Category Archives: Beer

Hitachino Nest tasting

I saw a bunch of different Hitachino Nest beers at the Ashai Grocery store and decided to buy one of each. I really liked their Ancient Nipponia, which is a Pilsner.

From Japan’s most prestigious brewery, Hitachino Nest Ancient Nipponia is brewed using a forgotten strain of Japanese barley along with the historic Sorachi Ace hops.

This “new” barley malt, a cross-pollination between the European Golden Melon and the Japanese barley malt Shikoku, disappeared a “relatively long time ago” — about 50 years.
A few years ago, Mr. Kiuchi acquired 16 seeds from the Department of Agricultural History in Japan. He started to plant those 16 seeds (on a two-square-foot area!) about five years ago. After the first harvest, he planted all new seeds again and did the same the next year, and the following year …

The following are my tasting notes:

  • Hitachino Nest Red Rice: stronger, almost medicinal/astringent cedar taste
  • Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Ale: subtle ginger taste, mild spiciness, better than red rice
  • Hitachino Nest Weizen: No head, a little thin, good hefeweizen taste though
  • Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout: bitter coffee taste
  • Hitachino Nest Classic Ale: slightly medicinal/astringent cedar taste
  • Hitachino Nest Dai Dai: Not hoppy at all, too malty
  • Hitachino Nest Commemorative Ale: a tiny bit spicy, couldn’t tell anything about the hops
  • Hitachino Nest XH: slightly medicinal/astringent cedar taste
  • Hitachino Nest Nipponia: slightly medicinal/astringent cedar taste, a little lighter?

In the end I was disappointed. I only really liked their Ancient Nipponia.

Flying Saucer Festival

So the Austin Flying Saucer had its yearly festival.

And I drank the following beers:


Brouwerij Rodenbach Classic Red
Avery Rumpkin
Timmermans Oude Gueze Lambic
Thirsty Planet Double Buckethead Double IPA
Stone Farking Wheaton WOOTSTOUT
Ommegang Duvel Rustica
Deschutes Armory XPA
Green Flash Hop Odyssey Symposium IPA
Full Sail Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
Cripsin Cider Prepare To Die
Brouwerij Rodenbach Grand Cru
Sixpoint Autumnation
North Coast Class of '88
Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence
Sierra Nevada Fritz & Ken's Ale
Southern Tier Warlock
Buffalo Bayou 1836
Sixpoint Spice Of Life
Harpoon Octoberfest