Justintoxicated. - Vancouver, BC

Apple Cinnamon Ale (Autumn/Winter edition) - Sankt Gallen Brewery, 5% ABV, (Nagano, Japan)

Made with 信州伊那 apples

My Notes:

• My Rating: C+
• Why I don’t love it: not enough body
• Where I got it: Tokyo
• How much: ￥500
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: No
• Would I recommend this to beer afficianados: No

Tasting Notes: pours red tea brown, quickly dissipating head, medium CO2 with bits of micro, ringed retention, minimal slippery retention, very few slow-moving CO2 streams. Some woody unfiltered apple juice and honey on the nose. Creamy up front, minor apple juice, traces of cinnamon, apricot, 4/10 sweetness, slight 5/10 semi-sharp bitter finish. Medium complexity, low-medium depth, okay carry, medium length, watery in the middle. Main complain is that neither the apple nor the cinnamon are prominent enough to discern - the bitterness kills all the other flavours. Lackluster compared to their full-bodied stout counterparts.

Sankt Gallen Brewery Stouts

1) Imperial Chocolate Stout (2012), 47 IBU, 8.5% ABV, (Kanagawa, Japan)

On the front label:

“高温で丹念に焙煎した「チョコレートモルト」でほろ苦いビターチョコ風味を表現した黒ビールです。チョコレートモルトを含む全ての原料を通常黒ビールの２．５倍以上使用した、超濃厚なフルボディ。”

My Notes:

• My Rating: A-
• Why I like it: Rich
• Where I got it: Tokyo
• How much: ￥500
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: No
• Would I recommend this to beer afficianados: Yes

Tasting Notes: pours almost jet black/brown, small head, small CO2, ringed and thin layered retention, half-runny lacing. Strong roasted coffee and malts on the nose. Buttery mouthfeel, rush of rich 80% cacao / half fresh roast coffee, 3/10 sweetness, very minor sour clean finish, long mellow bitter coating in the rear half of the mouth. High depth, medium complexity, excellent carry, long length, full-bodied. Loads of chocolate & coffee on the exhale. Extremely well executed beer; I’d give it a higher rating if I loved this style more. 

2) Sweet Vanilla Stout (St. Valentine’s Day 2012), 28 IBU, 6.5% ABV, (Kanagawa, Japan)

On the front label:

“アロマホップの代わりに、パプアニューギニア産のバニラビーンズで甘く優しい香りを溶け込ませた黒ビールです。後味にはバニラチョコのような風味が残ります。通常より若干濃厚なミディア。”

My Notes:

• My Rating: B+
• Why I like it: Very drinkable
• Where I got it: Tokyo
• How much: ￥500
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: No
• Would I recommend this to beer afficianados: Yes

Tasting Notes: pours coffee brown, sticky lacing, small head, thin retention, small and micro CO2. Lots of chocolate on the nose, some roasted coffee. 6/10 sweet aromatic chocolate mixed with roasted coffee and vanilla undertones. Great body up front but ends with a partially watery tingly carbonated finish. Medium-high depth, medium complexity, fair carry, long length. Overall quite polished but the finish is somewhat thin.

3) Orange Chocolate Stout (2012), 24 IBU, 6.5% ABV, (Kanagawa, Japan)

On the front label:

“オレンジの香るビターテイストの黒ビールです。「チョコレートモルト」を使用した芳醇な黒ビールにオレンジの爽やかな香りが華を添える。オレンジは果汁もピール（皮）も丸ごと使用しているため、飲んだ後の余韻にまで爽やかな香りが残ります”

My Notes:

• My Rating: A-
• Why I like it: Unique
• Where I got it: Tokyo
• How much: ￥500
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: No
• Would I recommend this to beer afficianados: Definitely

Tasting Notes: pours brown with a shade of orange, small head, ringed layered lacing. Chocolate orange on the nose, just like Terry’s Chocolate Orange. Candied orange up front mellowed by rich dark chocolate and bitter coffee malts, orange persists through finish and ends with a bittersweet deep ending. Hints of figs in there as well. Medium-high complexity, medium-high depth, med-long length, good carry. Great balance of chocolate and orange, definitely worth a try.

柚子と生姜のお酒 (Yuzu and Ginger Liqueur) - Kikkoman, 10% ABV, (Tokyo, Japan)

On the front label:

“「徳島県産柚子」使用、「高知県産生姜」使用 (Made with Tokushima Yuza and Kochi Ginger)”

My Notes:

• My Rating: B+
• Why I like it: Complex and deep
• Where I got it: Kichijioji (吉祥寺), Tokyu dept. store, Jan-2012
• How much: ￥780 ($10.50), 500ml
• Do I love this enough to drink it again: Yep
• Would I recommend this to liqueur afficianados: Yes

Tasting Notes (straight, chilled): pours cloudy yellow, medium viscosity, sugary sweet bitter lemon on the nose, hints of bitter seville orange as well. Tastes of bitter lemon+orange, a bit of chamomile, mild ginger burn and fragrant ginger flavour. Excellent balance of fruit-bitter-spicy. Good sweetness and mouthfeel.

Weizen Hitachino Nest - Kiuchi Brewery, 5% ABV, (Ibaraki, Japan)

On the back label:

“This German style weizen is a cloudy beer brewed with wheat malt, and a fragrant yeast. Please enjoy the banana like flavor and light taste.”

Nikka Whisky from the Barrel, 51.4% ABV, (Japan)

From nikka.com website:

“Matured malt whisky and grain whisky are blended and then re-casked (a process known as “marriage”) to create a rich harmony of distinctly different whiskies. “From the Barrel” is bottled directly from re-casked barrels of whisky and features almost the same alcohol percentage. At 51.4% alcohol content, this whisky possesses a distinctive personality characterized by solidity, depth of taste and a richly expanding aroma.”