I no naka no kawazu taikai o shirazu - "A frog in a well does not know the great sea."

The words of a Japanese proverb compose a statement of inspiration and the core motivational driver for exploration here on 52BREWS. If it weren't for stumbling upon some of the incredible beers on our shortlist, I may never have known the universe of finely crafted brew.

The glint of hope that came with sipping my first Trappist brew led to a journey of outrageous heights, an insatiable appetite for great beer. Now introduced to this surreal world of limitless choice, I can no longer sit idly by with a bad beer.

That about brings us to this week's amazing Featured Brew. It is with a warm heart that I present this White Ale from Japan. With one giant leap, and one giant 25 oz bottle of delicious beer, this lowly frog is instantaneously transported over 9,000 miles into the arms of the glorious Japanese brewer Kiuchi. Their Hitachino Nest Beer series has been brewing since 1996 and has been an incredible hit all over the world.

Old School Meets New School

Kiuchi was founded as a sake brewery in 1823. The brewer claims to have "maintained [its] policy of pursuing the best quality of sake with the optimum ingredients and craftsman-ship" - even through the 1950's when Japan saw most of its sake breweries adapt methods of mass-producing a cheaper product.

It was this sake brewing history that created a name for Kiuchi, but until 1994 it was actually Japanese law that prevented micro and small batch breweries from emerging. Wikipedia has a bit more:

In 1994, Japan's strict tax laws were relaxed allowing smaller breweries producing 60,000 litres (15,850 gal) per year. Before this change, breweries could not get a license without producing at least 2 million litres (528,000 gal) per year. As a result, a number of smaller breweries have been established throughout Japan.

The modification in tax laws gave way for an opportunity for Kiuchi Brwery to take their chops to the beer brewing circuit, and in 1996 they began making Hitachino Nest Beer. The iconic owl logo on the packaging

quickly gained recognition among beer connoisseurs, and within just four years Hitachino Nest Beer was winning awards at competitions the world over.

Fukuro no me wa okiku temo nezumi hodo mienu - "Although the owl has large eyes, he can't see as well as a mouse."

Kiuchi Brewing stands as a pinnacle in innovation, blending sake brewing tradition with modern technology and forward thinking. The brewer uses the rice milling and polishing techniques from sake brewing to prepare rice for some of their beers, and they even produce a beer (XH Hitachino Nest Beer) that's aged in Shochu casks (Shochu is a traditional Japanese distilled liquor).

In keeping green, the brewer recycles sake lees to produce Shochu Kiuchi, aiding waste reduction. A modern marvel and historical cornerstone, Kiuchi continues to produce over a dozen high quality products for distingished palates. Read more of the brewer's history and methodology at B. United

 Experience

The White Ale from Hitachino is yet another beer I was lucky enough to receive as a gift. As the beer sat in my fridge I found that delightful little owl staring at me each and every time I poked around in there. Needless to say, it didn't last too long. Knowing nothing of the brewer, I had rather low expectations for the brew.

Truthfully, there is no good reason for this, except my only other experience with Japanese beer has been with rice lagers. I share the consensus of the voters on Beer Advocate when it comes to Japanese rice lagers: ho-hum. Look, folks - I realize that was a ridiculous correlation to make - basing my level of anticipation on a completely different style. The equivalent assumption would be for me to have low expectations for a Founders brew since I'm not keen on Budweiser. I get it - shallow and misguided beer racism. I was young, I made some decisions I regret, etc...

Now back to business. I poured the beer from a 750mL bottle into tulip glasses for me and my wife. It poured light orange/golden in color, hazy with yeast. A small, fizzy head quickly dissipated- surprising for a wheat beer. In an instant, I knew from the aroma that this was not a typical wheat: sweet citrus fruit, a tad spicy, and almost floral. There was none of that clove or bubblegum aroma of a German wheat, this was something very different.

There was a good deal of citrus in the taste - not sour, but sweet up-front and bitter on the back. With an amazing balance of malty mid-palate tones, the crisp, light body was not only inviting, but incredibly refreshing. From intake to finish the brew exhibits an orchestra of complexities, but in the end it's a rather light and simple easy drinker. As soon as I took my first sip, I begged my wife to put down her magazine and join me. I suppose the nice thing to do would have been to wait for her in the first place - sometimes I get a bit ahead of myself (a.k.a. "impatient"). She loved the beer. We both finished our glasses faster than respectable reviewers should, but without hesitation or regret.

Final Thoughts

Hitachino White Ale would make a great summer drink - a refreshing end to a warm, tiring day. The light, citrusy balance makes me want to find a beach and escape reality for a while. That said, there's nothing that would prevent me from enjoying one any other time of year; I could use an 'escape' right now... This brew is an easy transition for someone looking to try something new.

With exceptionally high drinkability, and a smooth, mellow flavor profile, the average beer drinker would only have to take a slight leap to appreciate this. If you're already into wheats, wits, and white ales, then what in good God's name are you waiting for? From this experience I learned (once again) that I should not bring preconceived notions into a tasting. This ale threw me for a loop, and I'm actually rather pleased that it did. As the Japanese would say: Koketsu ni irazunba koji o ezu - "If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub." Right... Okay, how about, "nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Japan - 5% ABV

Kiuchi Brewery [website]

White Ale