Last week on the way home from Tsukuba I went to pick up new beer, and the shop had a ranking based on IBU. The other beer I checked recently were on that list too, so I was expecting something with a bitter punch. And since the label says “unfiltered alt”, also some thick, cloudy goodness.

The Karuizawa brewery is one of the top Japanese craft beer makers, so understandably I had quite the expectations for their alt. It didn’t let me down.

I’ve only had alt beer once before opening this can of Unazuki Torokko, back at Banji Kaicho. Must say that Torokko is a whole different world. I’d hesitate to even put it the same category as Shonan Beer’s alt, they are so different.