Tasting Notes: Hakone Kenjyou Beer (Pilsner)

Hakone Kenjyou Beer (Pilsner) (Japan: Pilsner: 5% ABV)

Visual: Golden yellow with a decent frothy white head and moderate carbonation.

Nose: Light hops and summer fields, quite dry and wheat chaff. Light hint of banana, but very subtle.

Body: Smooth and honeyed. Very slick. Lovely dose of malt in the middle then golden syrup. Only light fluffy bubbling which does not intrude.

Finish: Banana, syrup, apricot. Again light hops. Pineapple.

Conclusion: The first stand out beer of the trip and it turns out to be a pilsner!

This is a smooth easy going beer with lovely crisp flavour and some decent elements backing it up.

Thankfully it does not suffer from the wild carbonation that has ruined so many beers in Japan, and it rates highly for the style comparing well against my current favourites.

For pure flavour it cannot compare with the heavy hitters of other styles, but as a pilsner that is not its intent, and so no one expects that. It is however a fantastic subtle and light beer laden with hidden intricacies.

An example of how to do lager right.