Hitachino Nest XH

(Bottle 33 cl) Courtesy of boboski. Pours a hazy, amber golden with a dense, beige head. Very refined, woody aroma. Medium body with lightly sweet caramel and some distinct, woody accents bedore a fairly bitter finish. Excellent! (Matured in sake casks with lots of hops = Belgian??) 171207

Reddish-brown colour with light caramel head. Seriously yeasty aroma - pineapple, feet, sawdust...smells a lot like my early homebrews, actually. Huge yeasty character, lots of alcohol. Chewy. Hints of rich caramel, wood, apple, tannins. Reminds a bit of Gulden Draak. I can see this becoming a love it or hate it beer. Which naturally means I fall in the middle. Thanks, IslandHaole!

11.2 fl oz bottle. Pours hazy dark orange with a light yellow head. Fruity and orange like aroma. Flavour is caramel malty, quite solid sweet and slight spiced. Just before the finish it has a liqourice like note. Clearly taking some flavours from the sake barrels. Lovely flavourful. Finish is a lingering fruity and barrel like flavour.

Name: XH
Date: 07/26/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Roadtrip

Appearance: muddy amber, wispy beige head, specks of lace,
Aroma: fruity wine aroma with lots of sweet vanilla and light spicy oak plus a touch of bitter grape skin,
Flavor: rich sweet flavor with lots of dark caramel and vanilla, nice fruity esters, good amount of oak and light tartness for balance, the tartness grows as it warms and morphs into a woody cherry pit character,
Overall: an interesting unusual yet tasty sweetness in the aroma and flavor that must be from the sake barrel
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Name: XH
Date: 08/19/2007
Mode: bottle
Source: tasting

ditto
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Name: XH
Date: 03/15/2008
Mode: bottle
Source: tasting

Aroma: sweet oak and vanilla still comes through strong on the aroma,
Flavor: oak flavor is stronger than ever with lots of spicyness, vanilla sweetness continues to balance, sake adds great and unuasual character,

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 4/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: ***/4

(11.2 oz bottle) Minimal beige head atop hazy copper body. Aroma is medium sweet, caramel, plum, some cedar, allspice. Taste is medium sweet, caramel, plum, some fig, wood. Low carbonation, medium body.