Apples and alcohol go so well together that Minamishinsu Apple Hop exists is no surprise to us. Brewed in Nagano, it contains local sourced apples from Nagano and ends up being a fruit beer. Hold on. Don’t run away so quickly. Minamishinsu Apple Hop is around the 6.5% mark and is available both on tap and in bottles.
Minamishinsu Apple Hop Aroma and Taste
We’ve had Minamishinsu Apple Hop on tap plenty of times before, at Beer Republic in Yokohama and also at various festivals, such as the Japan Brewer’s Cup, and we’ve always enjoyed it. The bottled version was not as hazy nor as dark when compared with the draft version though the nice soothing aroma of apples was punctuated by a subtle citrus, hoppy kick to it. Minamishinshu Apple Hop always piques my nose: is this an ipa with apples added to it, or a fruit beer with hops added to it?
The draft version of Minamishinsu Apple Hop is far superior to the bottles version though while disappointing, it is a good showcase as to how draft (usually) is better. The bottled version lacked the thick, scrumpy like consistency that the draft possesses but the bottled one made up for it in being drier, hoppier, and a tad more sour. The apples were far sharper in the bottle form and finished off with a clean, refreshing bite.
Minamishinsu Apple Hop One Line Review
Minamishinsu Apple Hop is a good, refreshing fruit beer though one of them is enough. The draft is thicker than the bottled version though.
Where to Buy Minamishinsu Apple Hop
Minamishinsu Apple Hop can be bought from the Minamishinsu Brewery homepage here. We bought out bottle from GoodBeer here. We also saw it on our last trip to Nomono in Akihabara.
