The dark beer is great. It has a clear, strong cacao flavour with a pleasing bitterness that meshes well with the burnt-sugar tones of the beer itself. It's not sweet or cloying at all, but just brings a very filling, mature taste. People sometimes describe stouts as having a chocolate tone, and this beer plays up that flavour with a well-balanced dose of the real thing. This beer I would be happy to drink on a regular basis if I could.
The light beer is a nice full-bodied beer with a bit of cacao butter for flavouring. The effect is rather like that of a weissbier but with less acidity and a more even, milky tone. It's a good beer but the chocolate flavour is muted enough that it would be easy to miss unless you knew to look for it. It's a pleasant and flavourful beer but not as distinctive as the dark one, perhaps.
I've had the dark. Delish. I'd like to try the white.
ReplyDeleteAs I wrote, it's not up to the same level as the dark one. Fun to try, but not a beer I would seek out a second time.
ReplyDeleteI do want another bottle or three of the dark one.
Never had a chocolate beer brewed in Japan. This is now on my list. Thanks for the introduction!
ReplyDelete(I really shouldn't be thinking of beer at 9:30 in the morning)
@Eido, is there ever a reason not to think about beer? ^_^
ReplyDeleteA few years ago there was a chocolate beer made in cooperation by Royce chocolate maker and one of the big breweries. It wasn't bad, but this one is way better; really something I'd enjoy simply as a good beer.