Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout

Brewed by Kiuchi Brewery
Style: Stout
Ibaraki, Japan

wonderful pitch black with tan head appearance. many components to the flavor with an initial coffee bitterness and late acting chocolate appearance that adds to the bitterness but also gives a great sweetness, the caramel malt is also present. the hops do not contribute much. the alcohol is definitely present, making me think there was more alcohol than 7.5%, but it’s presence doesn’t detract much.

12 ounce bottle purchased at Big C Liquors Orlando, FL for $4.49 Excellent.

12 oz bottle, via SoLan. Pours a black body, completely opaque, with a nice frothy brown head that had excellent retention. The nose is excellent, almost more coffee smell than beer. Tons of dark roasted malt and espresso roast coffee with a nice earthy note. Smells like the left over grounds from a fresh espresso. The flavor is very coffee centric as well. Nice dark roast coffee with a fairly minimal oily bitterness level. Lots of dark chocolate and cocoa powder and a nice earthy almost grainy finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with soft gentle carbonation. I suppose that I am a sucker for coffee beers, but even if I weren’t this really is an extremely good beer.

This one has the ideal appearance: inky black with a thick foamy tan head. I can definitely smell the espresso. I also smell some caramel. Very dry aroma, but just a hint of sweetness in the flavor. Coffee dominates, and all but blocks out other flavors. If I concentrate, I can pick out flavors of prunes, toffee, vanilla, and in the aftertaste, roses. Medium (almost thick) bodied. Very smooth and silky going down. Very enjoyable.

Black with a magna huge tan head. Smell is opening a bag a freshly ground coffee also some dark chocolate, roastiness, and malts. Taste is coffee, chocolate, mocha like. Thicker body.

A gorgeous Japanese coffee-stout based on a Russian imperial stout. Beautiful in the glass with a lavish cappuccino head. Big, "dry" aroma of cocoa powder, bitter chocolate and souring milk. Terrific creamy body. Intense espresso flavours with some pistachio nuttiness and a swaggering bitter chocolate finish. An outstanding stout and one of the highlights of an evening of impressive beers. (Bottle courtesy of TimE at Sully’s Sydney RB Xmas 07 gathering. Thanks fellas.)

Bottle. Pours very dark brown with a red/brown head. Strong coffee aroma, smoke, roast, and a hint of sweet vanilla. Medium body. Flavor starts on a sweet creamy caramel and vanilla note, before moving to coffee, roast, and smoke. Very nice, very drinkable and tasty.

I gotta say my first impression was better than the long term. big espresso aroma with malt and dark Chocolate cherries. The body is thick and rich but there is a funny finish it is meaty. Strange. Buck convention, drink cold.