Shiga Kogen - Porter

Shiga Kogen - Porter - Nagano Prefecture - 5.5% - 330 ml bottle:
Taste: Medium-bodied and somewhat dry, flavors of nuts, watered-down coffee, cocoa-powder and a subtle smokiness. Nice lively mouthfeel which leans a tad more hoppy than creamy.
Smell: Deep aroma of roasted malts, mochaccino, traces of smoke and molasses.
Look: Pours out in a dark brown colour with a small beige head.
Verdict: While a good porter for sure- and probably tied with the best I've had here- this is shy of being an excellent beer. Porters to me are a very tricky beer, I like them to be a full-medium bodied experience and complex - which this light/medium bodied beer just misses out on being. Recommended none-the-less.

Shiga Kogen - House IPA

Shiga Kogen - House IPA - Nagano Prefecture - 8% - 330 ml bottle:
Taste: Both sweet and hoppy to a balanced perfection, raisins, fruity- mandarin, floral, and pine are the big players here; medium bodied and resiny.
Smell: Sweet fruity aroma with pine.
Look: Hazy deep orange copper, small head and just a little lacing.Verdict: This is a great IPA, love the high ABV without ever realizing it! Another victory for Tamamura-Honten!

Shiga Kogen - Pale Ale

Shiga Kogen - Pale Ale - Nagano Prefecture - 5.5% - 330 ml bottle:
Taste: A fruity, hoppy flavor, caramel in the back ground; smooth, malty character with a nice medium-bodied mouthfeel; nicely balanced taste right through with a lingering bitter finish; crisp and drinkable.
Smell: Hoppy aroma, fruity, pine, earth, some citrus, along with some sweet malt.
Look: Lovely yellowish orange colour- somewhere between pale amber and deep golden; poured with a foamy head and some lingering lace.
Verdict: This is the quintessential session ale- at 5.5% and with its perfectly balanced flavor, it is due for repetitive visits in one sitting. If you ever felt the need to shy away from the intensity of an IPA but still wanted a quality hop taste this is where to go! As with all the Shiga Kogen beers I've had, this is a superb ale and is highly recommended.

Miyama Blonde - by Shiga Kogen

Shiga Kogen - Miyama Blonde - Nagano Prefecture - 7% - 330 ml bottle:
Taste: Citrus, floral and fruity flavors, malt stays in background, medium amount of hoppiness here; crisp, dry finish that is sharp rather than sweet. Body was not light (as is associated with blonds)- more of a medium body, some wheat-like notes and a hint of pepper.
Smell: Lemon is apparent, hops, sour fruity aroma.
Look: Light golden, carbonated, poured with strong head and lace is abundant and holds well, this is in between clear and cloudy.
Verdict: I've always enjoyed a good blonde, in-fact my drinking buddies can attest that I usually go for a Checker Cab when I reach my hop-boiling-point (get it?). Puns aside this is the best blonde I've come across in awhile; and I especially like the uniqueness which Tamamura Honten brings by adding Miyamanishiki (home-made sake rice) into the pot. You see, sake rice is of higher quality than rice used in macro produced beer, and thus is not intended as a cheap substitute to barley, but rather it imparts its own flavors - the quality can be tasted immediately! This saison comes highly recommended.

Not So Mild Ale - by Shiga Kogen & Nøgne Ø

Shiga Kogen (in colabartion with Nøgne Ø) - Not So Mild Ale - Nagano Prefecture - 5% - 330 ml bottle:
Taste: Hops, roasted malt - both prominent, not really sweet- more of an earthy edge, just a taste of sour plum.
Smell: Hops & sweet malt, banana, apple, pear...
Look: Murky chestnut brown- mahogany even, no head, nor carbonation, little stings of lace but not much.
Verdict: Honestly this is not as grand as I was expecting it to be considering who they collaborated with for this, more of an experimentation than a true & tested brew. Not saying this was bad- as it's unique in taste, can't think of another beer like it; but definitely not as satisfying as other beers that Tamamura-Honten is doing.

Harvestmoon - IPA

Harvestmoon (w/ collaboration from Tamamura-honten) - IPA - Tokyo - 6% - 330 ml bottle:
Taste: Provides a strong hop taste, a balanced bitter, pine, citrus hints.
Smell: Hoppy and floral aroma.
Looks: Caramel, deep golden, red-orange, carbonation gives a steady stream of bubbles, pours with head, lace clings w/ a slow withdrawal.Verdict: Smart move on Harvestmoon's part to collaborate with Tamaura-honten (Shiga Kogen for those of you not paying attention). I'm guessing the collaboration involved using Tamaura-hoten's own hops (which gives their own beers such a wonderful & unique taste), and maybe they got some notes on brewing as well (I kid). This is a wonderful IPA which I fully endorse!