Suginoya Pale Ale, sometimes sold as Hakata Pale Ale, is a 5% American pale ale from Suginoya Beer, based in Fukuoka, Japan. It’s part of their all-year round range of beers and can be found in both bottles and on tap across Japan. Depressingly enough, Suginoya Beer advertises this beer as being popular with female drinkers – thus negating the idea that men could like an American pale ale. Besides that, Suginoya Pale Ale also won a single bronze award way back in 2001, more than likely due to the fact that noone back then really seemed to have an idea of what an American pale ale should taste like.
Nope not a NE IPA but an American pale ale.
Suginoya Pale Ale Aroma and Taste
Do not adjust your screens – that is indeed what Suginoya Pale Ale looked like out of the bottle. A muddy orange colour with little head on top – well what there was just faded to a thin ring of bubbles around the inside of the glass. It had a soapy artificial lemony aroma coming off of it that was neither nice nor welcoming, it was almost as if it had gone off. Some buttery notes came through as well – no wonder it hasn’t won any awards since 2001 if this is Suginoya Pale Ale in its prime condition is supposed to be.
The body of Suginoya Pale Ale was pretty much the same as the nose – an unusual peculiar buttery mess of artificial lemon bitterness that was a struggle to drink. There was nowhere enough hop bitterness nor flavours to make this really an American pale ale. In fact, it just tasted like a messy beer that hasn’t changed with the times. The bitter aftertaste was too little too late as I couldn’t be bothered with any more of it.
Suginoya Pale Ale The Bottom Line
Suginoya Pale Ale hasn’t aged well and hasn’t evolved – give it a miss.
Where to Buy Suginoya Pale Ale
Suginoya Pale Ale can be bought online at the following places:
