Minoh Bosuzaru IPA is a 6% black IPA, sometimes called a Cascadian IPA, from Minoh Beer, based in Osaka, Japan. It’s part of their seasonal lineup of the three monkey beers with Minoh Kozaru IPA and Minoh Osaru IPA, and can be found in both bottles and on tap. The Bosuzaru refers to the term of the alpha male, or the leader of the pack, and as such, Minoh Bosuzaru IPA is the strongest of the three.
The boss of the bunch – the boldest and strongest.
Minoh Bosuzaru IPA Aroma and Taste
I’ve had Minoh Bosuzaru IPA a couple of times on tap now but never in bottles, and with the move on BeerTengoku to get more draft beers up, it seems only apt that now I’ve missed this on tap, then a bottle review is forthcoming.
Minoh Bosuzaru IPA poured out pitch black colour, though held up to the light it did have some brown edges to it. The head was surprisingly quite white, with only flecks of tan colour dispersed in the beer. The head didn’t last long though before collapsing into a thin ring around the edge of the glass, which clung on throughout drinking. It had a distinct roasted black malts aroma – the acrid tang can’t be missed – though some sweet caramel came through. Lots of aromas you’d associate with a light porter were present – chocolate, liquorice, and then the piney nose comes through, with some citrus edge.
I’d love to have drunk Minoh Bosuzaru IPA blindfolded to see if I could pick it out as an IPA as the body was more like a hoppy porter than an IPA. Coffee and chocolate came through with some sweet caramel tones too. The bitterness associated with an IPA was present though far more muted perhaps due to the acrid black malt bitterness taking ahold. It finished off with a hoppy porter-esque like flavour that really didn’t sit too well – the bitter black malts overriding the hoppy bitterness.
Minoh Bosuzaru IPA The Bottom Line
Minoh Bosuzaru IPA just doesn’t cut it for me as an IPA – tone down the black malts and let some of the citrus and pine notes comes through instead.
Where to Buy Minoh Bosuzaru IPA
Minoh Bosuzaru IPA can be bought online at the following places:
