Ise Kadoya Imperial India Pale Ale is an 8% double IPA from Ise Kadoya based in Mie, Japan. It’s part of their limited edition range of beers and can be found in both bottles and on tap when on sale. Ise Kadoya Imperial India Pale Ale is brewed with the “unique” selling point of 10 different hops added at 120 different intervals – pretty much a first for a Japanese craft beer but something that Dogfish Head have been doing with their 120minute IPA. The hops used in Ise Kadoya Imperial India Pale Ale are Cascade, Galaxy, Amarillo, Topaz, Centennial, Sorachi Ace, Columbus, Stella, Citra, and Willamette – just saying that after one bottle of this beer.
Pretty lively beer.
Ise Kadoya Imperial India Pale Ale Aroma and Taste
Ise Kadoya Imperial India Pale Ale poured out a bright copper colour and was really lively out of the bottle. I did try pouring it carefully but what you see above is the perhaps one of the worst pours I’ve ever done, but I’m going to blame the beer and not myself. What is the point of adding so many different kinds of hops? I mean I can understand it in terms of keeping the flavour of the beer stable through hop droughts or shortages but 10 different hops with some of them having similar flavours meant that a lot was lost on the nose of Ise Kadoya Imperial India Pale Ale. There was a strong sweet caramel punch to the nostrils but the hops – so much going on there – with a resinous dank aroma being the strongest, followed by hints of citrus and grapefruit – though I’m glad I didn’t pick up on any Sorachi Ace, which is known for being oniony.
The booziness is evident from the get go, but it was more of a soothing level of heat, rather than a burning sweetness. There is a sweetness to Ise Kadoya Imperial India Pale Ale that lingers throughout drinking, with the hops trying to get their turn at being on show, but with so many of them, the citrus piney flavour is the most pungent, with hints of plums and a dry biscuit-like quality to it. I tried chugging back a bit – hey don’t judge me, it’s a 500ml bottle and I had a long day looking after a very sick child – but the alcohol warmth got the better of me. It ended up with a bitter-sweet edge to it that left a sticky layer of sweetness on the tongue.
Ise Kadoya Imperial India Pale Ale The Bottom Line
Ise Kadoya Imperial India Pale Ale is a funny beer – not as in ha-ha classic Ise Kadoya funny – but as in I don’t know if I really enjoyed it or not. There were good qualities to it but it seemed that a lot had been lost from the hops due to so many being used.
Where to Buy Ise Kadoya Imperial India Pale Ale
Ise Kadoya Imperial India Pale Ale can be bought online at the following places:
