Himitsu Sandland is a 7% hazy IPA from Himitsu Beer, based in Futami, in Mie, Japan. It’s part of their canned and draught lineup though its availability at the time of writing is unknown. Himitsu Sandland is brewed using spelt wheat that was locally grown near the brewery and due to the delta plains in the area, it took Himitsu Beer over 3 years to successfully grow the wheat due to the poor conditions of the soil caused by the delta plains. To enable the growth, previous trub, the waste products formed during the process of making beer, were used as fertiliser to help improve soil conditions to a point where they are no longer sand like.
Himitsu Sandland : At A Glance
Basics
- Alcohol : 7%
- Style : Hazy IPA
- Hops : –
- IBU : –
Sale Information
- Availability : –
- On Sale : From January 2023
- Size : 350 ml
- Price : From 750 yen
Aroma & Taste
- Notable Aromas : Citrus notes of grapefruit, lemon and lime with white grape and berry notes. Light wheaty nose with very low alcohol heat.
- Notable Tastes : Medium body of sweetness with smooth bitterness. Hop flavour as the nose with a light tartness.
Himitsu Sandland : Aroma & Taste
Himitsu Sandland poured out a rather hazy golden orange colour with a plump and sticky white head on top that, as you can see in the picture above, left some sticky lazing down the side of the glass. The aroma was initially of citrus notes with grapefruit, lemon, and lime coming through first of all. As Himitsu Sandland warmed up, there was also notes of white grapes and some light fruity, berry notes. Though Himitsu Sandland uses some locally grown spelt wheat, it wasn’t until much later on, and without much beer left, that I noticed some wheaty quality to the beer, though I would have been hard pressed to have noted that they had used spelt wheat unless someone told me.
The body Himitsu Sandland began with a medium body of sweetness, though not a cloying level but enough to support the smooth bitterness that came along with it. The hop flavour was pretty much the same as in the nose – so more citrus notes were present, though there was a slight tartness to the nose – more of a lemon tartness in hindsight. As Himitsu Sandland warmed up, the flavours understandably grew stronger, but I didn’t notice any off flavours with the beer, nor any alcohol heat coming off the beer either.
Himitsu Sandland : The Bottom Line
Himitsu Sandland is a tasty little hazy IPA though nothing special in hindsight.
Himitsu Sandland : Where to Buy
Himitsu Sandland can be bought online at the following places:
