This Blog Is Retroactive

So, back in May of last year my then fiancé who’s now my wife went to Japan to attend a conference.  Well aware of my passion for good beer, she took her Japanese friend and co-worker along with her to a store in Tokyo to pick out some local brews for me.  What a sweetie!  I was like a kid on Christmas morning when she gave them to me.  It was especially difficult not crack them open right there and drink all six in one sitting.  However, I didn’t know if I’d ever get the chance to try these beers again so I waited for a good time to sit down and really enjoy them, one or two at a time.  I also made sure to take notes, as alcohol tends to fog the memory in case you didn’t know.  One funny thing was, they all came in cans.  Only a handful of breweries worth mentioning put their beers in cans over here in the U.S.  I guess it’s a lot more common in Japan.  I kept the cans, and the notes, and they’ve both been collecting dust ever since I finished them.  I thought it’d be fun to actually do something with them and decided to share them with you here.

DISCLAIMER:  If you don’t like beer, then this post will probably be really, really boring, so you might as well skip it.  Sorry.

Unazuki Red Label

There are three types of Unazuki Beer.  I don’t know what the Japanese call this one, but I’ll call it Unazuki Red because it has a red label and because it pours a coppery red-orange color.  It smells slightly fruity and malty.  It has a thick, cream colored head.  My second whiff was a bit metallic, but only slightly.  It might just be from the can.  Unazuki Red kind of reminds me of Rogue Dead Guy Ale but not as sweet.  It has a smooth, slightly funky after taste.  It’s not as hoppy as  Dead Guy either.  After the beer warms up a bit I can definitely taste some subtle fruity notes.

Unazuki Beer has a website, but it’s all in Japanese.

Yona Yona Ale

I would have to say Yona Yona Ale was probably my favorite of the six I tried.  It pours a deep, golden color, similar to Boddingtons.  It has a light, fizzy head and smells kind of fruity.  First sip…spicey and complex.  The fruity flavors are as evident in the taste as they are in the smell.  Is it perhaps a little bit yeasty?  This beer sort of reminds me of Boulder Beer’s Hazed and Infused.  It’s hoppy, but not overpoweringly so.  It’s very good.  Yona Yona was sweet, fruity, slightly yeasty, and hoppy.  Like I said, it’s complex.

Lots more on Yona Yona Ale here.

Unazuki Blue Label

Once again, I’m not sure what the Japanese call this one, but I’ll call it Unazuki Blue Label.  It pours a pale yellow, like most pilsners.  It has a thick, foamy head.  It smells and tastes like a pilsner.  I think it just might be a pilsner.  It’s slightly hazy, and mildy funky.  Overall, good for this style, but nothing exceptional.

Nippon Premium

Nippon Premium pours clear and golden, with a thick, foamy head.  The smell reminds me a little of Olde English (yes, the malt liquor – I’ve had my share) or maybe a Cream Ale, like Genesee.  I can taste some mild fruitiness, and perhaps a slight funk.  This beer left me kind of burpy, more than the others.  Is there a technical term for that?  It was also kind of sickly sweet and mildly cloying, but still tasty.

Unazuki Purple Label

Unazuki Purple Label was the third of three Unazuki beers that I had the pleasure of enjoying.  I think its a porter, or perhaps a strong stout or dark bock.  I’m not sure really, but it pours very dark brown, similar to Coca-Cola.  The head is light brown, thick and foamy.  It smells malty and tastes of chocolate and roasted malt.  I’d have to say it tastes similar to a porter, but not as heavy tasting, not as sticky.  Unazuki Purple was my scond favorite after Yona Yona.

Yebisu Black

Yebisu comes in two varieties, both labeled Yebisu Premium.  To differentiate, this one is referred to as Yebisu Black, for obvious reasons.  It pours a dark, reddish brown with a dense, foamy head.  The head is a lighter brown than Unazuki Purple Label.  It smells roasty and malty.  Yebisu Black has a slightly metallic bite.  It’s good, but not as sweet or as flavorful as Unazuki Purple.

Overall, I was pleasantly suprised with all the beers I tried and delighted to discover the rich and varied selection of quality beers that Japan has to offer.  All we ever get over here are their light flavored pilsners, which don’t really differ much from the myriad of mass produced pale lagers already lining our shelves.  I’m going to start saving now for a trip to Tokyo so I can drink some more Yona Yona and Unazuki Beer.

Great article on beer in Japan here.