Tasting Notes: Fujizakura Kougen Weizen

Fujizakura Kougen Weizen (Japan: Hefeweizen: 5.5% ABV)

Visual: Hazy yellow with virtually no head.

Nose: Light wheat, barley. Yogurt and vanilla. Hay fields and flowers. Lemon curd.

Body: Light wheat, very smooth. Yogurt. Banana syrup and lemony touches.

Finish: Banana. Grain. Yogurt again. Strawberry at the end. Sharp and slight syrup sweet.

Conclusion: A very smooth and easy drinking weizen. Surprisingly sweet with the wheat and citrus flavours intertwined. Very slight, much lighter than what I would expect from the equivalent German representation of the style.

This takes away some of the body, but does enhance its flavour over repeated drinks. This is especially noticeable in the finish, which is pleasant but not sickly, unlike many of the less qualified examples of the style.

Not challenging the Germans for supremacy, but delightful and enjoyable.