International Beer Shop Blog

Hitachino Nest and Anderson Valley

Before we jump into the new arrivals this week (of which there are plenty!), a quick note that the IBS is looking for a new employee. Full details are up on seek, in brief we need a beer loving, team oriented and intelligent store assistant to work around 30 hours a week starting late August. Interested parties can email a resume, including a cover letter, to: shop@internationalbeershop.com.au

We have been flat out in the store this week, with stacks of amazing new beers landing almost every day. Particular highlights include the return of the Hitachino Nest range of Japanese craft beer and award winning sake, the latest beers from Rogue, new ranges from San Fransisco’s Anderson Valley Brewing Company and New Zealand’s Renaissance Brewery, and some delicious and innovative beer from Brewdog. We can’t fit them all into this week’s newsletter – in the meantime check out our website, www.internationalbeershop.com.au for more details.

Finally a quick side note, Brewdog’s 41% monster IPA Sink the Bismarck! has arrived, and has already almost sold out. There are only 2 bottles left instore, so act quick if you’re interested in this once in a lifetime brew. Tactical Nuclear Penguin has already sold old, and Abstrakt AB:01, another new arrival from Brewdog, will quickly follow. Get in soon to avoid missing out!

HITACHINO NEST

Regular readers of our newsletter may recall our brewery profile of the Kiuchi Brewery in March, when Hitachino first came to Australia. Founded as a sake brewery in 1823, it wasn’t until 1996 that Kiuchi expanded into beer production and created the Hitachino Nest label.

Kiuchi’s Hitachino Nest beers blend traditional sake brewing practices and techniques with European (predominantly Belgian and English) beer styles, and modern American gusto. This unusual approach results in wholly distinctive and individual beers, full of interesting complexities and unusual flavours.

Both the ales of Hitachino Nest and the sake of Kiuchi are multi-award winning and highly sought after worldwide. The beers come packed in beautifully presented 330ml bottles, characterized by a quirky owl that is said to give a bit of love back to the drinker!

We received our second shipment of Hitachino beers last week, as well as a greatly expanded range of Kiuchi’s award winning sake. Brand new for Western Australia is also Kiuchi’s Plum Wine, and distilled beer/plum hybrid; Umeshu. Our current range includes:

Hitachino Nest Beer

White Ale: Kiuchi’s flagship beer is a Belgian style witbier, brewed with toasted coriander seeds, nutmeg, orange peel and orange juice. A highly refreshing and interesting take on the classic style, the White Ale also comes in ultra-modern, concave 650ml bottles.

Real Ginger Ale: a dose of fresh ginger roots added to the brew kettle creates an intriguing mix of ginger, malt-sweetness , and citrus aromas and flavors. Hoppy dryness is very subdued with ginger sweet and spicey notes dominating to the very finish.

Red Rice Ale: a Belgian style strong ale brewed with Japanese red rice, which has been used for centuries in the production of sake. A smoky, yet floral and delicate fusion of beer and sake.

Japanese Classic Ale: an historical 19th century style English India Pale Ale matured slowly in new cedar casks (typically used in Japanese sake production). The result is an elegant beer full of the flavours and aromas of peppery cedar, pine, citrus and earth.

Espresso Stout: a Russian Imperial Stout infused with roasted coffee beans, resulting in an amazingly complex and rich yet surprisingly smooth beer, with notes of vanilla, cocoa, black current, dark fruit and espresso. A definite staff favourite which is absolutely perfect for the winter months.

Kiuchi Sake / Liqueur

Junmaishu: a clean and balanced sake, brewed to showcase the taste of rice.

Tarusake: a sake matured in cedar barrels to produce subtle aromas and flavours of Akita cedar. This unique sake has some tropical fruit sweetness, initial cracked pepper spiciness, a little bitterness and flavour and creaminess imparted by the wood.

Kurashizuku: an “Usu-Nigori”, or unfiltered sake that still has some natural sediment from sake yeast, rice and koji in the bottle.

Yamahai Genshu: brewed to the ancient “Yamahai Jikomi” method, whereby the sake is fermented slowly and carefully at low temperature. The result is a mellow and complex sake.

Asamurasaki: this distinctive rouge coloured sake is brewed with Japanese red rice, which imparts nutty, slightly smokey flavours to this characterful brew.

Sparkling Plum Wine: made with Japanese plums from Ibaraki, and crafted with century old techniques this is a refreshing, bittersweet plum wine.

Umeshu: distilled Hitachino White Ale is blended with Japanese plums (‘ume fruit’). An amalgamation of beer and fruit wine.

Anderson Valley Brewing Company

We have talked at length about the American craft brewing revolution previously, and could write pages on how important and incredible these burgeoning styles and methods are to the world of beer. Suffice to say that we are very lucky to have these phenomenal beers slowly trickling into Australia. If you have yet to enjoy a US IPA or Imperial Stout, seek one out and try for yourself what many regard as the future of brewing.

Founded in 1987 in Boonville, California Anderson Valley are one of the stalwarts of the American craft scene, gaining recognition and respect for beers such as the luxurious Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout, and the perfectly balanced Hop ‘Ottin IPA.

Everyone should be pleased to learn that half of the company’s electrical needs are provided by their very own solar power. On top of this, Anderson Valley operates its own wastewater treatment plant, and uses spent yeast to grow mushrooms for cattle feed. The brewery has carved its own niche, brewing beers of incredible balance, sophistication and quality. Our current stock includes:

Boont Amber Ale: displays all the trademarks of a great US amber ale – an abundance of fresh, citrus/pine hops perfectly balanced by rich caramel malt flavours. A multiple medal winner that is rich and complex, yet exceptionally drinkable.

Boont ESB: an abundantly hopped new-age English Special Bitter, layers of rich, biscuity malt flavours are balanced by earthy hop aromas, and a surprisingly bitter finish.

Poleeko Gold Pale Ale: a classic US Pale Ale, brewed with more than its fair share of distinctive Pacific Northwest hops. Crisp, clear and decisively drinkable.

Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout: said to be one of the thickest, richest and most complex stouts on the market today, this is a true dessert island beer. An incredibly thick, velvety mouthfeel (not dissimilar to full cream milk) carries immensely satisfying flavours of mocha, roasted malts and a subtle hop finish.

Hop ‘Ottin IPA: drawing its name from Boonville’s incomprehensible local dialect “Boontling” (translating to “hard working hops”) Hop ‘Ottin IPA is an IPA lovers’ IPA – intense hop aromas and flavours, balanced by a subtle malt backbone, and bitter, dry finish. More approachable than some of the overstated, mouth puckering IPAs from the Northwest, this is a true lesson in balance.

Deepender’s Dark Porter: this historical style was dwindling into obscurity in its native England, before being resurrected and reinvigorated by modern US brewers. This full bodied porter has a rich, creamy head, and flavour profile dominated by a rich dark chocolate character, and roasted coffee finish.


Brother David’s Double: a complex, well crafted interpretation of a Belgian dubbel. Rich, spicy and dry – this gives even the best of Belgium a run for its money!

Rogue

Portland’s Rogue Brewery never fails to excite or disappoint. Apart from the return of some old favourites, we have several new beers from Rogue including:

John John Dead Guy: the first of a series of collobaration beers between Rogue Brewmaster John Maier, and Rogue Sprits Master John Couchot, John John Dead Guy is Rogue’s award winning maibock Dead Guy Ale aged in Rogue’s Dead Guy Whisky barrels.


Double Mocha Porter: in the vein of Double Dead Guy Ale, comes this 750ml imperial version of Rogue Mocha Porter. Rich, chocolaty, and decadent.


Finally, the Rogue XS range has been repackaged, and will now be available in modest and responsible 207ml bottles. First to hit our shelves are the rich, dirty street-fighting XS Russian Imperial Stout, and the hoppy, firey XS Imperial Red Ale.


We are also running a Member’s Special on the entire Rogue 650ml range (other than John John Dead Guy) – any 2 x Rogue 650ml beers for $29.99!


Crown Ambassador Reserve

Just in is limited stock of Crown Ambassador 2010 Reserve Lager. The 2010 edition includes a small percentage of last year’s vintage, which saw one year on French Oak. It will be interesting to see how the Australian macro-giant’s premium offering compares to similarly marketed beers from Europe or the USA. This highly collectable beer will not last long.


BEER TASTINGS
A reminder that we are running free beer tastings every Friday afternoon and Sunday for the rest of the year. In the coming weeks we’ll be tasting beer from Primator, Mountain Goat and Kosciuszko, as well as the odd surprise..

Look out for another post in the coming weeks detailing new beer from Rogue, Renaissance and Brewdog, as well as more members’ specials and limited offers.