After scouring Tokyo, well a short trip to Liquors Hasegawa, for some new beers, I came across the familiar face of Kure Shimanowa Beer by Kure Beer. It’s a 5% pale lager that appears to be a Summer seasonal according the Kure Beer website as it isn’t listed on there. It was first brewed in 2014 after a joint event between Hiroshima and Ehime to celebrate the Setouichi triennale event. As Setouichi is famous for lemons and oranges, Kure Beer decided to use those in the brewing process.
It’s hard to see from the label but there isn’t much to worry about on it.
Kure Shimanowa Beer Aroma and Taste
Without knowing much about Kure Shimanowa Beer before reviewing yet – yes I know I wrote everything above but that is usually written about a day before this review goes out thanks to the last minute – besides it being a *shudder* premium lager, I was unsure as to what kind of beer it was going to be. How was it premium? Of course, the price was in the premium range at about ¥650 but was it really going to be worth that kind of price?
Kure Shimanowa Beer poured out a golden straw like colour and with vim and vigour, it filled up the glass with lots of frothy white head. The aroma though was something different, something that I hadn’t smelt before coming off a beer; filled with fruit aromas of peaches, lemons, and oranges. Not overpowering at all and they were in balanced with the subtle sweetness from the malt to make what could only be described as a tropical pilsner beer. Perhaps something to be drinking on at the beach in the hot summer climes of Setouichi.
The tropical beach effect must have been playing with my mind as it drifted away to sitting on a beach, relaxing with beer in hand. Kure Shimanowa Beer, when chilled, had a great crisp bite to it that snapped away with the lemon and orange flavours to it along with the sweet malt. Adding adjuncts is a dangerous art as too much and you overpower the malts and hops, not enough and you’ve wasted the adjunct.
Kure Shimanowa Beer One Line Review
Kure Shimanowa Beer is a great beer and one that I was happy to be surprised by. It isn’t a premium lager though more of a pale ale with fruits.
Where to Buy Kure Shimanowa Beer
Kure Shimanowa Beer can be bought from the following places:
