New Beers from the Japanese Majors in 2019: Kirin Brewery Company / 日本の大手企業からの新しいビール 2019: キリンビール

We’re into 2019 now. It's time to take stock of new beers brought out in 2019 by the four major breweries in Japan: Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo, and Suntory. I'll discuss them each in a separate post. I'll also give the current RateBeer weighted average score and my own rating score (both scores out of a possible total of five), keeping in mind that most of these newer brews have fewer than ten ratings.

Let’s see what Kirin came up with:

.... only four new beers
..... but a couple of ciders

Kirin The Hop Kaori no Yoin

Pale Lager - North Am. / Light / 5% / My Rating: 3.1/ RateBeer Avg: 3.00

This beer has aromas of citrus, medium-strength maltiness, and something like grain spirits (though no spirits are included). It is sparkling clear gold, with a fat head which flattens out quickly. Flavors of citrus, sweetish malt, orange/lemon again in mid palate, and a hit of alcohol in the finish. Medium body. Okay. But not really much to say about it. The faux spirits thing in the aroma is weird.

Kirin Grand Kirin Orange IPA

IPA – Flavored / 5.5% / My Rating: 2.90 / RateBeer Avg: 2.90

A fuzzy citrus aroma, with light grass/weeds. Deep orange-tinted amber, and a filmy off-white head. Thick sweetish maltiness, orange peel, and moderate bitterness. Medium body, a bit heavier than expected. The orange peel complements the bitterness initially, but after a few sips it becomes unpleasant. More or less drinkable.

Kirin Nodogoshi Goku Goku

Pale Lager - North Am. / Light / 5% / My Rating 2.00 / RateBeer Avg: 2.63

Very fruity nose, with grain spirits, crushed weeds, and dead flowers. Medium dark gold, thin filmy head. Rude junky malt flavor, with grain spirits, and mild bitterness. Thin-medium body. Spirits intrude way too much.

Kirin Hard Cidre Dry Apple Brew

Apple Cider / 4.5% / My Rating: 3.2 / RateBeer Avg: 2.91

Smooth nose of fresh ripe green apples and light spice. Clear bright gold color. Tart, tingly apples, some honey or sugars, light acidity. Flavors fade out fairly quickly, moderately dry finish. Crisp, smooth body. Not bad.

Kirin Mercian Cidre

Apple Cider / 5% / RateBeer Avg: 3

No chance to try this one

Kirin Ichiban Shibori Kiyosumi

Pale Lager - Intl / Premium / 5% / My Rating: 3.10 / RateBeer Avg: 2.91

Lightly spritzy stone fruit aroma, with a thin bit of starchy powdered sugar. Moderately fruity flavors: pear, apple, with some decent mid palate hoppiness to balance. Thin-medium body. Pleasant and maybe a bit richer than most varieties in the far too overcrowded Ichiban Shiborri series.