I have had two beers that were Japan-adjacent. One is really a stretch, as it was from three different breweries, and I've never seen another beer from Ishii. The other was the one I was sure was going to be a legit Japanese beer, but it turned out Sopporo was made in Vietnam. So, on to this, the first beer I've had actually from the shores of Japan!
The pale yellow and quite clear beverage produces a moderate head that goes away completely upon sitting for a bit. Points of nucleation reassure the drinker that all is well with the beer. The aroma is honey, grains, and a slight skunkiness. I understand that a bit of a skunk odor is intended for some beers, and it's also not unusual for something that has had to cross a large ocean or two to get to me. This, however, was actually brewed by Fat Bottom brewing. This didn't have to go very far.First sip is a lot more carbonation than I expected, and it is quite sharp with a bitterness that doesn't seem to fit in well with the rest of the beer. There is a slight skunk to it, but that isn't really what's making this a less than pleasant experience. It's the unbalanced nature of the relatively calm, honey and caramel malt with its light grains that lays down a nice, soft bed that gets all ruffled up by the sudden lean into hop bitterness.
Tip-in is significant carbonation fury with lemons and grains being jostled about by it. The sizzle moves to the top of the mouth while the caramel and honey come in and the skunk flavor seems to really mess up what could be a harmonious center of the beer. The finish is a bitter crash with a musty tang that clings to the tongue for far too long.
Bottom Line: Not really worth bringing over from Japan, even though they didn't bring it from Japan.
1.5/5