Kirin ichiban

Konnichiwa from Japan to the beer geeks, this is Kirin Ichiban, 4.9%R ABV. Kirin is one of the largest breweries in Japan. This is an American Pale lager and is brewed with one hundred percent malt. Kirin pours a light yellow straw color with a thing bright white head that dissipates quickly, and no lacing is left behind. I found lots of light streaming through the mug and plenty of little carbonation bubbles. The aroma of Kirin is malted with big bready and biscuit scents. There also is a slight corn/grain like aroma. But I will say that the aroma overall is a bit thin and light. The taste on Kirin is light and malty, but not a sweet type of malt, it’s more of a gain type of malt flavor. There is sort of a wet cardboard and metallic taste there that is just the tiniest bit off putting. The mouth feel is malted with corn and gains and then is very light almost boarder line watery, but none to bad. Kirin finishes nice clean, crisp and refreshing. It leaves a nice malted grain taste in your mouth that does stay just enough to be good. The aftertaste is nice with that malted flavor of gains. This beer is just the right amount of plain, not to complex or not to boring. I am giving this C. Yes there is room for improvement but I wouldn’t say that this beer should reinvent itself, just some tweaks here and there. This beer is gets a little better with some good seafood; the seafood brings out a little more of the malts used here. So try this Kirin beer and see for yourself. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!

Pyramid Snow Cap

The west coast of the USA really brews very interesting beer form some of the best breweries, but most people thing of California, but don’t forget the northwest US especially The Pyramid Brewery. They are one of my favorites and this is the winter warm Snow Cap 7.0% ABV. What this is, is a malty sweet winter seasonal beer, with balanced hop presents or big hoppy presents and can be higher in alcohol. Generally this style comes from Britain. Snow is brewed in the British style. This warm pours a mahogany amber color with a darker tan three finger head that sticks around for a while and leaves killer lacing. I found very little light through the glass with some small amounts of carbonation. Snow Cap has a nice slightly hoppy aroma with hints of dark fruits like cherry plum and some raisins. There is also a sweet malty aroma there. The taste on Snow Cap is first bitter and sweet, but not like an IPA, it is more malty than just hoppy. I found there to be a very think roasted coco flavor there and a nice dark raisin plum and cheery fruits there but just slightly so. The mouth feel is medium with a nice bitter finish, but nothing overwhelming, the after taste is what I would call malted fruit hops. I get mostly a sweet low semi roasted bitterness that does finish nicely. You do taste the 7.0% AVB especially as the beer warms and comes close to room temperature. So I would give this an A-. Snow Cap has some good balanced flavors but the finish is hoppier than I was expecting it to be, but over all a great beer with great flavors. Yes I would recommend you try this and I’ll be having it again soon. So go and please try this! Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!