Fruity, lightly bitter Orion beer

Nago American Pale Ale

Brand: Orion

Price: 200 yen

Place of purchase: Belx Supermarket

Rating:

I always look out for Orion Beer's line of premium beers, Nago, named after the town where Orion brews beer. I've reviewed a number of the Nago beers. This limited-availability American Pale Ale is meant to capture the sense of the variety of beer. Orion's website suggests that the American Pale Ale is milder than English Pale Ales. The beer pours a lovely golden and clear color and has a stiff, foamy head. The flavor profile is typical but not startling - faintly sweet, middling body, and mild bitterness. The aroma is fruity.

Orion's Nago American Pale Ale is pretty good and worth a try. I'd say it would appeal to a beer fan who prefers something not too bitter, not too sweet, and fragrant of fruit. As the hot colors on the can suggest, the intent is to make a tropical beer. And I suspect the color-way is a nod to Bingata textiles that Okinawa's famous for. A glance at the Orion website has a tiny graphic indicating the imported hops. Citra and Sabro, the former citrusy and floral, and the latter lending a coconut flavor are the most prominent.