Coedo Shikkoku

Brewed by Kyodo Shoji Koedo Brewery
Style: Schwarzbier
Kawagoe-shi, Saitama Prefecture, Japan

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

Bottle. Pours a deep woody brown with very little head formation. Sweet malty nose, some molasses and or maple syrup, and a touch of roast. Fairly thin mouthfeel with decent clean roasted malt and molasses flavors though not really in a sweet way. Tastes of barley cereal a bit or maybe a heineken dark but less adjuncty tasting...not really much to it though. way too light bodied for me and the flavors don’t really stick to the palate. Then again, it’s kind of like barley tea in that respect..just a splash of flavor essence. It is what it is.

12oz bottle acquired from an Asian market I went to for cheap seafood and then noticed, "Hmm, I haven’t ticked this yet." Now the brewer calls this jet black, and I’ll almost give them that. Just some dark brown around the edges when it’s held up to the light. A small tan head fades to a thick foam ring around the glass. Big roasty aroma, charcoal-like and hinting at the beer’s ashy dryness. The flavor is great, rich yet balanced and not overblown. The roastiness dominates, lending campfire flavors, and some very slightly sweet caramel and chocolate malts sit behind that. Nice palate, with some body to it but not at all heavy. Clean and crisp on the finish, with a medium level of carbonation. From a brewery that has left me unimpressed in the past, let me just say that I am impressed with this one. It’s an excellent example of the style, and one of the best beers I’ve had from Japan. Stood up to and even complemented some tri-tip I was eating at the time of this tick. A nice beer to appreciate on a night when I’m a one-tick pony (work to do).

The beer exceeded my expectations in all factes with the exception of aroma. The aroma was faint, undiscernable and almost non-existent. The color was deep black with a red hue when held directly into the light. A thin tan pillowy head was formed with the swilling, soon disappating back to the black lid of the brew. The flavor was fine and smooth with a nice velvety finish. There was no hint of abundant alcohol and the palate was clean and crisp with a ever so slight balance of malt and hops. The beer was certainly smooth and creamy. Overall, a very fine dark smooth porter-like brew.

Dark color, with just a thin layer of head and little carbonation. Aroma of burnt caramel and peat. Smoky and roasted malt flavor with some anise . Surprisingly like a solid German dunkel.

Bottle. Pours a black with little tan head. Aroma of roasted malts and coffee. Flavor is of rich coffee with a hint of sweetness. Has a dry finish. Not my favorite style, but it’s not too sweet and not too bitter. A nice beer.

Bottle. Small tan head that is quick to fade over a near black body. Aroma of coffee, leather, light wooden and must notes. Taste is dry, cocoa, smoke, coffee grounds and leather. A little bit sourish. Dry mouthfeel. Better than their Vienna.

Bottled. Dryish, vegetal, funk, farmhouse and white sugar aroma. Light espresso notes. Light carbonation, medium body, with a nice roast bitterness in the finish. Pretty good.

Light bodied, sweet mochachino nose. Mouth is a bit too sweet for my liking, but still a decent beer, especially for coffee lovers.