Hitachino Sunday Cup Festival (range review)

Having previously enjoyed the XH and the Espresso Stout, it was time for a range review on some of the other beers currently purchasable locally from Hitachino in Japan.

First up the white ale, whose label confirms the traditional approach with additions of coriander, orange peel and nutmeg. It's a nice pour, though the beer itself is quite yellow. It's bright and not out of style, just different to some others. Nose is of candied orange, not as pithy as orange peel, bit sweeter and fresher but less bitey. As such the whole thing calls to mind a chewy orange lolly.

Taste-wise happily it manages to stay quite light with medium-high carbonation to back it up. The taste profile is pretty light and delicate but all the right flavours are there, before a burst of that sweet orange before the end. Strikes me as pretty sessionable stuff here on a hot day, with nothing really objectionable in the slightest. The perfect soft-spoken Japanese gent. 7.0

Wasn't quite sure what to expect from this "Real Ginger Ale" - was it a beer with ginger, or a ginger beer? Turns out to be the former, marked as happoushu because of the additions. This beer is marked at 7.0% on one label, and 7.5% on the other .. just like XH, this is something you wouldn't get away with in Australia.

It's a dark pour with a fair amount of particulate sediment and rye-like hue. The nose is curiously reticent, delivering not much above and beyond a suggestion of malt sweetness, but the taste doesn't hold back. Bang - dat ginger. It's a good soft mouthfeel here and kind of evokes Olde Stoney ginger beer meeting a spiced heavy ale of some description. All of which is nice, but it becomes harder and harder to deal with over time. Maybe better in the snow? 5.5

"Japanese Classic Ale" seemed somewhat of a misnomer first up given the nature of the beer scene in modern times. A closer look at the label however shows it's a replica of Edo period ales, matured in cedar as per old style English IPAs. Nice pour again with a good looking creamy head. I get peppery notes on the nose here along with a bit of warming alcohol.

That spicy character carries through into the ale itself - perhaps it's the barrel? - but it's a nice combination. The hops are evident if not dominant and it all comes together quite nicely at a professed 7.5%. I drank this happily the whole way through and found it interesting, well-made and compelling. 7.0

Continuing the theme with another solid seven percenter is the red rice ale. This one's a bit more reticent with the ingredients list which is a shame, as to me at least it feels a lot like it's had berries, cherries, or something similar added here which dominate everything else. The rice isn't very evident, but it is at least quite red, I guess.

I'm not really sure about this one - it didn't really do what you'd think it would and felt a bit out of place the whole time. I didn't dislike it, but neither would I seek it out again. 5.5

Onward then to the commemorative new year celebration ale, at 8% (at least, knowing these guys). This is the 2011 edition and understandably speaks of forgetting the troubles of the year past. It's spiced with coriander and cinnamon among other things - one could expect it to be a big heavy in line with the Japanese (winter) new year.

This drop is sour up front then quite spicy and complex. Not as malty as expected, but thought provoking nonetheless. I wonder if the sour edge is from age, or if they have again used their access to sake barrels and the like to give it a bit of something special - whichever it is, it lifts this beer a little and makes it quite compelling to drink. Slight nectarine / apricot nectar notes. Interesting if not delicious. 6.5

Finally to the sweet stout. I'd been recommended away from this one by a stout-drinking of some repute, but  after drinking this one I was quite happy with it. It's just 4% and clearly designed along the lines of the typical dry / sweet stout. Good colour in the pour, lovely nose of raw choc malt also. It's sweet in that it has definitely had lactose introduced, but not overly sweet in terms of flavour balance. Instead there's a nice roasty character for the main combined with an edge of coffee.

It's light beer yes but I'd argue not watery (ie, not unintentional). Lasting roasty aftertaste is pleasant. Good beer. 7.0

All in all an interesting selection and enough to confirm my wish to visit when next in Nippon.