Ishikawa Tokyo Blues was first released in 2015 as part of Ishikawa Shuzo’s move away from German style beer to the burgeoning craft beer market of IPAs and session ales. It’s got am abv of 4.5% and is readily available across Kanto and slowly making inroads across Japan. Ishikawa Tokyo Blues is advertised as a session ale but it’s best described as an American pale ale.
Don’t feel blue, you got beer.
Ishikawa Tokyo Blues Aroma and Taste
I missed out on the Ishikawa Tokyo Blues party as I had to work and someone *ahem* Rob *ahem* could go. Ishikawa Tokyo Blues has got the colour of digestive biscuit brown down to a tea but the head was fairly minimal, with just a the faintest of rings around the side and a bit in the middle. The hops were a welcome addition as Ishikawa Shuzo’s previous beers were more malt forward, so the pine and citrus kick brought a beer that I didn’t have much hope for to a beer that smelt promising.
Ishikawa Tokyo Blues is a session ale though at ¥500 a bottle plus tax, it depends on how long your session is. The body was a tad thin for my liking but the crispness of the hops brought the citrus flavours forward; however, I couldn’t get the nagging sensation of the thin body out of my mind. Ishikawa Tokyo Blues finished off with a wee sweetness that flourished then quickly died off.
Ishikawa Tokyo Blues One Line Review
Ishikawa Tokyo Blues started off well and I wanted to like it but the body let it down. It’s hard to recommend it at this price.
Where to Buy Ishikawa Tokyo Blues
Ishikawa Tokyo Blues can be bought across Japan though if you can’t find it, then it’s readily found on Rakuten.
1 comment
I was left wanting. Their soft water doesnt help their cause, neither does all that dark caramel flavor in there. Hope don’t shine through enough for me. i had it in the bottle whilst walking through Zushi about 2 months ago. not cheap but I wanted to give it a shot. At first I thought it was Tokyo beer, the due brewed once a month (their shop/brewery only open once a month?) beer I think brewed under contract by sanktgallen or something else very confusing but I heard those guys stopped.
Good for ishikiawa to start making new styles. They’ve tried loads of seasonals in the past but IMO their soft, soft water means the pale ale bottle conditioned and the schwarz are their best beers whilst their pils, helles, normal pale ales, ipas, etc are unconvincing. Adjust the water or adjust the recipe guys, cos IMO you make some ok but unconvincing beers and why should I buy it when Shiga kogen is knocking it out of the park for 380 a bottle? Perhaps this is for the Americans from the nearby base who hit the place up near Haijima and crave ‘American ‘ beers and cant be arsed to go anywhere else. If so, boo. I like Ishikawa but they need to think harder about what they are trying to make and do.
Sorry for typos. gotta rush.