Barbaric Master Key is a 4.8% session IPA from Barbaric Works, based in Chigasaki, in Kanagawa, Japan. It’s part of their regular lineup, and can be found in both cans and on draught. Barbaric Master Key is a SMaSH beer, Single Malt And Single Hop, with the malt being UK Maris Otter and the hop being US Mosaic. Does that make Barbaric Master Key a UK/USA beer?
Barbaric Master Key : At A Glance
- Alcohol: 4.8%
- Style: Session IPA / SMaSH Beer
- Hops: Mosaic
- Adjuncts: N/A
- IBU: 24
Sale Information
- Availability: Regular
- On Sale: Unknown
- Size: 350 ml
- Price: From ¥700
Aroma & Taste
- Notable Aroma: Light malty aroma of caramel, musty with some phenols, and low stone fruit aroma. Slight lemon aroma.
- Notable Taste: Phenol flavour from yeast with some malt caramel along with low stone fruit and lemon
Barbaric Master Key : Aroma & Taste
Barbaric Master Key poured out a very hazy golden colour with a thin amount of white head on top that left a small ring around the edge of the glass. With Barbaric Master Key being a SMaSH beer, I wasn’t holding up much hope for it – single malt / hop beers are seldom done well. Barbaric Master Key follows that down to a tee from the get go – the malt brought a light aroma of caramel, along with a little bit of stone fruit and citrus from the hops; however, there was a musty phenolic aroma to Barbaric Master Key – perhaps old hops were used, the beer wasn’t canned properly, or the yeast was stressed. But the aroma did not entice me at all.
The nose was a warning that Barbaric Master Key was not going to be great in the drinking, and it wasn’t. It was basic homebrew level beer to be honest as the phenolic flavour in the body dominated over everything else. There was a touch of malt caramel present, with just a smidgen of stone fruit and lemon, but it wasn’t enough to detract away from the off-flavours in the beer. In spite of Barbaric Master Key being a session IPA, it lacked any sense of bitterness at all during drinking.
Barbaric Master Key : The Bottom Line
Barbaric Master Key lacks the key to unlocking what is a good session IPA.
Barbaric Master Key : Where to Buy
Barbaric Master Key can be bought online at the following places:
