Kirin Heartland

Brewed by Kirin Brewery Company
Style: Pale Lager
Tokyo, Japan

Serve in Dimpled mug, English pint, Lager glass, Shaker

Bottle. Pours a pale gold with quickly disappearing white head. Smoother than I expected. Not a bad beer, but kinda boring.

Rated Apr 2008. Head is mostly diminishing. Body is light to medium yellow. Aroma is lightly malty (grain), trace hops (herbs), with a note of metal. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly to moderately bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately bitter, slightly husky. Light to medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation, metallic.

Big green bottle brought back from Japan and shared by Keir- thanks again, Keir! Pours a clear golden color with a small, fizzy white head. Massive skunk aroma. Seriously, it smells like a skunk sprayed straight into the bottle. Also some grass and straw, but sheesh. The flavor isn’t as bad, with corny, grainy malts, dry wheat, and straw. Light-bodied, with medium carbonation and a dry, grainy mouthfeel. But oh man, the skunk is overwhelming.

33 cl bottle @ Kemby’s, Hiroshima. Bottled 07/2011, BBE 03/2012?. Rated on 14.09.2011
Aroma is fresh and slightly hopped. It has some grainy malt. Flavour is a bit stale with some grainy malt and sweetish corn. Dryish finish. Feels like an attempt from a big brewer to make ”premium” beer.

On tap at Castle West, Kyoto. Clear pale golden, decent head. Malty aroma and flavours, slightly sweet. Run-of-the-mill industrial lager.

Dark yellow colored, little white head. Hopped and grassy aroma with decent crispy pilsner touch. Thin to medium bodied. Flavor is similar with fruits and lemon in start, aftertaste turns to hopped, even some Saaz can be found... Have I been too long in China since this tastes good...

Clear golden. Grassy hoppy with a mild maltiness. Good mouthfeel. Mild flaviour, grassy hops, some maltiness, light sweetness.

Bottle. Body and head were standard yellow and white, quickly diminishing. Nice nose of grass, herb, and a bit of lemon. Taste was light floral hops, some lemon and bread. Crisp and light palate.