UPDATED: MAR 22, 2019 Can from near Takayama Station. Pours black with highlights, quickly dissipating tan head. Aroma opens as it warms, roasted malts, anise, coffee, leather, ash, chocolate, nothing overpowering. Flavour shows mostly rich dark roasted chocolatey malts, hints of leather and anise. Medium body with a great backhalf - just when you feel the bitterness rise and sense acridity it glides into a smooth long velvety chocolate finish, dense flavour yet so easy to drink. Damn, I wish I'd bought more.

Canned, 330 ml. Shared with JFK10000 and Miro. Dark brown, medium beige head. Coffee aroma. Roasted malts, chocolate, bitter finish, sour note. Some cherry notes. Pretty simple. Medium bodied.

Bottle 50cl. @ Ikebatakeshouten, Takayama, Japan. A: Black. T: Roasted malt, sweet, chocolate.

Bottle, 04/15/2015. Pours black, bog frothy tan head with decent retention. Aroma of vanilla, chocolate malts, touch of coffee, moderate roast, light hops noticeable. Taste is full bodied chocolate malts, mild sweetness balanced with roast, dry woody bitterness. Medium body, rich and smooth, moderately high carbonation. Nice, well done.

Draught at Craftman, Kyoto. Slick black body, thin tan head. Roasted malt and a touch of coffee and vanilla in the nose. More carbonated than I like- but the flavours more than made up for it. Black sugar, plums, grape juice and espresso. Not overly sweet or bitter, beautifully rounded notes. Deep without being heavy. Fantastic stuff.

Tap at Himalaya Table. Dark brown colour, small golden creamy head. Aroma is roasty, creamy vanilla, bit fruity too. Porter like. Taste is good. Roasty again, quite medicinal, liquorice, dark fruits. Pretty nice. Quite smooth and thick. Touch of spice and smoke there too.

On tap at Kura Kura in Kanda, Tokyo. I had seen this beer highly rated online but never saw it on tap down in Kansai so I was happy to see it on the taplist! It lived up to it’s reputation pouring pitch black with a nice tan head. A classic stout look. A nice malt chocolate aroma with the flavor being sweet, chocolate, caramel and a hint of burnt chocolate. The finish was a little smokey and even had hints of bacon. Excellent. Probably the nicest stout I’ve had that was made in Japan.

Bottle at Jiu-jin, Kyoto. Black with a tanned head. Sweet and dry with aromas of roasted malts and some caramel and hints of band aid. Medium bodied. Medium to soft carbonation. Dry and sweet finish.

Bottle. Black with a distinguishing brown head. Black and chocolate malt on the nose. A dry, roasty palate. A dark chocolate, raisiny flavour, along with some woody notes. Warming.

Bottle. Coffee aroma, like those small cold coffee shots you get in Japan. Black black, brown head Good flavors on this one, licorice chocolate coffee, light chilli Caramelized sugar Smooth mouthfeel. Light tar afterwards, smoke retronasal I like this brewery, worth the money so far.