Rice lagers are already popular in the American and Japanese beer market and with Swan Lake Koshihikari Lager it’s not hard to see why. It’s a 5% pale lager made with koshihikari rice, one of the most well-known and most highly rated strains of rice grown in Japan. Swan Lake Koshihikari Lager uses locally sourced rice from Niigata which is also considered to have the perfect conditions for this strain of rice.
Beautiful paper wrapping that is also the label.
Swan Lake Koshihikari Lager Aroma and Taste
Adding rice to the production of lagers is nothing new, with the big four of Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo, and Suntory all having made some kind of beer with rice used as an adjunct though more for financial reasons such as reducing costs.
Swan Lake Koshihikari Lager differs largely from this due to the koshihikari rice which is evident in the sake-like aroma that was given off from the beer. There was a subtle mouldiness to it that, if you have ever been to a sake brewery, smelt like the fermenting beds of rice. The body was a clear golden straw-like colour with the thinnest of heads on top of it. In all honesty, if you were to put this to say Kirin Classic, it would be a challenge to pick out which one was which without smelling them.
And like Kirin Classic, Swan Lake Koshihikari Lager had a clean, crisp taste to it that was faintly hoppy. There was a strong freshly cooked rice-like taste to Swan Lake Koshihikari Lager that didn’t develop into anything exciting besides a slight bitter aftertaste.
Swan Lake Koshihikari Lager One Line Review
It’s hard to recommend Swan Lake Koshihikari Lager really as it’s a pretty bland beer that started out sounding quite exciting.
Where to Buy Swan Lake Koshihikari Lager
Swan Lake Koshihikari Lager can be bought from the Hyouko Yashiki No Mori online store here. It can also be bought from GoodBeer.jp as part of a six-pack here, CraftBeers.jp here, Sakaya Okadaya here. I’ve also seen it in Le Collier in Tokyo station, Nomono in Akihabara, and also Yamaoka too.
2 comments
I thoroughly enjoyed Shonan rice lager at its oktioberfest, last year. Im not a big fan or rice lagers but a good beer is a good beer.
Rice and beer used to be synonymous with Budweiser. Would love to try some more as the sake / kouji flavours associated with rice can be tasty.