Yo-Ho Yona Yona Ale

Brewed by Yo-Ho Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Nagano, Japan

Serve in Lager glass, Shaker, Tulip

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UPDATED: OCT 26, 2009 Cask conditioned - gravity dispense - GBBF 2008. A hazy amber coloured beer with a nice balance of hops and malt. Some good citrus fruits throughout. Pretty understated and unextreme.Score 3.3
Subsequent rating scored 3.7. Average becomes 3.5

13-May-08 (750-ml swing-top ceramic bottle with a competition label only: Free sample bottle for stewarding the 2008 World Beer Cup in San Diego, CA) This is quite a rare and tasty treat from Japan for us Americans, and a very good pale ale, better than many made here. It’s sweet and fruity with a sturdy, somewhat caramely malt backbone that is perfectly balanced by citrusy and lightly piney hops. There is no drop off in flavor in the finish, and the beer remains delicious even as it warms to room temperature. Grainy, fruity, citrusy nose is as enjoyable and balanced as the flavor. Medium in body with medium, but soft carbonation. It could be a touch more dry, but it’s fine as it too. The malt supplies enough weight, but light-medium hops bitterness keeps the mouthfeel balanced. Hazy, amber body with small particles suspended in the beer. Capping the beer is nearly an inch of off-white foam that exhibits good retention, settling to and holding at a thin but complete layer. A very impressive and well-done effort that I wish I could have shared with someone.

Cask@GBBF 2008. Golden brown beer with a fruity aroma, and a fruity, malty and hopped flavour. Overall a nice beer.

Hazy orange with tiny white head. Sweet malty aroma with fruity and mild hoppy notes. Sweet fruity flavor with caramel and mild hops in the end.

Can, thanks to larsga. Lovely amber, fluffy head. A sweetish ale, more Belgian than English. Finish of Candy sugar. A little bitternes and a hint of yeast, too. With less sugar added, this would be a fine little beer.

Can. Orangey golden color, thin near-white head. Sweet refined malts to the nose. Also a delicious whiff of apricot and sweet citrus. Nice, full malty flavor. Sweet, in a delicate way, balanced with fresh hopbitterness. Medium body. Dries up i bit end the end, still malty with a fruity accent. Nice all over.

330 ml can. Bright amber. Medium white head. Sweetish aromatic malt aroma. Flavourful maltiness. Lots of caramel and melanoidins. Crisp hoppiness. Cascade hops perhaps? Hops balances the malts nicely. Slightly metallic flavours in the finish.

Aaahhh..Yona Yona. One of my favorites. I just love the enjoyable balance that this brew carries. Slightly hoppy, slight citrus hint, beautiful colour that somewhow makes me think of a pot of freshly brewed Earl Grey. Probably my number one favorite beer to order first when starting a session...especially when served from Popeye’s gravity tap.

On tap at Beer & Bear, Osaka. Hazy amber with a small head. Caramel aroma. Decent citrussy caramel flavours ending quite dry. Lightish body as you would expect from a bitter. Far away from Britain, but close in taste to a bitter.

Amber with slightly off white head. Light, fruity aroma. Pretty good hop flavors, like a pretty decent, weak IPA. Grapefruit bitterness mostly, not too bad I must say.