Kisoji Pale Ale is a 5% American pale ale from Kisoji Beer, based in Nagano, Japan. It’s part of their all year round range of beers, available both on tap and in cans, though the cans are a tad hard to distinguish from one another as they all have the same design, besides a small sticker that lies next to the mouth piece. Kisoji Pale Ale is brewed using 100% American Cascade hops and also American crystal malt – something that has changed drastically from its early days when Kisoji Pale Ale was advertised as an English pale ale.
An English pale ale that became an American pale ale. Or did it?!
Kisoji Pale Ale Aroma and Taste
Kisoji Pale Ale poured out a hazy deep orange colour with minimal amount of head. Oh wait – why the weird angle on the beer? Well all the bloody cans are the same and to be honest, I didn’t want to look back and review a beer that didn’t match up with the picture. So yeah, pretty much no head at all, besides some random bubbles around the edge of the glass. Kisoji Pale Ale had a strong sweet malt colour – thanks crystal malts for that one – and also a lemony citrus nose to it with lashings of green apple to it. Whoever told me this is supposed to be an English pale ale needed a slap, and you know who you are! This could never be described as an English pale ale with so much hop nose going on.
Kisoji Pale Ale is so dry in the body that the hops came bursting through – a kick of bitterness to the tongue with citrus punching through but it just seems so – for want of a better word – bland. Give me a Captain Crow instead of this as at least has some restraint in it. From start to finish, Kisoji Pale Ale veered between sweet malts to bitter malts, with one part wanting to be an English pale ale while the other was trying its damnedest to be an American pale ale.
Kisoji Pale Ale The Bottom Line
Kisoji – choose one – either an English pale ale or an American pale ale – but you can’t be both in one beer.
Where to Buy Kisoji Pale Ale
Kisoji Pale Ale can be bought online at the following places:
