The Blue Demon of India (インドの青鬼) is an IPA by the same people who brought you Yona-Yona.
It has a nice amber color, slightly clouded. Has a pinky’s worth of steady head with some minor lacing.
Aooni is a very sharp IPA. By sharp I mean that even the smell is very thick with malt aromas that foreshadow what my taste buds could expect. They got what they expected.
It’s bitter, so I like it. Even the product website advertises it as “aggressively bitter,” which isn’t an overstatement when considering the Japanese market. The strong bitter tones are more emphasized than in other IPAs I’ve had in Japan, even when compared to Yona-Yona. The first bite of the beer is followed by much gentler licks from the dynamic taste, incorporating a tone that reminded me of melons, that are in good sync with the balance of hops and malt.
It’s just a bit more sweet than I’d expected, but that caramel aroma matches with the IPA-standard citrus tones. This sweetness from the malts, built on the IPA base fit well with the medium body, shows how well the hops that give Aooni its bitterness can be balanced with just a bit of sweet.
The blue-demonic world of hops this IPA brings forth is definitely enjoyable for me, and if you like bitter with a sweet undertone, then I think you’ll like it too.
