Minoh Godfather 5 is a 5% amber lager from Minoh Beer, based in Osaka, Japan. It’s part of their annual effort in the Masaji Beer Project, run in colloboration with other breweries in Japan. Minoh Godfather 5, if the name isn’t a giveaway, is the fifth effort in the series and is sold in both bottles and on tap across Japan. Why a red beer? Well according to some sources, the president Ooshita Masaji-san often favoured red and the Ooshita sisters challenged themselves to make something red in the image of him.
An interesting amber lager – will we see it again?
Minoh Godfather 5 Aroma and Taste
There’s no way the advertising commission in Japan would be complaining about Minoh Godfather 5. It poured out a deep red colour with a clean, fluffy, white head that lingered before fading. The aroma was also caramel sweet, with the malts taking a front row seat in this beer. Moreover, Minoh Godfather 5 had a slight woody aroma to it that with more oak-like than piney, along with some floral hop aroma coming through once it had warmed up.
I love ambers – I really do, and for me, Minoh Godfather 5 is one of the better ones I’ve had in Japan. It had everything I want in an amber: a crisp malty base with a slight woody twinge to it, along with a slight bitterness in the aftertaste from the hops. Minoh Godfather 5 also had a slight citrus edge to it once warmed up. With all these flavours going on in one beer, Minoh Godfather 5 might be a bit too much but somehow Minoh have pulled it together and balanced them all out.
Minoh Godfather 5 The Bottom Line
Minoh Godfather 5 is a damned good amber lager – not limited edition good – but still good nonetheless.
Where to Buy Minoh Godfather 5
Minoh Godfather 5 can be bought online at the following places:
