strength really lies in its nuance rather than boldness of flavour that allow one to appreciate the juiciness of the tropical fruits and the subtlety of the hops, neither overshadowing the other.
It's an intriguing brew, offering more than what meets the eye, or rather, the palate.
My Rating: 6.5/10
Score/Rating Scale :
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For Singaporean readers, this beer is available on Thirsty.com! Search “Kaiju! Pleazure Kruze Hazy Pale Ale” to locate this product.
@CharsiuCharlie
]]>It's the Rumble In The Jungle! Except, there's no two heavyweight boxing icons slugging it out at each other. Moreso, the only fighting done was me trying to maintain decorum after guzzling high ABV beers without dinner in my belly.
The "Rumble In The Jungle" was the showdown between two heavyweight boxing juggernauts George Foreman and Muhammad Ali.
On sober hindsight, maybe I was a bit too excited to try this beer.
The Rumble In The Jungle was a three-way collaboration between Singaporean brewery Brewlander, hawker-stall turned beer tap watering hole Smith Street Taps and the uprooted Jungle Beer, which has since shuttered it's operations in Singapore.
Source: Brewlander
The beer pays tribute to the Kiasu Stout from Jungle Beer, which won a slew of impressive awards in Beerfest Asia 2013: Best in the World, Best in Singapore and Gold in the Stout category. The word "kiasu", in layman Singlish terms, describes the "fear of losing out" attitude that many Singaporeans grew up in within the hyper-competitive environment. Think FOMO, but in terms of your kid's academic grades, the latest vouchers and food promotions, career status, and anything the rat race deemed important.
Source: Reuben Brenner-Adams on Untappd.com
So what happened to Jungle Beer?
The dramatis personae of this story is co-founder and brewery Aditya Challa - whom a decade ago was known as a pioneering figure of craft beer in Singapore. Aditya, as a child, often visited the city of Goa - but first became acquainted with craft beer during his work at UK, and the US. Taking up a course in Scotland, Aditya returned back to Goa to get a brewery set-up with friend and business partner Nikhil.
Aditya Challa. Source: Brewer World
Unfortunately, the Goa brewery didn't quite take off, and Aditya set up Jungle Beers (under Barefoot Brewing Company) in Singapore, sometime near 2010 to 2011. Two years later, the Kiasu stout would bag multiple awards at Beerfest Asia 2013.
Source: SpritedSG
Jungle Beer and Aditya has since moved from Singapore in 2015, planting its roots back in Goa in 2017 under the Susegado brand - after laws and legislation has made it favourable to set up a brewery.
Source: Vogue India
Here's the official description from the Brewlander site:
"Rumble in the Jungle, a 3-way collab stout Brewlander x Jungle Beer x Smith Street Taps, offers a velvety-smooth mouthfeel with a well-balanced blend of roasted malt sweetness, hints of dark chocolate, and a subtle coffee-like aromas from both the roasted grains and chicory.
The chicory imparts an intriguing complexity to the beer, contributing a mild earthy bitterness and a touch of spice that lingers on the palate. A delightful choice for those seeking a satisfying and slightly exotic beer experience."
Nose: A mild milk chocolate aroma floats on the surface at first. There's a roastiness to the beer, reminding me of roasted malt and toasted oat crackers. There's just a hint of cacao powder as well.
Taste: it's quite complex in flavour, while being quite thin in texture. The initial flavour I get is an americano that has had half a packet of brown sugar stirred into it. On subsequent sips, it loses some of that coffee flavours, getting more chocolate - specifically 60% milk chocolate. A tinge of roastiness presents itself, like toasted buttered brioche.
Finish: there's a tiramisu flavour to the finish - there'd a butteriness of the mascarpone cheese, the tinge of alcoholic flavour from the rum, and that distinctive confectionery coffee taste.
Rating: 8.5/10 deliciously refreshing - deceptive even. You don't really get the alcohol burn from the beer, instead you get pleasant coffee flavours that are both rich but not cloying. The intensity is just right - it really feels like a cuppa early in the morning. Highly recommend catching it!
Score/Rating Scale :
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I wonder if there's anymore Kiasu Stout in the wild... maybe that's just my FOMO speaking.
@vernoncelli
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In Korea's clash of titans, Kelly is perhaps the newest entrant to the arena - a very Danish focused contender from giants HiteJinro, who had hoped to replicate its success from the Terra brand just four years earlier.
If you're new to the Korean beer scene - let me just say that it's probably more exciting than any K-drama (Korean soap opera) out there. The field has seen many changes, as the local government has over the past two decades relaxed beer production laws that have opened up a breeding ground for local craft beer makers to enter - and you've got to give it to these scrappy folks, they've done a damn fine job of making some really good beers. Now combine that with the ever charging onslaught of foreign beers, craft and commercial, that come ready-packed with the shimmery glimmer of being foreign and viewed locally as therefore likely better quality.
HiteJinro's mega brewery in Gangwon.
This leaves the two major national players, HiteJinro and Oriental Brewery (OB), in an eternal struggle to get ahead of one another, whilst keeping everyone else at bay - and for the most part while both commercial giants still hold the lion's share of the Korean beer market but if only it were that easy.
Every so often one of the two will introduce a new commercial lager that will sweep through South Korea, stealing the top share for a couple of years, that is until the other fights back with their own new lager brand. It's really an eternal tit-for-tat. For every Hite from HiteJinro, OB has a Cass. Then HiteJinro pulls out a Terra and wouldn't you know it - the eyewatering marketing budget works and Terra steals the show. And now, it wants to do it again with Kelly.
I'll bet you right now, you wouldn't have the slightest guess what "Kelly" stands for - it's a combination of the words "Keep Naturally". And at first glance, you'll notice some motif or text that draws on a Danish connection occur a mere 7 times on the front of the can. It really wants to be Danish, but aside from the barley coming from Denmark's Jutland grown by the North Atlantic ocean breeze as stated on the can, the beer is pretty much made in Korea.
Nonetheless that shouldn't be surprising, considering that HiteJinro's last hit, Terra, had an incredibly heavy focus on being Australian - that is until the government stepped in and made them take their Aussie "origins" down a notch. According to the local regulator, even its competitors use Australian barley, so maybe cool it down.
Those cameos ain't cheap!
Nevertheless, we've got Kelly - which we have the benefit of about a year's worth of commercial performance at this point to look back on (we're trying it in early 2024, and it was released in early 2023). And the figures are out - "100 million Kelly bottles sold within the first 99 days of launch", if that doesn't scream blistering success, what does!
So for all the crap folks give HiteJinro, well, it works.
You've just got to basically plug your product in every major K-drama.
But let's give this 100% All Malt Beer that is supposed to be extra long fermented a go ourselves. Onward!
Sidenote: While Kelly was certainly a success in terms of sales, HiteJinro hasn't quite completely gotten the credit it wants out of it. Profit still remains weak because of the incredibly high marketing cost and rising raw material prices, but all that aside, there's no doubt that Kelly more than blew past expectations in sales at the least.
Color: Gold
Aroma: Fresh honey and wheat, with a scoop of uncooked rice, with some of that nuttiness of rice husks and also a side of more starchy sticky rice.
Taste: Really buttery, malty texture, with a nice thickness. There’s a light sweetness of honey but more of those rice flavours, as well as some savouriness like teriyaki sauce. It’s more buttery than anything else and has a good balance between sweet, nutty and savoury flavours.
Finish: Lots more of those sweet and chewy sticky rice notes. It fades out into a long and pillowy soft rustic sweetness.
This was surprisingly enjoyable, definitely a touch above most commercial lagers in how well-balanced this was. I particularly liked that nice rice flavours that carried over from the nose to the palate and finish, with these really lovely chewy sticky rice sweetness, and also I think where this stands out is how well-balanced it was on the palate - it’s definitely not a sugar bomb, but at the same time has a good amount of complexity between being lightly sweet, nutty and savoury, whilst at the same time having an incredibly buttery texture that you don’t often get.
Very nice, definitely my favourite of Korea’s major national beers.
My Rating: 8/10
Score/Rating Scale :
Kanpai!
@111hotpot
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Garage Project, despite its humble beginnings in the relatively small country of New Zealand, has made a fantastic ascension to become one of the most highly-regarded craft beer producers Down Under, if not around the world. Founded by Pete and Ian Gillespie, and Jos Ruffell, Garage Project transformed a disused petrol station, which its name gave a nod to, into a craft beer powerhouse.
Early on, they gained most attention from the craft beer community for their 24/24 project, where they brewed 24 distinct beers over 24 weeks. For 6 months, they had to make a new beer every week, releasing a beer every Tuesday 5pm at a local craft beer bar. Folks who didn't make it in time would painfully miss out. This helped build their cult following, as it also demonstrated their versatility and ability to explore a plethora of styles and flavours. The tagline became "Try something new".
Garage Project's popularity can be attributed to their daring and experimental approach, which defies common themes and embraces high-frequency new releases.
Their repertoire spans the entire spectrum of craft beer, often incorporating unconventional techniques, through unique yeast trains, collaborations with other breweries, and the integration of unconventional ingredients like breakfast cereals. This approach was the beginning of a broader trend in the craft beer industry, where craft breweries distinguished themselves through innovation and uniqueness.
Another cornerstone of Garage Project's success is its active participation with the community, being known for creating some really memorable experiences at beer events and festivals. A notable example that Jos Ruffell shared with me (more on my meeting with him later) is their Two Tap Flat White - comprising two distinct beers, an Imperial Coffee Stout and a Milk Cream Ale poured on nitro, poured into each other to mimic the layers and flavours of a flat white coffee and it even has a latte art foam top. Seriously, you have to watch this video:–
Serving up such memorable experiences cemented their status in the hearts of craft beer fanatics.
Couple of weeks ago, I went back to one of Singapore's most popular craft beer venues, Orh Gao Taproom. Apart from being another beer guzzling excursion, Jos Ruffell, the co-founder of Garage Project happened to be in town to visit Orh Gao, which recently received several fresh kegs of Garage Project's beers. The kitchen prepared a spread of Peranakan dishes for Jos and Charlie (who runs Orh Gao), and Christian from Bad Decisions Imports.
Charlie very graciously invited me down to have a chat and interview with Jos himself, and I couldn't pass up this special opportunity. But apart from speaking to these bunch of craft beer legends, I took the opportunity for a couple of quick half-pints of Garage Project's new beers fresh off the tap.
Here's my review of the new Duck Island Ambrosia Ice Cream Sour.
No ducks were involved in the making of this beer. This beer was made in collaboration with Duck Island, a popular artisan ice cream maker from the seaside village of Hamilton East in New Zealand's north island.
The ambrosia flavoured ice cream appears to be one of the signature flavours from Duck Island. For the uninitiated, and that would include myself, ambrosia ice creams typically feature flavours and elements reminiscent of a yoghurty sweetened fruit salad-dessert popular in the American South.
Duck Island's ice cream features tart raspberry yoghurt as a base, marshmallows, milk chocolate and sour cherry swirls. So that's an indication as to how we should expect this sour to taste.
Nose: Sweet, spritely, confectionary-like. Opens with Raspberry Ripple ice cream, blending the sweet, fruity scent of raspberry jam with the creamy undertones of vanilla ice cream, while the sweetness and effervescence brings out a distinct note of F&N cream soda.
Palate: The taste mirrors the aromas, giving a balanced interplay of tartness and sweetness. Opens with a tart raspberry note, but it doesn't overshadow the clean creaminess of it – now, it doesn't taste directly like ice cream, but I could imagine this being an F&N Cherryade topped with generous helpings of soft vanilla ice cream. The sourness is very well-measured, and it lifts the overall profile rather than dominating the palate.
Finish: The finish brings out a nice layer of toasted marshmallows and a hint of nuttiness - in particular it's reminiscent of chopped peanuts and nut brittle. This is coupled with a clean, mild lager-like note, grounding the sour with some beer-like qualities.
First off, there's an undeniable appeal in the Duck Island x Garage Project collaboration. Who doesn't want to taste their favourite ice cream in a beer?
But also, fruit sours, pastry sours... this category often gets so overly flavoured by adjuncts to the point that you no longer get the impression of drinking a beer. This release on the other hand does a great job of navigating the line between a dessert and a beer, offering a delightful raspberry ripple experience while still maintaining its beer identity.
As someone unfamiliar with the exact taste of Ambrosia ice cream, my reference point is Wall's Raspberry Ripple ice cream, and with that picture in my mind this seems to align well with this beer's profile. A bit more milkiness could have enhanced the experience, but overall, it's an impressive take on an Ambrosia sour that avoids the common pitfall of over-flavouring that often plagues this category.
Rating: 7/10
Score/Rating Scale :
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@CharsiuCharlie
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During the pandemic, as folks weren't able to head down to bars, pubs or restaurants, there was instead an interesting but unsurprising increase in sales of canned beers - people were having their drinks at home instead.
Most beer makers believe that nothing beats drinking beers on draft - that fresh pour is simply unbeatable, with great carbonation and freshness of the brew that can be distinctively felt and tasted by customers. And so we've got to give it to Asahi to figure a way to try and bring that fresh draft experience to people's homes.
This new product came in the form of a Jokki or Mug style can where the entire lid could be pulled out with a *POP* and along with that, the beer can itself had an interior coating that would allow for tinier bubbles and the can would be canned at a higher carbonation pressure.
Altogether the ideal effect was that this should be able to recreate the fresh pour (hence "Nama" which means "Fresh") and smoother head that customers would get if they had it on draft, and also you could drink it basically like a mug instead of through the small opening of a usual can.
So let's give it a try!
Color: Gold
Aroma: Bright honey with lemon zest.
Taste: Medium-bodied, really silky and creamy. Mellow notes of honey with a light hoppy bitterness and alittle bit more of lemon zest and also some wheat. Very smooth and easy to drink.
Finish: More buttery maltiness here - really satisfying. Clean, crisp finish with a touch of honey and oat. There is a slightly peculiar metallic note nonetheless that becomes quite apparent on the finish.
Very interesting experience! As mentioned, unlike standard beer cans, here you pull out the whole lid to a big *POP*. It’s super frothy, which Asahi says the whole point of which is to get the gas out for a mellow taste - to which I can definitely attest. It really is very mellow on the palate with very rich yet gentle and flavourful notes of honey, zest and wheat - really smooth and silky and easy to drink.
Very tasty to be honest!
What is even more lovely is that on the finish this wave of buttery maltiness comes out and is just an absolutely luxurious delight.
However, the only downside here was the metallic note on the finish that becomes quite apparent and is alittle bit like licking a piece of tin - which I presume is not an ideal part of the beer’s design. It’s definitely a peculiar taste that you don’t find in most canned beers. Nonetheless on the whole, I did get over it and still enjoyed it for the most part.
Kanpai!
@111hotpot
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Strolling through the Williamsburg neighbourhood in Brooklyn, NYC is like walking through a living, breathing art gallery.
There’re old brick buildings that have seen the passage of time, now splashed with vibrant murals and graffiti. The chatter and laughter from sidewalk cafes and the occasional guitar strumming from a street musician meld with the rumbling of the subway in the background... it's a unique soundtrack you can't get anywhere else. There's also the aromas of New York pizzas and a medley of ethnic street food beckoning. And, should you find yourself on Brooklyn’s North 11th St on brewing days, you’ll be greeted by a sweet, malty fragrance emanating from the recesses of the brewery.
Brooklyn Brewery has established itself as one of the most recognisable American craft beer brands around the world. Much like Brooklyn's own working-class roots, it’s got this unpretentious and down-to-earth vibe. Its stylised ‘B’ logo totally captures that NYC feel of baseball and urban nostalgia.
And you might not be surprised to know that the logo’s designer happens to be the same person who designed the incredibly iconic I❤NY logo that appears on every t-shirt and overpriced mug that tourists returning from New York might buy as souvenirs.
Founded in 1988 by an Associated Press journalist and a banker, Brooklyn Brewery is best known for its flagship Brooklyn Lager. This isn’t your typical American macro lager like Bud Light or Miller Lite. This one harkens back to the pre-Prohibition era before the 1920s when American beers bore a closer resemblance to traditional European brews.
Brooklyn Lager is specifically made after the Vienna amber lager, which gives it richer, bolder flavours, rich in malt, toffee, caramel and a good hoppy kick to it. Thanks to the Brooklyn Lager, from the 1990s Brooklyn Brewery stood out as a brewery that helped to revive and redefine the American Lager style during the early days of the American craft beer movement. It's a reminder to folks that says “Hey, you can’t believe this is what American Lager used to taste like!”
In 2016, Brooklyn Brewery made some big moves. They partnered up with Kirin – the big Japanese beer and spirits giant – who bought a 24.5% stake in Brooklyn. Plus, they expanded their global footprint by partnering with Carlsberg to distribute Brooklyn’s beers in Europe and parts of Asia. In 2017, Brooklyn Beer was officially launched in Singapore.
The beer range continues to evolve and expand over the years. Last November, the brewery launched its new Brooklyn Pilsner, which comes in a bit lighter at 4.6% ABV and is said to have a crisp clean lager taste.
I took a look at the bright canary label and I find they’re pretty upfront about where it’s made too, which I appreciate. This Asian market bottling was brewed in Brooklyn Brewery’s China brewing facility. It’s an unsurprising arrangement in the beer industry. Breweries often practice local or regional brewing to ensure the beer remains fresh when it reaches the consumer. Makes all the more sense for craft beers due to its unfiltered nature and shorter shelf life.
Let’s give this a taste.
Appearance: Light gold yellow, lightly hazy.
Nose: Harmoniously balanced, both refreshing and rich characteristics. Initially a little mellow but distinct, gradually opening with steamed barley with a light maltiness. There’s also some light fresh fruits, beginning first with slightly grassy-sweet honeydew melons, then tropical yellow fruits – mango jelly or mango pudding, along with some emergent hoppiness that taken together reminds me of sweet grapefruits with a hint of its bitter skin.
Palate: Refreshing and zesty and leans towards a satisfying medium body; not too heavy and not too light – just right in the middle. Right off the bat you get hit by a strong citrus flavour, a real zing of lemon zest, followed closely by grapefruit as the zinginess gradually dissipates. A bit of mango flavour again – mainly the aromatics and flavour but not the typical sweetness of mangoes. It gradually turns towards these subtle yeastiness and sourdough bread notes that make it all come together.
Finish: Clean and swift, leaving a mellow aftertaste of barley and subtle hints of some straw. There’s a light grassiness to it and a slight hoppiness finally shows up in the aftertaste, revealing a fresh and herbaceous finale.
The Brooklyn Pilsner is effortlessly drinkable, well-balanced and pretty flavourful. It’s very sessionable given its lower ABV, but it’s still fairly flavourful with minimal hop presence, which caters to a broad audience and makes it an excellent choice for those who find traditional lagers too bitter for their liking. The only people who might have a bone to pick are hopheads who enjoy more bitter traditional beers or IPAs, though I think hop-preference is really matter of personal preference, not quality.
For me, the intense citrus peak at the start is particularly appealing. So this feels like a nod to Asian consumers, who often enjoy lighter dry beer or dry sake – a preference famously discovered by beer marketers in Japan. This vibrant citrus notes and its refreshing quality also make it a fantastic pairing for oily or hearty foods, like roast pork, fried chicken or laksa.
Score/Rating Scale :
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@CharsiuCharlie
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The Quick and Dirty: Japan's commercial beers are impressive. Almost every brand genuinely stands out in its niche. So it depends on whether you're looking for something with karakuchi (dry and zesty), balanced flavoured, or rich and full of depth. |
Putting aside craft beers for a second, Japan’s large commercial brewers produce some of the best quality commercial beers in Asia. The domestic market is dominated by the Big Four – Asahi, Kirin, Suntory and Sapporo, with a rough market share of 37%, 34%, 16% and 11% respectively.
All these companies have been in business for over a century, and are very familiar with traditional European brewing methods. But given the mainstream Japanese drinkers’ taste preferences, they tend to accommodate them by producing rice lager beers that have a light sweetness and very restrained hoppiness. There’s also a concept of a dry, zinginess known as ‘karakuchi’. More on that later.
For this review, I’ll be comparing the flagship brews from the top 5 beer brands from Japan in a side-by-side tasting. I’ll be starting with the iconic Asahi Super Dry, since this is the lightest beer of this lineup. Then I’ll progress through more balanced brews before ending with Kirin and Yebisu – I can’t remember which is the heavier brew.
Let’s begin.
The Super Dry is Asahi’s proudest product, and for good reason. When it came to market in 1987, it represented a break from brewing tradition, and a new genre of beer that would resonate with the younger post-war generation (this was back when people born in the 1950s were considered young).
After extensive market research and false leads, Asahi discovered that consumers had a craving for a high-alcohol, dry-finishing beer, in the same way that dry sake that often played a harmonious duet with sushi and sashimi. They created a new beer that combined flavour concepts of "kire" (crisp, briskness) and "koku" (body, richness), and created a distinctive beer that the Japanese market went ape over.
This was the Asahi Super Dry, a bet that literally saved the company from looming bankruptcy. Let’s give it a try.
Tasting notes
Colour: Yellow gold, light, fluffy layer of foam
Nose: Bright and noticeably dry. There's a clear presence of citrus paired with a honeyed sweetness. Behind that, an aroma of barley tea, a hint of malt, a touch of hops, and a gentle whiff of crisp yeasty sakes.
Palate: It starts with a mildly creamy texture, and you immediately get that hit of bright corn sweetness combined with a dash of honey and the subtle sweetness of pomelo. Throughout, there's this persistent zingy undertone of citrus peels and lemon juice. Not to forget, that distinct yeastiness that reminds me of dry sake.
Finish: Clean, medium length pretty straightforward. All you're left with is that simple barley note accompanied by a touch of dryness.
My Thoughts:
Honestly, this beer is really easy to go down and there's a very satisfying refreshment to it. I get what they mean when they mention "Karakuchi" or that lightly prickly sensation that plays with your tongue. And just Asahi’s new tagline suggests, it does give you that "Quick peak and clean finish." If you're digging into some light Asian dishes like Japanese sashimi or even Vietnamese pho, this would be a spot-on companion.
It's easy to see why this is Japan’s number 1 beer. It has a lightness of being that is unmatched, which allows you to drink it at a cooler temperature and still taste the full range of what it offers (because it’s not complex to begin with) I should also mention that its distinctive kick of karakuchi almost becomes a friendly greeting each time you drink it, as if to remind your palate “Hey, don’t forget you’re drinking Asahi Super Dry!”
I personally prefer something a little more thicc, but so let’s see what else Japan has to offer.
Now we have the Sapporo Black Label or in Japanese, the Kuro Label (黒ラベル), which comes in a cream white packaging, with a black circle and the iconic star logo. This is sometimes referred to as the Sapporo Draft Beer.
This is Sapporo’s core flagship product in Japan. But if you’re based outside Japan (which I assume you are, since this is an English review), you’d also come across the Sapporo Premium Beer which comes in a silver packaging. While both are rice lagers with similar recipes, the Black Label is primarily brewed in Japan and targeted at the domestic Japanese audience. It’s supposed to be a balanced beer with a slightly lighter body than the Premium.
On the other hand, the silver packaging Sapporo Premium Beer is geared towards export markets, and is likely to be brewed outside Japan, in locations like North America to meet local demand.
Let’s give this a taste.
Tasting notes
Colour: Yellow gold.
Nose: Quite subdued, with just a hint of sweetness and hoppiness. It's pretty straightforward.
Palate: There's a creaminess in its texture. I get faint barley tones, accompanied by that clear, crisp freshness of sparkling spring water. It's medium-bodied, but honestly, doesn't pack a lot in terms of complexity.
Finish: It’s clean and slightly longer. I really enjoy the barley tea notes that stand out and hang around for a little while. It's similar to a malt beer, complemented by a subtle fizz. As it dissipates, what remains is a gentle grassy hoppiness.
My Thoughts:
It's enjoyable, yes, but it isn’t one to steal the spotlight. Despite being closer to medium-bodied, it’s quite straightforward in its flavours. This is the kind of beer you'd sip on a chill movie night. It's not the showstopper of the evening, nor does it try to be. It's laid-back, chill, like Matthew McConaughey’s character in Dazed and Confused.
Moving on to the more traditional European-style categories of Japanese beers, we have the gold label of Suntory’s Premium Malts. First officially launched in 2003, this brand became one of Japan’s best-selling premium category beer. And with “premium” on the label, this is of course brewed with 100% malt, of a variety known as “Diamond malt” which is sourced from the Czech Republic. This is said to impart a richer “umami” taste to the brew. The hops used are also sourced from Europe, while the water used is sourced from natural spring waters in Japan.
Let’s give this a taste.
Tasting notes
Colour: Gold.
Nose: Subtle floral sweetness wafts up, bringing to mind faint lavender and honeysuckles.
Palate: There's an immediate zesty kick along with lots of foam greeting the tongue – quite a sharp carbonation that could be a bit more subdued. The dominant flavour is citrus zest, paired with honey undertones and a touch of grapefruit sweetness. It feels medium-bodied.
Finish: Clean and rather quick. There are whispers of barley as it settles, coupled with a hint of bitter pomelo rind. There's also a tiny earthy, almost mushroom-like quality, which might be that “umami” they mentioned from the Diamond malt.
My Thoughts:
Honestly, it’s a bit of a letdown for me. The beer’s character feels muted. The fizziness verges on being annoying, and I feel it kind of overshadows the other flavours I was hoping to delve into. Sure, it has some classic pilsner qualities like its floral scent and the bitter hop notes, but given the whole "premium" vibe, I was anticipating a much richer malt experience.
All in all, it doesn’t have that hearty malt depth I enjoy, nor does it really hit the mark as a light and refreshing brew. It's in this middle ground that doesn't quite do it for me. It’s like background noise; it's there, but it doesn’t speak for itself.
Kirin is kinda like a heritage brand, and the Chinese mythical creature in its brand logo alludes to its identity as a more traditional company. Its Yokohama brewery is the oldest operational brewery in Japan and it focuses on rich, 100% malt traditional brews made in the European tradition.
Throughout the 60s and up till the mid-80s, Kirin Lager really dominated the beer scene, having over 60% of the Japanese beer market share –this was several times larger than its competitors that languished in the 10% to 20% range. It was later dethroned when the Asahi Super Dry came along in 1987 and swept up the mainstream beer drinkers in Japan, many of whom preferred a dyer, more refreshing beer.
In response, Kirin began marketing itself more earnestly in the 1990s, spending money to make Harrison Ford appear in a series of whacky ads where he is found repeating “Kirin Lager kudasai” (please give me Kirin Lager) in different contexts. More importantly, Kirin also stepped into premiumisation, developing a new 100% malt beer called the Kirin Ichiban Shibori, which means “First Press”.
“First Press” refers to Kirin’s brewing process which only uses the very first batch of wort (the sweet syrupy malt extract made during the brewing of beer, prior to alcohol fermentation). This process is said to remove the bitter-tasting tannins from beers, and help create a purer taste.
Let’s give this a go.
Tasting notes
Colour: Gold with dense foam on top.
Nose: Very mellow and gently sweet. The aroma carries mild hints of honey with a soft touch of lemon rind, followed by a background of subtle hoppiness.
Palate: I immediately noticed its remarkably creamy and velvety texture, standing out distinctly from Kirin's standard brews. It brings forward a rich, pronounced profile of toasted granola and barley, which feels quite hearty. Complementing these are sweet notes of honey, which then transitions into a sharp brightness of grapefruit. It's a heavier palate, but it manages to maintain good balance.
Finish: Long and lingering, characterized by a drawn-out hoppiness that doesn't rush to leave the palate. As this hop note starts to mellow, there's a residual sweetness from the honey and the malt that gently trails off.
My Thoughts:
Out of all the beers I've so far, this one feels like it strikes the right chord in terms of balance. It's rich without being overpowering and brings a consistency in its flavour profile from the start to its prolonged finish. This is like an upgraded, richer take on the classic Kirin Lager. This is also the beer that I would happily introduce to a long-time beer-drinker who has had their fair share of commercial brews and is seeking something a bit more satisfying.
Like Kirin, Yebisu Beer got its name from mythology, specifically Ebisu, the god of good luck, fishermen and working men. Ebisu is often depicted to be carrying a fishing rod and a large red sea bream, a fish that is considered a symbol of good fortune.
Built in 1889, in Tokyo, Yebisu Brewery that once existed is said to be a very successful brewery. The Yebisu Beer that it produced was praised for its high quality. The brand was so popular that counterfeit Yebisu Beers even appeared on the market. In 1899, the company opened the Yebisu Beer Hall in Ginza district of Tokyo, and this became Japan’s first beer hall.
How did Sapporo Brewery come to own Yebisu? We’d have to look back in 1906, when Yebisu, Sapporo and Asahi decided to band together to form Dai-Nippon Beer Company, which held a near-total monopoly on Japan’s beer market. Eventually, Dai-Nippon was split into two entities by the government due to anti-competition concerns. One of them was Asahi, while the other company (later renamed Sapporo) inherited both the Sapporo and Yebisu brands.
Yebisu Beer was re-launched by Sapporo in 1971 as a premium beer, and bearing a similar logo it once had, which featured Ebisu, the fishermen’s god. This beer is brewed with ingredients from Japanese farms that collaborate with Sapporo, and uses 100% malt. The beer is also made to have less effervescence, a rich maltiness and an even-handed use of hops for balance.
Apart from this gold label Yebisu Premium, there is also the Yebisu Premium White, a limited edition beer in a white can launched in 2019 to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the Yebisu brand. But this would be the subject of another review.
Tasting notes
Colour: Slightly reddish gold.
Nose: A fresh, straightforward scent of hops meets the nose, it’s a lager-like bitterness that reminds me of Tiger beer. The maltiness weighs in heavier than expected, along with notes of honey. Unlike the white label, there's an absence of the typical citrus tang.
Palate: The texture is smooth, almost velvety and thick. Opens with mainly cereal and malt-forward notes at first, before transitioning into a balanced play between a light hoppiness (akin to the bitter segment of a citrus rind) and the sweetness of honey. As it sits, a more defined hoppy bitterness emerges, with barely any fruity undertones.
Finish: This beer leaves a prolonged, crisp sensation along with a clean barley maltiness. There is also a slowly growing gentle hoppiness.
My Thoughts:
Yebisu impresses with its richness, yet maintains a commendable balance. It does not have any sharp acidity either. This is the kind of drink I'd reach for on a chilly evening, given its dominant malt profile. It’s a full-bodied brew that would make a very satisfying drink on its own. Though I would say that this has a higher level of bitterness, which might put off some folks.
In wrapping up this beer-tasting journey, it's clear that Japan's beer scene isn't a one-size-fits-all. Every brand stands out in its niche, catering to a specific preference. Asahi Super Dry takes the cake when you’re looking for something zestily refreshing. On the other hand, Sapporo's strength lies in its harmonious balance, striking the right chord between its ingredients.
For those who have a soft spot for a beer with depth and substantial flavour, both Kirin Ichiban Shibori and Yebisu won't disappoint. Between the two, my heart leans more towards Kirin Ichiban Shibori. There's just something about its rich taste profile coupled with a slightly citric dryness that hits the mark for me.
To each their own, right? But it's safe to say, no matter your preference, Japan's beer game is strong and offers a brew for every mood. Cheers to that!
@CharsiuCharlie
]]>If you haven't heard of Helen's before, Helen's is a popular chain of pubs originating from Mainland China. The brand grew really famous for launching a series of low-ABV flavoured beers that appealed to youths (it's main demographic) seeking a sessionable yet tasty drink to sip on while they hung out with their friends.
This includes eye-catching releases such as the viral Helen's Milk Beer - though debate is out whether it truly constitutes a beer, given that it's bottled at a 0.3% ABV. (If you're curious about it, read our review of the Helen's Milk Beer here.) In addition to the Milk Beer, Helen's line-up of flavoured beers also includes its trio of Fruit Beers: in the flavours of White Peach, Grape and Strawberry. Each are bottled at around 2.2% to 2.5% ABV.
Flavoured beers are a divisive category. Some more purist beer drinkers might argue that at some point, if you're drinking a beer for the flavourings, one might as well drink a flavoured drink that eschews the beer label entirely.
That said, where Helen's is concerned, perhaps having a flavoured drink that still somewhat qualifies as a beer is the entire point. Helen's team understood that many of the university students that frequented its pubs simply wanted to hang out with one another, yet had to contend with the peer pressure to drink while they were in the pub. Hence, these trio of fruited beers were designed to be approachable and easy enough to sip on through the night without fear of hangovers the next day - it was never meant to cater to those who genuinely enjoy a pint, but to those who felt pressured to say they did.
Categorization aside, I for one am personally quite curious to try for myself this trio of Helen's fruit beers. Let's dive in!
Aroma: Sweet notes of white peach puree and apple gummies, with a slight accent of malt and wheat.
Taste: Medium-bodied, lightly carbonated and refreshing. There's a subtly sweet peach flavors, with honey and apple soda notes. I liked how the peachiness wasn't so heavy-handed and was eased in more subtly. There's also some gentle malt cereal notes in the background.
Finish: Medium, with lingering peaches, apples and some malt cereal.
Overall Thoughts: Very sessionable and enjoyable, I think it might be my favorite of the lot! I think I was expecting a very saccharine, overly sweet juice drink. But the peach flavour and sweetness was more gentle. Some light malts and wheat on the palate - though very discreet - help add some body and balance to the beer.
Aroma: Really fragrant and fruity aroma! I get whiffs of Hi Chew grape gummies and a mild undertone of lychee and Ribena.
Taste: Light-bodied and mildly carbonated. I get notes of grape puree and grape candies, although similar to the peach notes in the peach fruit beer, the grape flavours aren't as punchy and overt as you might initially expect. That said, the bold fruity fragrance that I picked up when sniffing this beer doesn't quite translate on the tongue, and the grape flavors comes across quite flat and mildly dilute at times - almost reminding me of grape sparkling water.
Finish: Short, with notes of grape gummies and Ribena and a slight bitterness.
Overall Thoughts: The aroma on this was fantastic, and my favorite of the lot. However, I was mildly dissapointed to note that the robust fruity aromas didn't translate as well when it come to the palate, and at times the grape fruited beer tastes a bit flat and ... diluted. This by no means indicates you should write this one off - the grape gummy flavours of this still very likeable if you don't overthink it, and its refreshing and light enough that it never feels to cloying or overwhelming.
Aroma: Candied strawberry, similar to the strawberry tangulu street snack you'd often pick up at night markets. The smell is quite saccharine, with a note of melted white sugar.
Taste: Light-bodied. I pick up some mildly sweet strawberry and cream notes. There's also very gentle undertone of malt.
Finish: Short, fades with flavors of strawberry candy, some vanilla and malt.
Overall Thoughts: It's hard to argue against strawberry! The fruity candied sweetness of it - which carried through on the aromas and on the taste - is quite enjoyable. However, if I were to nitpick, it would be that the strawberry flavour was a tad bit one dimensional and would have been improved with a bolder cream notes to add body. Although, I did enjoy the finish quite a bit, as it was here that some vanilla and malt notes emerged and become slightly more apparent, adding balance to the strawberry flavours.
My favourite of the lot would have to be the white peach, which surprised me with how some gentle maltiness was still peeking through. In contrast, while the grape fruit beer really shined and got me excited with its aroma, the body and finish fell a bit flat. Meanwhile, the strawberry fruit beer did at times come across a tad one dimensional.
Overall though, they all came across as very refreshing and sessionable, and you wouldn't be in bad hands with any of them if you one day found yourself in one of Helen's famous pubs. Every can boasts a sweet, inoffensive and universally well-liked fruity flavour that makes them perfect for sipping on. Yet at the same time, these fruity flavours are not incorporated into the beers in an overly sugared or saccharine way, which prevents them from tasting too cloying.
| Read more: Our Review of The Viral Helens Milk Beer: The 0.3% ABV Armour Against Peer Pressure
Happy sipping!
@lotusroot518
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Coming from a multi-racial multi-ethnic society such as Singapore, I'm used to (and very appreciative of) the eclectic mixture of festivities that washes across the small island state. What that also means is that these festive seasons don't necessarily gel cohesively (beyond the fact that everyone loves them) in terms of cultural consistency - you'll see what I mean in abit.
So it's Christmas Day, and really who doesn't love Christmas right? But as the clock strikes midnight, I jest that the country in the dead of night is hard at work, furiously tossing out everything Christmas related and if you listen closely, just out in the distance... you can here the soft beating of the gongs and cymbals... *dong*... *dong*... *qiang*. As far as a sizeable population of the island's retailers and restaurants are concerned, it might as well be Chinese New Year.
Isn't it rather humorous that the only promotional effort in December from Tiger on the new Radler was on LinkedIn. It's like they really wanted to get a headstart but wanted to do it in the most inconspicuous way possible. (Image Source: APB on LinkedIn)
And if you don't believe me, the country's largest homegrown beer brand Tiger had in December quietly begun to stock in supermarkets a new limited edition combo for its flagship Radler, a very Chinese New Year themed Mandarin & Honey edition - now bear in mind there's not been too much marketing and promotion of it yet and that's because it's around Christmas time, so that'd be inappropriate. But come 12:01 AM Boxing Day, it's show time.
And since it is Boxing Day, let's get to it. This is Tiger Beer Radler Mandarin & Honey. Onward!
PS. Tiger's Radlers are really underrated - we reviewed them ourselves here.
Color: Pineapple Juice
Aroma: Citrusy, with distinct notes of mandarin, grapefruit and pomelo cordial - it’s fruity but rounded and sweet, rather than being overtly zesty and with the usual acidity.
Taste: Thick, smooth body, with orange pulp and some pineapple - again it’s citrusy, sweet and very rounded, so none of that tartness or sharp zestiness but also not cloying. It’s almost alittle cordial-like but with sparkling water added.
Finish: Nice clean finish, leaving aromatic notes of sweet oranges.
This was very enjoyable, and in particular what stands out is how well balanced it was and rounded. It had all these nice citrusy flavours but at the same time it wasn’t tart or citric but wasn’t ever too sweet either. It’s like a perfect cordial highball almost. The flavour pairing is well selected too and also it had a very satisfying body that was velvety and had a good weight.
I think what made this a good Radler was that the fruit notes were well-integrated, it never came across boozy, you wouldn’t even notice the alcohol, and it was just downright tasty.
Good job Tiger, this will definitely help get me through Chinese New Year.
Score/Rating Scale :
Kanpai!
@111hotpot
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Garage Project, despite its humble beginnings in the relatively small country of New Zealand, has made a fantastic ascension to become one of the most highly-regarded craft beer producers Down Under, if not around the world. Founded by Pete and Ian Gillespie, and Jos Ruffell, Garage Project transformed a disused petrol station, which its name gave a nod to, into a craft beer powerhouse.
Early on, they gained most attention from the craft beer community for their 24/24 project, where they brewed 24 distinct beers over 24 weeks. For 6 months, they had to make a new beer every week, releasing a beer every Tuesday 5pm at a local craft beer bar. Folks who didn't make it in time would painfully miss out. This helped build their cult following, as it also demonstrated their versatility and ability to explore a plethora of styles and flavours. The tagline became "Try something new".
Garage Project's popularity can be attributed to their daring and experimental approach, which defies common themes and embraces high-frequency new releases.
Their repertoire spans the entire spectrum of craft beer, often incorporating unconventional techniques, through unique yeast trains, collaborations with other breweries, and the integration of unconventional ingredients like breakfast cereals. This approach was the beginning of a broader trend in the craft beer industry, where craft breweries distinguished themselves through innovation and uniqueness.
Another cornerstone of Garage Project's success is its active participation with the community, being known for creating some really memorable experiences at beer events and festivals. A notable example that Jos Ruffell shared with me (more on my meeting with him later) is their Two Tap Flat White - comprising two distinct beers, an Imperial Coffee Stout and a Milk Cream Ale poured on nitro, poured into each other to mimic the layers and flavours of a flat white coffee and it even has a latte art foam top. Seriously, you have to watch this video:–
Serving up such memorable experiences cemented their status in the hearts of craft beer fanatics.
Couple of weeks ago, I went back to one of Singapore's most popular craft beer venues, Orh Gao Taproom. Apart from being another beer guzzling excursion, Jos Ruffell, the co-founder of Garage Project happened to be in town to visit Orh Gao, which recently received several fresh kegs of Garage Project's beers. The kitchen prepared a spread of Peranakan dishes for Jos and Charlie (who runs Orh Gao), and Christian from Bad Decisions Imports.
Charlie very graciously invited me down to have a chat and interview with Jos himself, and I couldn't pass up this special opportunity. But apart from speaking to these bunch of craft beer legends, I took the opportunity for a couple of quick half-pints of Garage Project's new beers fresh off the tap.
Here's my review of the popular Pernicious Weed Double IPA.
It's a classic style. Nothing too fancy here. I'll reproduce the fanciful label for your enjoyment:
The arrival of hops to the brewing scene in England in the 1500s led to a moral panic, hops were described as 'a Wicked, & Pernicious Weed', feared to bring the downfall of civilized society. Thankfully, they were right. Pernicious Weed is a celebration of the NZ-developed hop varieties Nelson Sauvin and Rakau. Huge grapefruit flavour in a worryingly-drinkable strong IPA.
Before the widespread adoption of hops, the alcoholic brews made by the English were very different from what we typically associate with beer today. These older beers were known as 'ales' or 'gruit ales', and were flavoured not with hops, but with a cocktail of herbs and spices instead. Each region even had its own traditional blend, leading to a wide variety of flavors and characteristics. Some herb blends were even medicinal or have psychoactive effects, so although Netflix was not available, a 14th century peasant could get both drunk and high at the same time.
Ironically, the early English described hops as a "wicked and pernicious weed" while they continued to 'trip balls' on their hallucinogenic herb ales. This aversion to hops was due to the intense bitterness and unfamiliar flavours that it created. Some even believed that hops could have harmful health effects or sedative qualities that lead to social problems.
Over time, though, the benefits of hops became inarguable. Hops acted as a natural preservative, extending the shelf life of beers very significantly. It also introduced a range of aromatic, bitter, and fruity flavours to beers and became accepted as a flavouring agent.
This expression from Garage Project is made as a reminder of the long journey of hops from being a feared "pernicious weed" to an essential ingredient and cherished flavouring agent in classic and modern beers today. The description suggests a huge citrusy component in this one.
Let's give it a taste.
Nose: An immediate and punchy aroma of pine needles intertwined with distinct juniper bitterness, giving us a nice evergreen freshness and a herbaceous, leafy hop character. After a few moments it gradually evolves to reveal a subtle hint of grapefruit peels.
Palate: Really hop-forward with a minor tropical character. Opens with an intense hoppy bitterness reminiscent of grapefruit pith, joined by a citric tanginess. Lots of the same piney herbal nuances felt on the nose and then some with sage and rosemary, and a gentle spiciness of anise. It gets a little bit sweeter and juicier towards the second half, with underlying tones of green mango and underripe guava.
Finish: Long, spiced, herbaceous. The finish is remarkably zingy - it's a tingling sensation that pricks the side of your tongue, akin to chewing on perilla leaves and peppermint. The zinginess graduates into an almost peppery sensation felt in the throat.
Here's a solidly intense DIPA. The appeal lies in its classic, full-on piney, and grassy characteristics that will undoubtedly resonate with hop maniacs.
However, I do feel it leans really heavily on its hop profile, and I'd have personally loved to see more tropical fruit influences in it, like pineapples or ripe mangoes. That said, the grapefruit character on the palate is a welcome touch, while the zesty-almost-spicy quality was a pleasant surprise that enhanced the experience quite a bit.
Rating: 6.5/10
Score/Rating Scale :
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@CharsiuCharlie
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It seemed peculiar, one of Japan's most popular beers changing their recipe? Yet, it was indeed the case, Asahi - which had pioneered the Dry or Kakakuchi style which brought on so much success for the brand - had decided to tweak the recipe for its extremely popular Super Dry brew as a way to ensure it was keeping up with the ever evolving palates of its consumers. The new Asahi Super Dry was supposed to be more hoppy and bold, whilst keeping that classic dry finish.
And while this recipe change for the flagship Super Dry grabbed the headlines, it wasn't the end of Asahi's big moves - another evolution, albeit more quiet, was to create a very futuristic looking Super Dry Asahi Dry Crystal, which would serve as a low ABV version of the Super Dry (3.5% ABV vs 5% ABV).
This would not only attempt to capture the burgeoning low ABV market of casual drinkers as well as more health conscious drinkers, but would also most certainly help in terms of pricing and affordability considering that most alcohol remains taxed on a % ABV basis. At the same time, for all that the Asahi Dry Crystal aims to be, what it just as importantly does not aim to be is happoshu, which is a big market in Japan for low-malt alcoholic beverages, which nevertheless endeavours to capture the same demographic of consumers. Unlike happoshu, the Asahi Dry Crystal would keep a high malt content, and even pack on flavour creating bonuses such as the use of Polaris hops and a higher than average fermentation rate.
So, basically, it's all the flavour, but less calories and cheaper. Just to give you a light buzz through the night (or day!).
Let's give it a go!
Color: Golden
Aroma: Really distinct rice aromas - lightly nutty and umami savoury. Rice crackers and uncooked rice, like stepping into a rice storage. Not particularly sweet but very fragrant.
Taste: It starts off with a good depth but keeps with that dry style - so not particularly sweet - and yet it’s quite velvety in texture. More savoury umami notes comes through reminiscent of rice crackers or water biscuits. It is noticeably less malty and rich as the classic Asahi Super Dry.
Finish: Into the finish there’s a flood of those starchy, chewy sticky glutinous rice coming through with that mellow, rich sweetness. It leaves a dry and slightly umami aftertaste that’s clean and goes back to those water biscuits.
This low alcohol version of Asahi’s Super Dry keeps all the hallmarks of Asahi Super Dry - all the rice lager signatures are there, but more notably this nevertheless still feels like a less malty and rich version of that. It’s really as the name suggests - a low alcohol version of the Super Dry.
This would be good if you’re having a barbecue or eating something pretty rich and heavy, this would definitely keep you going - but if you’re having this on its own and you’re more used to standard beers, you might find that the body may not be as rich and malty as you might hope (the body almost feels hollowed out) - though keep in mind, this is ultimately a low-alc variant anyway.
So really what we’re looking for here is the classic Asahi Super Dry flavours - which are still present, that’s great, and it has a pretty decent texture too, but like I said, if you still like your beers rich and malty then keep to the Asahi Super Dry.
This has its place. It’s a good beer for easy drinking and heavy feasting.
Kanpai!
@111hotpot
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