Hitachino Nest White Ale is Japanese craft beer royalty. It’s a must-try for Japanese beer geeks.
And this review explains why. Learn its ingredients, tasting notes, and pairing recommendations. And also discover where to find it.
Hitachino White Ale Tasting Notes
This wheat beer is a classic Belgian Wit style (BJCP). It has a golden color and a hazy appearance (more on that later). And it has moderate head retention.
Aromatics are elevated with the expected notes of orange peel, lemon, coriander, and nutmeg. Honeyed malt and herbal notes show up too.
The palate on Hitachino White Ale features brisk carbonation, a soft texture, and a dry finish. Hops provide some of that herbal, floral, and fruity aromatics. But bitterness is faint on the palate.
Additional notes include mint, green apple, pasta water, and wet concrete.
Overall, beers don’t get much smoother than White Ale. That’s how it landed a spot on my best Japanese beers list.
Hitachino Nest White Ale Ingredients
This Belgian-inspired wheat beer is brewed with a variety of ingredients. Grains include malted wheat, torrified wheat, flaked wheat, and pale malt.
The hops used are Perle, Celeia, Amarillo, and Styrian Golding. But typical of the Belgian wit style, this isn’t a hoppy beer. White Ale only clocks in at 13 IBU.
Finally, orange peel, orange juice, coriander, and nutmeg are adjunct ingredients. Again, this is typical of this beer style.
Is White Ale Gluten-Free?
No, it’s not. It’s a common misconception that Japanese beers are made exclusively with rice and gluten free. And Hitachino White Ale is brewed with several ingredients that contain gluten.
What is at the Bottom of Hitachino Nest White Ale?
Sediment. This wheat beer is unfiltered which is traditional. And so there is sediment in the beer. It consists mainly of brewer’s yeast.
The sediment is totally safe to drink. But if you want to avoid it, don’t pour the last of the bottle into your glass.
Technical and Nutritional Info
Hitachino White Ale is 5.5% ABV. It’s light in color (SRM 2). And has a modest hop bitterness of 13 IBU.
Calories and Carbs
There are 165 calories in 12 ounces of White Ale and 17 carbs.
Where to Buy Hitachino Nest White Ale?
Locating Hitachino Nest White Ale isn’t as challenging as most Japanese craft beers. However, some searching may still be involved. Izakayas and Japanese restaurants in major cities will often put it on the menu.
Japanese grocers and retailers with big craft beer selections are also good places to check. And when available, online retailers can be another great option.
Shop Online Retailers of Hitachino Beer
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Similar Beers to Hitachino White Ale
Hitachino doesn’t have much competition in the Belgium White Ale (witbier) category. One notable exception is Yoho’s delicious Suiyoubi no Neko “Wednesday Cat.”
Baird Beer’s “Wheat King Wit” is another great Belgian wit-inspired Japanese beer. But it can be very hard to find.
And there are some other quality Japanese wheat beers out there. But they’re brewed in the German Hefeweizen style.
Finally, don’t sleep on Wittekerke either. It’s an excellent beer if you’re cool with something that’s not from Japan.
Recommended Food Pairings
If there ever was a beer made for salads it’s Hitachino Nest White Ale. The zippy, spiced, and herbal profile pairs well with most vinaigrettes and fruit elements.
Shellfish and oily fish are also a fine match.
And if you’re in Ibaraki, definitely match it with ankou-based (monkfish) dishes. Anko nabe and ankimo are two examples.
Finally, Belgian white ales are a classic foil for egg-based dishes and brunch. Hitachino will not let you down in this regard.
Serving Temperature and Glassware
Serve Hitachino White Ale chilled. A Belgian-style tulip glass is ideal. But any glass will make this craft beer taste better than slugging it right out of the bottle.
It may seem weird, but a wine glass is also a great option. The large bowl and inward curvature highlight the foam and aroma.
Even better is the Teku beer glass*. It looks like a wine glass but was specifically designed for beer. I use it at home and love it!
Lastly, if you want to add a slice of orange or lemon to this beer–go for it. No need to get too dogmatic about beer. It’s not the standard way of serving a Belgian wit. But who cares?!
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Hitachino Nest Beer & Kiuchi Shuzo
Brands: Hitachino Nest Beer, Kikusakari 菊盛 Sake, Kiuchi 木内
Location: Naka, Ibaraki EST: 1823 Official: 日本語 / English
Facebook: @kiuchibreweryEN
Instagram: @hitachino_brewing and @kiuchibrewery
Hitachino Nest Beer (常陸野ネストビール) is one of the great producers of Japanese craft beer. Their White Ale Belgian-style Wit (and their owl logo) are icons of Japan’s relatively recent craft brew movement. And Hitachino Red Rice Ale is close behind.
But long before this iconic beer brand came to be– Kiuchi Shuzo was brewing sake (and distilling shochu). Those efforts continue today under the Kikusakari brand, while their shochu is primarily limited to ceremonial sanaburiさなぶり shochu made from sake kasu (kasutori).
Other products include umeshu, yuzushu, Western spirits– including whisky, and even canned cocktails. Medium-soft well water is used for brewing.
Hitachino Nest Beer officially began in 1996. Since 2008 their craft beer has been brewed at the modern Nakuda Brewery (額田醸造所). It’s a large facility but the quality has not suffered. In 2020 the Yasato Distillery (八郷蒸溜所) goes online for the production of whisky.
Conclusion
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