Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout

Brewed by Kiuchi Brewery
Style: Stout
Ibaraki, Japan

Pours black into a snifter. Mocha head recedes to skim rim. Cocoa and espresso aromas. Sour cocoa hitachino and a little thin with a lasting espresso finish.

bottle. pours black with light brown head. dence coffee flavors mixed in with some fruit undertones. impressive stout from the Japanese

Black body, creamy light brown head; Medium sized very dry nose, down to earth complex; Huge full body with a bitterness that has the same fruityness as a dense cold espresso, dry and sweet; Very fruity wine like finish, very fruity bitter, long with lots of dry aromas: Quite nice and somehow very Japanese in its simplicity and elegance.

Dark brown, nearly black, with a rich, roasty tan head, 1/4 ", slowly simmering, but beautiful. Cocoa, coffee, and cola coming out of the nose...vanilla beans and maple interject. Espresso notes get bigger, more bittersweet, richer, deliciouser. Fullish mouthfeel, then flavor explodes and spills all over. Bittersweet dominates the flavor. Huge espresso, some licorice and molasses. Big chocolate, too. Could use a fuller body, could be richer. Of course, I’m comparing it to things like Bell’s Java Stout, which is plenty thick. Long, chocolatey, bittersweet cocoa finish. Lays long on the tongue. Yum. Good stuff, Japan!

Pours thick and black with a huge off tan head. Creamy dry fresh ground coffee aroma. Thick roasted malt and coffee taste. Very smooth and tasty.

1/12/2008: Hitachino Espresso Stout pours out in a thick stream of near black coffee color. There is an average-sized creamy brown head that doesn’t disapear quickly (or really at all for that matter). Smells of fresh, black dirt mixed with coffee. There are some notes of bittersweet chocolate as well. The flavor is dense with coffee, roasted malts, and bitter chocolate (almost ike unsweetened Baker’s Chocolate). It is also dry and earthy with some old, used coffee ground type flavor coming through just before the bitter, dark chocolate finish. The palate of this medium-full to full-bodied beer is thick and creamy. It kind of has the density and texture of heavy whipping cream. Overall this beer is good and solid, but not great. I would probably never pick-up another bottle of this again.

11.2 fl.oz. bottle (7.5% alc./vol.) from River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio. Rating #143 for this beer...

Had this bottle. Poured very thick and dark. Sort of similar to an Expedition, but not quite as dark. Really sour coffee flavors. A bit of malt in there as well. A little too thin texture with the sour taste. Prepare the palate for this one.

11.2 oz bottle. Ebony; a stiff pour produces a bubbly crema head that settles with chunky lacing. Nose is salty black licorice and musty coffee beans. Silky sipping with soft peel carb that lightly tickles the tongue. Taste is surprisingly fruity; earthy plums and orange pith. Hints of vanilla with coffee drying. Long, saturated finish with mild sour. A most interesting brew.