Hitachino Nest XH

Bottle thanks to dchmela. Promising muddy brown and woody sour complex aroma. Lovely must, some floral qualities, and definite sour wood with hints of vanilla. The taste starts of promising but quickly hits an acrid sour tart note, like dollar store fake SweeTarts. That one bit of the taste almost ruined the beer for me, but everything else is so lovely about it... still a worthwhile experience.

Orange colour and bubbly head, floral aromas. A different culture and a different measure of what bitterness is. A definite woodiness, without too much of supporting flavours other than alcohol and a bitterness from the ale itself. I do not believe it was greatly drinkable, by different standards it is a successful ageing/barreling.

Pours amber with an off-white and thin, but fizzy head which leaves a little lacing. On the nose, fruity, wood, vanilla, spicy sweet sake, and citrus. In the flavor this is fruity, there is a a strong sake component, tannic wood, and again an almost tart citrus component. Medium mouthfeel, drying and hints of tartness in the finish. Another interesting wood influenced beer from Kiuchi. The sake is an unique addition to the mix here, quite nice.

[1249-20080404] 11.2floz bottle. Evergreen aroma with sweet grainy rice, mild citrus notes and hints at a cabin in the woods. Hazy, dark amber brown body with a medium-lasting creamy off-white head. Sweet rice grains continues in the flavour with mild mango hints and citrus peel and more woods. Medium-full body hints at bitterness. Quite pleasant.
(w/ jerc, tupalev)

Bottle poured a clear tarnished copper with a lasting amber head, Aromas of fruittiness, oak, toffee, carmel, coriander and light vanilla. Palate was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of oak, toffee, apple, pear, spice and light vanilla with a smooth lingering boozy finish.