Eric and I were psyched to spot the Japanese Green Tea beer at Whole Foods the other day, and proceeded to snatch up the last two bottles. Green Tea in a beer is unusual enough that I would be interested in it regardless of it's difficulty to find, but I'm even more gratified to know that this beer is money well-spent: this is Stone's first collaboration beer brewed as a fundraiser, and all proceeds go to the Japanese tsunami relief programs.
But on to the review.
Appearance: This IPA is a nice toasty looking orange, about the hue you would expect from a typical IPA, but what sets this brew apart is the fact that you can actually see the green tea floating in the beer. As a result, the beer looks a bit murky, and while a bit of the green tea sediment has settled to the bottom of the glass, most of it remains suspended throughout the beverage as I drink it. The head on this beer is minimal and quickly dissipates after pouring.
Aroma: The aroma on this beer is fairly subtle, but I get some floral notes, and the intensely citrusy hop scent I expect from an IPA is muted.
Taste: I get a distinct green tea flavor, but it's nicely balanced and it rounds out the hoppy astringent flavor of the IPA, particularly throughout the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: The carbonation balance on this beer is nice: crisp at the front, doesn't fall flat on the end, and the green tea adds a nice soft undertone to make it go down smoothly.
Overall: The experience of tasting this beer is unique, smooth, crisp, and extremely flavorful: a great drinking experience overall.
Grade: A-
Beer advocate gives this beer a B+, and all the other reviews online look similarly positive. This is definitely a beer worth drinking if you run across it!
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