Tama no Megumi Pilsner could be considered THE original beer from Ishikawa Brewery as it’s a bottle-fermented German style pilsner based on the same recipe that the brewery first used back in 1888. It’s got an abv of 5% and is available in large 500ml bottles only – never a bad thing though surprising for a Japanese pilsner. Tama no Megumi Pilsner is also part of the all-year round range from Ishikawa Shuzo.
Large bottle means a large glass. Hiccup…
Tama no Megumi Pilsner Aroma and Taste
The biggest surprise of my time at Ishikawa Brewery was that Tama no Megumi Pilsner was based on their traditional recipe back in 1888 rather than the Tama no Megumi Japan Beer that Joe drank. Pilsners were definitely the “in” style back in the late 19th century and this recipe has remained pretty much unchanged since then.
Tama no Megumi Pilsner poured out as you would expect from a pilsner – slightly hazy from the condensation on the side of the glass, but a solid golden colour with a fluffy amount of white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a thin white ring around the side of the glass. The aroma was malty but with a citrus hop residue that lingered on the nostrils. Not bad and definitely sticks out from the rest of the pilsners on sale.
The hops produced a citrusy flourish in the body of Tama no Megumi Pilsner that made it slightly bitter but the malts brought some sweetness back into the mix. The aftertaste quickly kicks in with a bitter twist that quickly faded away though to a light caramel finish.
Tama no Megumi Pilsner One Line Review
If you’re looking to get out of mainstream pilsners and into smaller batches, Tama no Megumi Pilsner is worth drinking.
Where to Buy Tama no Megumi Pilsner
Tama no Megumi Pilsner can be bought from:
1 comment
is it pasteurized? I have had some varying bottles of ishikawa brewery. Their pilsner i found to be soft (soft water and a feature of all their beers and i assume they don’t treat their water) and sweet.