Otaru Bakushu Amber Ale is an English amber ale from Hokkaido Bakushu Jozo based in Otaru, Hokkaido that is brewed using locally sourced ingredients. It has an abv of 5% and is available all year round though any other information about it is severely lacking as it isn’t even listed on the Hokkaido Bakushu Jozo homepage.
Does this beer actually exist or was I dreaming about it?
Otaru Bakushu Amber Ale Aroma and Taste
It’s not often we come across a beer that doesn’t seem to exist in many places, but Otaru Bakushu Amber Ale is one of those beers. I came across it in my local Seiyu that has seen the light and have started to sell craft beers in their fridges, at the expense of UK beers such as Spitfire and 1698. A shame but business is business. The only other time I have seen this beer is in Le Collier and at Sapporo Shin-Chitose airport, not the most auspicious of starts at all.
Otaru Bakushu Amber Ale poured out a light red colour with minimal head. That head you see in the picture above is the extent of all there was after a couple of seconds. The aroma was a nice mix between some caramel malty aroma along though that was it really. I was hoping for some spiciness to set the nostrils alight but nothing came.
A decent amber ale is near the top of my wish list in Japan, as I haven’t had much luck with them, and with Otaru Bakushu Amber Ale, I fear that the unlucky streak is set to continue. It isn’t a bad beer by any means, but the sweetness and fruitness that came from the body lacked the bite I lack and the hops were non-existent.
Otaru Bakushu Amber Ale One Line Review
Otaru Bakushu Amber Ale is an ok beer and it’s nice to see supermarkets taking a risk but they’re not going to gain fans with beers like this.
Where to Buy Otaru Bakushu Amber Ale
Otaru Bakushu Amber Ale can be bought at:
- Sekiya Sake Shop on Rakuten
- Le Collier
- Seiyu Supermarkets
