Ise Kadoya Costa Rica Coffee Ale is a 5% American pale ale from Ise Kadoya, based in Mie, Japan. The beer is part of their limited edition lineup and can be found in both bottles and on tap. The coffee beans used in Ise Kadoya Costa Rica Coffee Ale are the same ones that were used in the G7 Summit Japan 2016 in Ise and a local roastery, Nakamura Coffee Shop, provided the final roasted beans. In terms of beer base, Ise Kadoya Costa Rica Coffee Ale does not use the usual pale ale base that is found in Ise Kadoya Pale Ale but instead uses a new one specifically for this beer.
Looks like a pale ale, smells like a coffee.
Ise Kadoya Costa Rica Coffee Ale Aroma and Taste
Yes, Ise Kadoya Costa Rica Coffee Ale looks like an American pale ale – your typically dark golden colour with a frothy white head on top but the aroma was unmistakably coffee. I wish I had had some Costa Rica coffee next to me when I reviewed this beer as it would have been interesting to test if I was drinking either the beer or the coffee. And if it wasn’t for the slight caramel twang in the nose, then it would have been a tough challenge to differentiate between the two.
The body had slightly more of a leaning towards being recognised as a beer as the coffee notes were less pronounced compared to the nose, along with more of a floral note from the hops. The caramel brought some more semblance of Ise Kadoya Costa Rica Coffee Ale being an actual beer. The roasted coffee flavours did linger right through drinking and into the aftertaste but after I while I just wanted to drink a coffee. Or an actual stout.
Ise Kadoya Costa Rica Coffee Ale The Bottom Line
Ise Kadoya Costa Rica Coffee Ale is simply a gimmick and would be a good trick to play on a friend. But as an actual beer? Leave the coffee flavours to the stouts and porter please.
Ise Kadoya Coffee Ale Second Opinion
Joe: I wasn’t paying attention when I poured this so I was extremely surprised to see that it was not a dark beer. Smells of creamy coffee, and tastes like a coffee creme (you know, the chocolate that you get in Quality Street boxes that nobody likes. Well, almost nobody). Just like my favourite chocolate that you find in a box of Quality Street, the coffee cremes! I love those guys, and I always get to eat all of them because no one else will.
I thought this beer was really nice. My expectations were a bit confounded by it not being a stout or porter, but it’s very coffee-forward and smooth. Give it a try!
Where to Buy Ise Kadoya Costa Rica Coffee Ale
Ise Kadoya Costa Rica Coffee Ale can be bought online at the following places:
