Fujizakura Kougen Rauch Beer

Brewed by Fujikankokaihatsu Co. / Sylvans Restaurant
Style: Smoked
Kawaguchiko-cho, Yamanashi-ken, Japan

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

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On tap at Kyoto Craft Beer Festa 2012. Aroma is purely smoke, with a touch of sweet malt. Orange-brown (or, as a friend put it, dark "roan" when held up to the light), with good lacing. Flavors are smoke and more smoke with some solid malt underneath. Great metamorphosis from pure smoke to bitter smoke to sweet smoke. Palate is watery. Overall, though, this is a real treat. It just won a gold medal at the WBC 2012.

Bottle supplied by my father in law on NY Eve. Pours a lovely hazy brown, with reddish edges. Nose is subtle. Bit salty, malty and touch of the smokiness. Taste is a delight though. It’s light bodied, crisp but with the smokiness and meatiness giving a touch of barbequed meat and bacon, balanced with roasted, toasty grain. Very nice light smoked beer. Easy to drink and very pleasant. I like the Japanese light touch of stuff like this. It works.

Rated in Apr 2008. Head is mostly lasting. Body is murky medium brown. Aroma is lightly to moderately malty (toasted bread, caramel, nuts), with a note of smoked meat. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Medium body, watery texture, lively/soft carbonation. My notes don’t record where I had this, but it was likely on draft at Popeye in Tokyo. The aroma was rather muted and it wasn’t especially flavorful, but judging from the appearance it’s possible this was getting towards the end of the keg. Still fun to stumble into a smoked beer in Japan, though.

Draft at Popeyes (Tokyo), pours a clear brown. Smokey charcoal on the nose. More smokey bacon in the flavour. Quite a light palate. Very drinkable.

Tap @ Popeye, Oct 2009. Light burned nose. Hazy amber, golden layer. Roast, honey, light smoke. Nicely balanced.

Direct from the brewery, shipped within Japan. Having just piled praise on their Weizen for being the best I can recall tasting outside Bavaria, I assumed the Rauchbier would be an embarrassment. The smoking is spot on, properly infused into the beer and if it were lagered a wee bit longer it would be perfect.

The pour reveals a clear brown color with a thin offwhite head. Pleasant aroma of smoked malt that reminds me of smoked ham. Good flavor of smoked malt, again, I’m reminded of smoked ham. The body is medium while the carbonation is medium to lively. While not being as intense on the smoke, this is a competent hommage to Schlenkerla and other great rauchbiers.

Light brown in colour with a thin white head, light lacing.
Aroma is of peat malts, smoke, earth, bready, some fruit.
Flavour is bready, lightly smoky, some dirt with a bit of fruity sweetness.
Lightly bitter mouthfeel, medium/light body, moderate carbonation.
Finishes long, some smoke.


Not really my type of smoked beer, unassertive.


Draught at Dieu du Ciel in Montreal, Quebec.

Sampled on June 3, 2009.

Light brown with a beige, firm, head. Smokey, bacon, wood, ham aroma. Flavor is salted ham, malts, smoke, and maybe a little caramel. Body seems a bit thin. A decent brew, but it’s a bit difficult downing a whole pint. Though, that may just be me as I’m not the worlds biggest smoked beer fan.

Draught at Craft Heads, Shibuya. Clear nutbrown - offwhite head. Lovely smoked aroma and taste, high malty, light sweetness, light caramel, ryebread, roasted, light wooden. Lovely smokey Bamberg Styled - but a bit simple !!!