Word of some remarkable Japanese brews has been buzzing around for a while. When Nest beers made a brief appearance on the WA scene, trying to grab a bottle or two proved frustrating – but ample supplies have now landed so we can find out why they cause such a flap.

Kiuchi family brewery was founded decades ago, not to produce beer but to brew sake, the rice alcohol drink favoured by the Japanese home market. The sake process has been refined over generations, so when the offshoot Hitachino Nest Beer brewery was established, some crossover in method was understandable.

You can forget the global-lager image of Japanese beer output. There’s a wide choice of Nest beers in 330ml brown bottles, usually with the startled owl image on the label. They range from stouts to bitter ales with some oddities in between. Alcohol levels tend to be generous – even ginger beer has a 7 per cent hit. All have intriguing touches.

THE BEERS

NEST WHITE ALE (5.5 PER CENT)

As befits Belgian-style witbier, flaked wheat and barley in the malt mash and late additions of coriander, nutmeg, orange zest and juice make for complex flavours, balanced with mild hopping of Perle and Styrian Goldings. White Ale is one of the brewery’s top-sellers and a winner of gold medals in Britain and the US.

NEST SWEET STOUT (4.5 PER CENT)

There’s coffee, chocolate, and roasted malt on both nose and palate in this mild-mannered stout. As the name suggests, it carries sweet notes throughout with no bitter elements.

NEST RED RICE ALE (7 PER CENT)

A pinkish tinge gives a clue to a strawberry aroma and up-front flavour, but there’s more to this hefty beer. Red rice and flaked barley are key ingredients bolstering a flavour mix of sake and lager malt on the palate with citrus bite from US hops at the finish.

NEST JAPANESE CLASSIC ALE (7 PER CENT)

More classic English than Japanese? The grain choice starts with Maris Otter, the renowned English ale malt, there’s Munich malt for body, crystal and chocolate roasts for colour and flavour and a dab of wheat for smoothness. The ale pours with the English bitter copper colour and medium body and sweet-bitter fruity tastes match the real-ale style. There’s an aromatic cedar hint, while British East Kent Goldings and Challenger hops bring earthy, spicy touches and Chinook hops from the US add pine-needle piquancy.

NEST REAL GINGER BEER (7 PER CENT)

Raw ginger may be the dominant flavour, but it’s superimposed on a genuine pale ale carefully crafted with impeccable malts - Maris Otter, Munich, drum-roasted crystal and chocolate – and eclectic hopping with US Chinook and European Perle and Styrian Goldings.

NEST XH (8 PER CENT)

When the Japanese do a strong Belgian brown ale they use Western ingredients - Maris Otter, Munich, crystal and chocolate malts and Chinook and Styrian Goldings hops. Then they put their own stamp on it: This ale is matured by a three-month sojourn in distilled sake casks. Noticeable hop bitterness blends nicely with the rice wine notes.

BITTER END

A postscript to the corporate decision to shut down Fremantle’s Sail and Anchor brewhouse should console outraged fans: After being told she no longer had a job, Sail brewer Fiona Geraty gathered all the supplies in stock – malts, yeast and a wealth of mainly English hops - and whipped up outrageous India pale ale. She dubbed it Bitter End.

At well above 7 per cent alcohol and bitter to a level never before attained in the brewery, it delighted customers. Two senior WA brewing figures declared it to be well-balanced and thoroughly enjoyable.

Australian Leisure and Hospitality chief Ian Kingham is hinting that “guest” local brewers may be allowed to use the equipment and the Sail pub could become a showcase for WA craft beers on tap and handpump.

As for Ms Geraty – it looks like she’ll be mashing in at a new microbrewery proposed for the South-West.

QUICK ONE

Much is said about beer and food matching, but action speaks louder than words at The Old Brewery steakhouse and bar, which is holding a Progressive Beef and Beer Dinner on Friday, August 27. There will be five “robust” courses matched with onsite-brewed beers. Price: $115 per guest. Bookings: phone 9211 8901 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Written by Vic Crossland

From Fresh, The West Australian, 19^th August. 19

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