Hitachino Nest Ancient Nipponia

Formerly brewed at Kiuchi Brewery
Style: Golden Ale/Blond Ale
Ibaraki, Japan

Serve in English pint, Shaker

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A Mes rate. Bottle thanks to Alex TPF Crew.
Very slightly hazy golden brown with a thin white head. A reasonable hit of Sorachi Ace with a good earthy character from the solid malty base. A good tangy bitterness on the palate with a really pleasant spiked bubbly feel. A really good sharp dusty finish with just a lick of alcohol. Decent beer.

Drinking a barrel aged version on keg at the BrewDog pub in Camden. Very interesting beer. -- raided in the wild, via Beer Buddy app

Had much higher hopes for this; especially given the cost. Poured at a good temperature, fairly aggressive with a small to medium size head that soon settled and some lace. Color is a clear amber with lots of bubble trails. Aroma is nice - malt, yeast, hop, funk, ginger, bread dough. Flavor’s similar to nose, but not quite as an appealing mix that is fairly dry, astringent, hop and yeast bitter, some malt, carbonic tang. Body is there, but not very balanced and harsh with carbonation at the verge of being ambivelant. Finish is like flavor, astringency lasting a long time. Not a fav.

A little confused. At 20 bucks a pop in Oz and with such a high rapport, even on RateBeer, it was one of those moments left already biased towards a utopian ale to beat all ails. Sadly, all I had been left with was a label I can’t remove to keep and memories of a foamy, fruity mouthwash.
Chilled, into a tulip. Pours with little enthusiasm, but a loose, looming head forms that lasts little but manages a good lot of lace. Hazy orange body tainted by a bad case of the sea monkeys. Nose hints at fresh lychee, peach, pear and guava fruit with a very strange tinge of linseed oil. Dull, plastic and yeasty, bready palate. Smooth, though frothy body. Fruit is subdued; there is just a touch on what the aroma held with a pronounced addition of rose water like a Turkish delight. I didn’t get it. This wasn’t a dud, but for that price I’m sure to miss trying another. Very disappointed! (56cL, no date stamp, Mane Liquor, Belmont)

Sampled at an esbls tasting. Hazy golden and little head. Light grain and malt are smelled. This begins malty but then some spicy floral hops move in. Tastier than most blondes. I like it.

On tap at Brick Store. Light amber color, fairly clear, soft white head. Smells slightly yeasty and wheaty. Tastes initially kind of wheaty, then shifts strangely to a coconut/suntan oil flavor. I can’t decide if it is gross of not, but it is definitely not awesome. Interesting, but too much like a piña colada for me.

OK, I need to get out more. Saw this on the (50 taps) board at Frisco Grille in Columbia (MD) and had to try it. I’d seen the bottles in the stores and knew they were expensive, so thought I’d be able to try it out. Most expensive beer I ever bought... Served in a very heavy 10 oz (?) goblet. Color was deep yellow with an amber center and a nice 1/2 inch head. Very light (subtle) carbonation visible. I remember thinking flowers--like sakura--in the nose (probably because I knew it was Japanese and predisposed to smell cherry blossoms). But I also remember thinking it was quite unusual in its hints of floral in the initial taste and a subtle and welcome sweetness--like sweet rice bread--in the body. Many different (all pleasant) flavors that ended in an ever-so-subtle hint of bitterness. Coupled with the richer and somewhat "smooth and creamy" mouthfeel, I enjoyed it immensely. And for $10 a glass it’s a good thing. Of course I didn’t know how much it was at the time. But no regrets.

A pleasant beer however there is nothing special here. An initial hit of flavor with no real aftertaste. --- a mobile beer rating

Bottle from CP&K at home. It pours straw yellow, with a foamy white head. The nose is hay, straw, herbal, orange and nectarine. The taste is herbal, fennel, straw, hay, bubblegum, umami, citrus pith and some alcohol warmth, with a big, dry finish. Medium body and moderate, prickly carbonation. A bit odd, but refreshing.

Orange with good, creamy, white head / Soft, smooth, complex nose of pear, ginko and citrus / Medium body, creamy and mellow, with some sweetness, good fruit, and fine balance and lightly bitter finish / Lush flavors of pear, honeydew, orange, lemon, light wood, and hay / Really good.

Sweetish malts and citrus in aroma. The flavor is citrus, bready malts, and some hoppiness. Was expecting something off the wall but instead this was a solid Golden Ale.