After spending some years in the doghouse, lagers are back in spades, to the point where breweries will happily have two or three on the go at once – and some way more than that. The latest arrow in Revel’s lager quiver is their Japanese Rice Lager, and its aim is true.*
It’s a beer that instils serenity from the moment you lay eyes on the label (a tree blanketed in cherry blossoms) to the last sip and sigh. A tinge of sweetness, a gentle note of spice and white grape from the late addition of Hallertau Blanc hops, and a whole lot of easy refreshment make for a beer that suits any time you want to take a breather. It’s not as dry or effervescent as some rice lagers, leaving a touch of bready sweetness lingering on the palate. But no one’s complaining.
The addition of rice in the grist wins this beer the name of Japanese Rice Lager, referring to the origin of the style and the ingredients (30 percent of the grist is made up of rice flakes), but this crispy boi is perfect for lovers of Euro lagers. The brewers took things slow in the making - as they should - giving the beer six weeks in ferment before a further couple of weeks of cold conditioning. The result is a clean, clean, clean fermentation profile in a beer that pairs just as well with pizza or burgers as it does with dumplings or noodles. Arguably, it goes best with food where there’s grease or sauce for it to cut through.
Mick Wüst
*The brewers actually made their first batch of this beer in early 2023, but it proved so popular (including with the judges at the Royal Queensland awards, who awarded it a gold medal) that Revel decided to bring it back and make it available in keg year round, as well as release it seasonally in cans.
Published September 16, 2023 2023-09-16 00:00:00
