Finally, Hitachino Hits Home
Posted by melissamccart on September 20, 2006
At the suggestion of the bartender at The Mermaid Inn in the East Village, I drank Hitachino on tap with a pair of oysters while waiting for a friend at the bar a while back. Though I’m half convinced that it’s because of the cute owl on the label, I fell in love with its light, citrus-y flavor.
Google shows that others like it, too. Amanda Hesser, Eric Asimov and Company at the New York Times rated it among the best in an informal wheat beer taste-test:
Of the 16 wheat beers we sampled, four were American, nine German, one Dutch, one Belgian and one Japanese. Tied for top honors, both with three stars out of a possible four, were the Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier Bavarian style, from Freising, Germany, and the Japanese contender, a weizen called Hitachino Nest Beer, from the Kiuchi Brewery in Ibaraki.
The Hitachino was, for Mr. Delissio, simply ”the best,” with ”lingering flavors and a long, pleasant finish.” I found an attractive smoky quality and good fruit. To Mr. Asimov, the Weihenstephaner was ”disciplined, harmonious and beautifully balanced.” Ms. Hesser found it very fragrant, with a nice citrus flavor.
Two years and a different city later, Birreria Paradisio becomes the first place in the D.C. area to serve it on tap, as far as I know. Back in August, the stand-in bartender for Thor said he wasn’t drinking any other beer while Hitachino White was on tap. With a selection as broad as the one at BP, that’s saying something.
Lucky for us– since the supply is dwindling at Birreria and the owner claims it’s tough to get kegs–Hitachino White Ale is finally making the rounds to other places, including the P Street Whole Foods. It’s a steep $15.99 for two standard sized 1.5 pints, but it’s worth it. Run don’t walk! And just this week, they’ve added the sake-esque Red Rice Ale to their repertoire. I have yet to try it, but it’s chilling in the fridge right now.
