Luke Pernotto

As we come to the end of the twelve beers of Christmas we return to the Kizakura Brewery. Like many beer breweries in Japan Kizakura has its foundation as a sake brewery. This beer is even more unique as it has been brewed with koji mold spores that are usually used to brew sake. Koji or, Aspergillus oryzae, is different from Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Saccharomyces pastorianus the two yeast normally used for brewing beer. The use of koji gives a unique flavor to the beer that is not found in normal beers.

Malty sweetness with a slight yeast aroma. There is a slight moldy smell that probably comes from the sake yeast. The beer is a golden color with haze and suspended particles in the glass. The glass has a white head that quickly dissipates to a ring of bubbles around the rim. There is a fruity sweetness in the flavor. There is also a floral taste to the sip. No real detection of hop bitterness. There is a slight apple taste to the sip. Low carbonation on the mouth. Lingering apple flavor in the aftertaste.

Beer Information: Can, Canning Date (unknown), Expiration Date (2023/04/24), Made from foreign malt/hops/rice, ABV 5%, SRM (none listed but would judge about an 16-18 SRM)