AJB IBU Nai Lemondrop is a 5.8% NE Pale Ale from Anglo-Japanese Brewing Company, based in Nozawa Onsen, in Nagano, Japan. It’s part of their IBU Nai series, where no bittering hops are used in the beer, instead, only aroma hops are used. AJB IBU Nai Lemondrop is brewed using lemondrop hops, which were first released in 2012. It is also brewed with coriander as well. At the time of writing, it’s unknown whether AJB IBU Nai Lemondrop is a one-off or we’ll see it again.
AJB IBU Nai Lemondrop Aroma and Taste
Don’t adjust your screens – those two pictures are of the same beer taken one week apart – the left one being taken from the bottle and the right from the keg. And I’d stick to the keg version if I were you! In appearance alone, the draft version is the better of the two beers, with its light orange colour and bright white head, compared to the dull orange brown of the bottled version. On tap, AJB IBU Nai Lemondrop had a bright, vibrant citrus lemon aroma with a subtle malt sweetness, while the bottled version was damp and oxidised. It lacked the punch of the draft version and smelt like someone had dipped some lemon in a bit of beer.
That same quality extended to the body – the draft was a great example of late hopping bringing flavours at the expense of bitterness. While on tap, AJB IBU Nai Lemondrop did have a slight bitterness to it, the bottled version just didn’t live up to the same standards and tasted like wet lemony cardboard. Don’t ask me how I know! The draft version’s flavours lingered on the palate while the bottled version faded almost immediately.
AJB IBU Nai Lemondrop The Bottom Line
Drink AJB IBU Nai Lemondrop on tap, and eschew the bottled version.
Where to Buy AJB IBU Nai Lemondrop
AJB IBU Nai Lemondrop can be bought online at the following places:
