AJB King Kong Knee Drop is a 9.5% imperial stout from Anglo Japanese Brewing Company based in Nozawa Onsen, in Nagano, Japan. It’s part of their limited edition lineup and can be found in bottles and on tap in limited supply. AJB King Kong Knee Drop is brewed using Ichiro’s Malt whisky casks and also won gold medal at the 2019 International Beer Cup.
AJB King Kong Knee Drop Aroma and Taste
First of all, let me say that I LOVED the label of AJB King Kong Knee Drop – admittedly it’s quite hard to see in these pics, but the embossed King Kong on the front of it did look really good when held up to the light in the right manner. But we’re not here for the beer label; however, some breweries could learn a lot from this effort.
AJB King Kong Knee Drop poured out in a thick gloopy manner with a pitch black body and a bubbly tan coloured head on top that faded to a thick oil slick-like appearance on top. Unsurprisingly, AJB King Kong Knee Drop had a thick aroma of whisky cask to it – woody with some peat notes coming through, along with some smoky chocolate, coffee and vanilla tones just to bring it all together. At 10%, I was expecting some level of alcohol to come through, but nothing did.
The body was thick – if pouring it into the glass wasn’t a giveaway. However, AJB King Kong Knee Drop was incredibly smooth and easy to drink – the bourbon barrel cask flavours were more subdued in the body than in the nose, and the chocolate and vanilla flavours had more of a chance to shine through. If anything, this meant that AJB King Kong Knee Drop would be a good introduction to barrel aged beers – personally I would have liked to have tasted some more of the bourbon notes as they were still a little muted when it had warmed up but still nice. The lingering plum and chocolate flavours in the aftertaste paired off nicely with some of the slight alcohol heat but the smoothness of the beer whisked them away.
AJB King Kong Knee Drop The Bottom Line
While I prefer AJB Espresso Stout, AJB King Kong Knee Drop is a great introduction to barrel aged beers.
Where to Buy AJB King Kong Knee Drop
AJB King Kong Knee Drop can be bought online at the following places:
