Japan is a weird place. Maybe the weirdest place in the world. I guess that's what happens when you cram millions of people onto a series of small islands and utterly devastate most of the natural resources around the major urban centers of your country. Anime, Harajuku girls, genetically modified cube shaped watermellons; these are the hallmarks of the quirky little country that sits off the coast of the Asian mainland. We've come to expect nothing less than the aboslute bizarre from Japan, so it's only natural that we should find a peculiar little Japanese beer to satisfy our lust for the absurd. A few months back I sampled Hitachino Nest's flagship beer, but tonight I'm trying another selection called Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale. Red rice ale? What on God's green earth is red rice ale?
When you think about Asian cuisine, it only makes sense rice would eventually be incorporated into the brewing process. Red rice is a fairly common grain in Japan, and is used many dishes, alcoholic beverages and even in traditional Chinese medicine. Known as Beni-koji it it's native Japan, red rice is a course grain that has a reddish purple color to it. As a result, Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale has a unique pale orange-pink color that I've never come across before. The taste of Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale is also somewhat unique, with strong fruity flavors of peach and apple that come across with a nice dry finish. Not quite as robust and flavorful as the original Hitachino Nest, but still a worthy effort from my new favorite brewery in Japan. Get your hands on a bottle of Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale if you can and experience this strange little brew for yourself.
Kampai!
Ian
http://www.kodawari.cc/
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