Beer Is Good – Hitachino Nest Beer Sweet Stout

Unlike “Oyster stouts” which generally don’t contain oysters, but were meant to be quaffed with oysters, milk stouts – also known as sweet stouts – are actually brewed with the adjunct of lactose, a sugar derived from milk. This sugar is indigestible by the brewing yeast, so it remains intact in the brew after fermentation, retaining its added flavor and nutritional value. The lactose generally imparts a mild sweetness to the stout, and adds a moderating smoothness to the flavor. This sweet stout from Kiuchi Brewery in Ibaraki Prefecture in central Eastern Honshuu, Japan, is a fine example of this relatively unusual variety. On opening, there is very little carbonation – only enough to generate a moderate but short lived head. The color is a deep, opaque, coffee brown. There is a distinct sweet aroma. The initial taste is lightly bitter. The lactose imparts a smoothness to the middle, moderating the bitter and smokiness from the dark malt. The malt is present, but moreso as an aroma rather than a flavor. It isn’t sugary sweet, but the combination of the roasted malt flavor and the lactose, yields a taste almost reminiscent of coffee with cream, especially in the finish and aftertaste. The mouthfeel isn’t thick, but it is smooth. This is a warm, flavorful, and smooth beer. Excellent. I look forward to trying their other offerings.