Any person who spends much time wandering the aisles of wine stores is surely aware of the proliferation of "critter labels," which, if the media are to be believed, are deliberate marketing ploys intended to make bottles more "approachable" and reel in consumers who lack the knowledge for more informed decisions. I, of course, am above such silliness and would never buy a wine just because a lovable animal beckons from the label.

So a couple of weeks ago, I'm browsing the beer selection of FreshDirect and . . . what's this? It's a Japanese beer. And what an adorable little owl! Even the bottle's all cute and curvy. With a few clicks of the mouse, I'd added not one, but two types of owl beer (real brand name: Hitachino) to my cart. And I didn't stop there. I picked up more of the stuff from Sunrise Mart, and last Friday—after a nice tofu supper to get us in the zone—Brian and I sat down to do some tasting.

My surrender to cuteness, I'm happy to say, paid off.

With its distinctive ricey character, the Red Rice Ale is perhaps the most unusual of the bunch. Cloudy and raspberry in color, it looks something like a Belgian raspberry lambic. But it's not, by any stretch. It has a toasted rice aroma,  lively carbonation, and a delicate malty-sweetness with a tart, almost fruity, finish. Brian detected a subtle, sake-like "funkiness" to it. Though I can't drink most sakes, I did enjoy this beer. Brian wasn't a fan.

We both loved the White Ale, which, apparently, is one of the brewery's most popular products. It is a Belgian-style white beer, cloudy and a deep golden color.  Flavor wise, we detected lots of cloves and nutmeg, orange peel, and hints of vanilla and honey. This is ideal summer sipping, perhaps with a big, juicy orange slice garnishing the glass.

The Classic Ale is also a winner. It is a dark red-brown color with a molasses-y aroma. It has a wonderfully rich toasty flavor and a strong coffee finish, especially as it warms. It's hoppy, but well balanced and not too bitter. The bottle says it is an IPA in style; we thought it was less hoppy and floral than most IPAs.

We had no idea what to expect with the Real Ginger Brew (which is alcoholic). It is clear and reddish-brown; we noted spicy ginger and molasses on the nose. The beer is quite hoppy, rich, and full bodied, with a prominent malty sweetness. The ginger isn't overpowering, but definitely detectable. I noticed it most while swallowing—a spiciness on the throat. It's an interesting novelty beer, but we didn't love it enough that we would buy it on a regular basis.


Categories: Drinks, Miscellaneous Stuff, Japanese and Japanese American Recipes
Technorati Tags: hitachino, beer, japan

Copyright © 2007 Sarah Kiino, www.avenuefood.com. My RSS feed is for personal, noncommercial use only. If you are perusing this post on a site that is neither www.avenuefood.com, nor your news aggregator, the Web site you are reading has likely stolen my material, and I'd like to know about it. Please send me an e-mail at avenuefoodAThotmailDOTcom. Thanks for your assistance in this matter.