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?

KAIJU! Beer, Pleazure Kruze Hazy Pale Ale, 4.8% ABV– Review

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.

My Thoughts:

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

For Singaporean readers, this beer is available on Thirsty.com! Search “Kaiju! Pleazure Kruze Hazy Pale Ale” to locate this product.

@CharsiuCharlie