Sunday Funday. Today would best be described as a life of leisure. It started off at Classic Diner with an awesome breakfast. If you live in this area and haven’t been there, go there immediately -- or as soon as they open because they make awesome breakfast. I’m sure the rest of their food is delicious -- I’m just partial to the breakfast.
Next up was provisions as I’m in charge of food for the next two days. Hello cereal, scrambled eggs and beer for dinner. I have a fresh manicure and pedicure and it came with a hot stone massage for my feet/legs and a back rub. Nice. (And no, Gary, I didn’t have to sell the Mini to pay for it!) So what better way to continue this leisurely Sunday, than with a Belgian strong dark ale from Japan. What now? Belgian ale from Japan? Let’s see how this goes…
The Hitachino Nest XH poured a murky dark brown in my tulip glass. It’s aged in oak barrels previously used to age sake. I like sake. We seem to be on the right path. The XH smells very similar to a Flanders red ale and if you’ve paid any attention to my writing, you know that is a big plus in my book.
The taste is summed up best by imagining that a Flanders red ale made babies with a brown ale. It isn’t predominantly hop or malt forward. I’m not getting any sake influence but there is an oak thing happening. There is also fruit thing happening - not quite lemon - that lends a bit of tartness and some spice. It didn’t pour with a big foamy head but it drinks with a lot of carbonation. That’s kind of decreasing my oodles of satisfaction. I’d like for it to be smoother. I also think my refrigerator is entirely too cold. At about midway through the glass, the XH is beginning to give me more wine-like characteristics. And every once in awhile I swear I taste bleu cheese.
The XH supposedly means extra high alcohol content. I wouldn’t quite call 8% ABV high, but what do I know. Maybe the rules are different in Japan and I’m too lazy to research it. Remember…I’m leisuring today.
I would drink this again if I encountered it. I’m also a big fan of the Hitachino Nest white ale. I haven’t had one in what feels like ages. It is always available at Teresa’s Next Door and I’ve been keeping it in my back pocket in case I’m running low on new breweries to sample later this year. I’m glad I gave up my review of the white ale for the XH.
From what I remember, the white ale has a lot spice - clove and ginger. It’s also nice and citrusy. Lots of malt and drinks easy. It would be a great summertime beer.
And on that note, I leave you with this image of two of my spoiled rotten dachshunds. Yes, they get to lay in their bed out on the deck.
p.s. As I was getting all the links for this post, I made the Japan-earthquake connection. Photos of the damage around the brewery are here. And photos of the brewery are here. Mother Nature scares the shit out of me.
