Ushitora Mashi Mashi no Kuro Summer Edition, officially known as Ushitora #096 Mashi Mashi no Kuro Summer Edition Extreme Coffee, is a 9.3% Imperial stout from Ushitora Brewery, based in Tochigi, Japan. It’s the latest iteration of the beer from Ushitora Brewery, following their #009 Mashi Mashi and #072 Mashi Mashi Spring editions. At the time of writing, it can only be found on tap with no plans for bottling.
Ushitora Mashi Mashi no Kuro Summer Edition
Ushitora Mashi Mashi no Kuro Summer Edition Aroma and Taste
If you’re read the review of the Ushitora One Pint Mind Double IPA, then hopefully you remember that Ushitora Mashi Mashi no Kuro Summer Edition was the first beer I wanted to start the day off with. Coffee is my second true liquid love after a decent stout and this was what I was looking for. Except someone told me it was too early to drink it. Pfft. What did he know?
Ushitora Mashi Mashi no Kuro Summer Edition poured out a pitch black colour with some hints of brown towards the top but that was more due to the refraction of light I think. The head was surprisingly light-coloured, far whiter than I expected for an Imperial stout – something more tan-like would have been appropriate. The aromas though coming off of the beer were beautiful – roasted coffee and chocolate with a subtle layer of creaminess coming through as well to soften some of the harsh tones that can be associated with an Imperial stout. It reminded me a lot of a well brewed espresso though the booziness did come through when it had warmed up.
Imperial stouts should personally never be served chilled, and as such, I had to wait a while for Ushitora Mashi Mashi no Kuro Summer Edition to warm up. In summer in Japan, that’s not normally a long wait, but on a mild summer’s day in Niigata, it took some time. It had a smooth profile to it that was soft and gentle on the tongue and lacked the coffee abrasiveness that sometimes comes with dry-hopping with coffee beans. At 9%, the alcohol was well-hidden behind layers of coffee, chocolate, and what tasted like cocoa powder. It finished off with a slight licorice taste and a sticky sensation on the tongue.
Ushitora Mashi Mashi no Kuro Summer Edition The Bottom Line
Ushitora Mashi Mashi no Kuro Summer Edition is a nice imperial stout though I wonder how much the addition of coffee affected the flavour?
