Thursday, March 28, 2024
Home Beer Review Shonan Beer Cold IPA by Kumazawa Shuzo

Shonan Beer Cold IPA by Kumazawa Shuzo

by Rob
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Shonan Beer Cold IPA is a 6% cold IPA from Kumazawa Shuzo, based in Chigasaki, in Kanagawa, Japan. It’s part of their bottled and draught lineup, and was released in celebration for the 100th anniversary of Kumazawa Shuzo in 2022. Shonan Beer Cold IPA is brewed using Strata and Nelson Sauvin and is also double dry hopped with the same two hops.

Shonan Beer Cold IPA

Shonan Beer Cold IPA : At A Glance

  • Alcohol: 6%
  • Style: Cold IPA
  • Hops: Strata and Nelson Sauvin
  • Adjuncts: N/A
  • IBU: N/A

Sale Information

  • Availability: Limited
  • On Sale: From October 2022
  • Size: 300 ml
  • Price: From Â¥700

Aroma & Taste

  • Notable Aroma: Light aroma of grape, lemon, and passion fruit. Low malt sweetness with some alcohol heat when warm.
  • Notable Taste: Low and smooth bitterness with grape, lemon, and passion fruit. Low alcohol heat when warm.

Shonan Beer Cold IPA : Aroma & Taste

Shonan Beer Cold IPA poured out a rather hazy golden yellow colour with a meagre amount of white bubbles around the side of the glass, though those didn’t last long. The aroma from the hops was muted when the beer was chilled so definitely let it warm up before smelling or drinking to maximise the enjoyment of it. Once Shonan Beer Cold IPA had warmed up, there were some grape, lemon, and passion fruit aromas coming from it, with just a touch of light malt sweetness in the body. There was just a smidgen of alcohol heat as well from it after it had warmed up, though with Shonan Beer Cold IPA using lager yeast, I was surprised there wasn’t any discernible sulfur like quality to it, as is often the case with using lager yeast.

The body began with a low, but smooth, bitterness to the body that segued into some of the hop flavours of grape, lemon, and passion fruit. The flavours in Shonan Beer Cold IPA didn’t dominate the taste buds, but did seem, like in the nose, to be muted in comparison to what I have grown accustomed to with IPAs. The alcohol heat was present again as Shonan Beer Cold IPA warmed up, but it wasn’t enough to take away from the hops.

Shonan Beer Cold IPA : The Bottom Line

I’m surprised that Kumazawa Shuzo went for a flash in the pan style of Cold IPA for their anniversary beer but Shonan Beer Cold IPA is a nice example.

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Shonan Beer Cold IPA : Where to Buy

Shonan Beer Cold IPA can be bought online at the following places:

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