Happoshu winter glow

Nukumori no Madoakari Amber Ale

Brand: Suntory

Price: 150 yen

Place of purchase: Belx Supermarket

Rating:

There's a chill in the air in the Kanto region this week. Winter is still weeks away, and we're waiting on the autumn colors. But Suntory Breweries has released its winter low-malt beer in anticipation of the season. In the Kinmugi happoshu, or low-malt beer lineup, Nukumori no Madoakari is the second offering. The first one, Kinmugi Kaeri Michi no Kinmokusei arrived in late summer. That one had a good balance of malty, sweet, and bitter qualities. This winter version of Kinmugi is an amber ale type.

Nukumori no Madoakari, the second seasonal beer in the Kinmugi line of happoshu, is not bad. I'm glad I tried it once, but I'm not too excited about it. Japan's big breweries are responding to the changing tax structure on beer classifications, and this one, like its predecessor, Kaeri Michi no Kinmokusei, is more beer-like, I find, than comparable happoshu. This low-malt beer, light in body like many happoshu, does have a pleasant citrus aroma, maltiness, and a sharp bitter finish. I'd say if you've never tried happoshu, this would be a good first taste.