Nasu Kogen Ai is a 5% pilsner lager from Nasu Kohgen Beer, based in Tochigi prefecture. It’s brewed using locally sourced water from the melted snow on top of the mountains, and is one of the few beers in Japan to receive the royal warrant. It can be found in both bottles and on tap throughout the year.
Not many breweries in Japan can say that the royal family approve of your beer.
Nasu Kogen Ai Aroma and Taste
Not knowing that Nasu Kogen Ai was a pilsner before drinking made it tough. It reminded me of the instance with Joe and craft beer labels – at least put the description of the beer on the label if you’re going to sell it. Hours were spent trawling through Japanese blogs until I finally stumbled across a description of it being a pilsner. It certainly looked like one with a cloudy golden hue to it though there was minimal head to the beer. The very mild aroma coming off of it was some caramel and a tad bit of biscuit as well. Not a very forthcoming beer.
The body was just as mild as the aroma really – quite bland in all honesty. The sweetness from the malts was present but only vaguely so and there was no real note of either hop bitterness or taste either. The body was also rather thin for my liking and didn’t really feel like a beer – it felt like watered down Asahi Super Dry. If there was an aftertaste, then I completely missed it as nothing of note was worth mentioning.
Nasu Kogen Ai – The Bottom Line
Nasu Kogen Ai would be best described as the Asahi Super Dry of the craft beer world – bland and nothing worthy of note.
Where to Buy Nasu Kogen Ai
Nasu Kogen Ai can be bought online at the following places:
