Coedo Shikkoku

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

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

A rather thin, sweet, mild schwarzbier (maybe even a dunkey) that’s got a lovely flavor profile if you like that sort of thing. I can’t wait to try their Vienna. Found it at a 7-11 in Tokyo. One of my favorites!

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.

355 ml bottle. Dark brown bordering to black with some copper hues. Small off-white fine-laced head. Oily roasted malt aroma. Some caramel, licorice and dark chocolate. Low carbonation level. Smooth texture. Well-balanced.

11.2 oz bottle purchased at the Davis Beer Shoppe. Nice roasted, chocolate, and metallic lagerish aroma. Really roasted with a decent sweetness. A pleasure to sniff. Moderately transparent mahogany body with a smallish, light tan head present. Starts a little metallic and a bit astringent, before this becomes nice and roasty in the middle. Not too burnt or roasty, though. Has a nice coffee character to it. Light metallic finish. Easy-drinking. Solid schwarzbier.

Blackish and stouty, filthy tan collar and lace. Fat and persistent. Brine, chocolate, smoke and bramble aroma. Bittersweet, burnt and swimming with yeast extract, cocoa and roast. Baltic-like, but creamier. Dry and attenuated with a burnt toast-like lingering bitterness. Too thick and ’glossy’ for a schwarz? Richly roasty, massively drinkable stout. ’

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).

Deep brown with a rocky, beige head. Roasted malts, light smoke, earth, caramel. Medium, soft body. Light roasted malts, smoky, molasses, herbal notes, and a touch of vanilla. A real nice schwarz; I wish it wasn’t the hardest of the Coedo line to find.