It was back in the fall of 2001 that the builder of our Fishmarket Taproom, Nagakura-san, who since had become a stalwart Taproom patron and loyal friend, brought to me in my little backroom brewery a crate of mikan fruit freshly picked from his family orchard.  “Can you use these in a beer?” he inquired.  “If not, just share them with customers and your family.” 

I, like many professional brewers, harbored a prejudice against fruit beers.  Why?  Because most of the ones available tended to be gimmick beers, brewed not with real fruit but rather processed extracts, that were designed to appeal to people who didn’t like beer to begin with.  However, I quickly decided to formulate a beer that incorporated the carpenter’s mikan fruit.  Not only did the idea of using a fresh, local, minimally processed ingredient fit perfectly with the Baird Beer philosophy, but the mikan fruit was delicious.  It’s vibrant citrus character, I thought, could be combined in a wonderfully complementary way with various citrus-forward hop varieties being cultivated in the western United States.  

The first batch of the Carpenter’s Mikan Ale (all 30 liters of it), was poured, with a tiny bit of trepidation, to Fishmarket Taproom customer-friends who had gathered there at 8:30 am on a Monday morning to view the 2002 Super Bowl (a game that pitted the then powerhouse St. Louis Rams against the upstart Tom Brady-led New England Patriots).  The Patriots won their first Super Bowl; the Carpenter’s Mikan Ale won the hearts and the drinking loyalty of  all who gathered that morning.  

The Carpenter’s Mikan Ale 2012, the ten-year anniversary version, will begin pouring at our Taproom pubs just before the 8:30 am (Monday, Feb. 6) kick-off of the 2012 Super Bowl (NY Giants vs. New England Patriots). 

New Baird Beer Seasonal Release:

*Carpenter’s Mikan Ale 2012 (ABV 6%):

The mikans used in this brew are fresh, succulent, and local — harvested on the Heda land and by the hand of our carpenter friend, Nagakura-san.  The Baird brewers hand-process the harvested mikans, shaving off the outer skin of the peel and pressing the juice.  Both peel shavings and juice are added to the brew during wort production and before fermentation.  The mikans serve to add depth and complexity to an already sumptuous ale; their role is to complement, not dominate.

Once again the character of this year’s version is marked most notably by the succulent aroma and piquant flavor of sweet-tart mikans and their wonderfully symbiotic interaction with our selected hop varieties (Nelson Sauvin, Cascade, New Zealand Cascade, Ahtanum). 

In addition to our Taproom pubs, the Carpenter’s Mikan Ale will also be available either on draught or in bottles (630 ml) at fine Baird Beer retailers throughout Japan beginning Tuesday, February 7.  

Cheers!

Bryan Baird

The hibernal rest is over.  The big bear of the Baird Beer world, Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine, has forced its way out of our brewery cellars and has taken residence in the serving refrigerators of our various Taproom pubs.  The pouring begins today (Wednesday, February 1).

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:

*Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine 2012 (ABV 10.5%):

Brewed and packaged back in June 2011, Ganko Oyaji 2012 sports the same  grist bill as previous versions, consisting of floor-malted Maris Otter and Bohemian Pils, as well as British crystal malt and 10%  Japanese red (akato) sugar.  Once again we increased our hop bittering slightly (up to 80 IBU from last year’s 75) and we changed our blend of hops, this year including Magnum, Galena, Nugget, Glacier and Santiam.  Most importantly, though, we returned to full fermentation (primary and secondary) with our house Scottish ale yeast strain while also increasing the attenuative potential of our wort by both lowering mash temperature and lengthening mash duration.  The result is a more highly attenuated, drier and stronger finished beer.   Ganko Oyaji is an ideal after-dinner or before-bed restorative; it might even be delicious at breakfast too!  It promises to condition nicely for months and years to come.

Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine 2012 is available for immediate shipment to Baird Beer retailers throughout Japan. 

Upcoming Taproom Events:

*Superbowl Monday Live! at Fishmarket, Bashamichi and Nakameguro Taprooms:

Kick-off of the 2012 American football Superbowl happens at 8:30 am on Monday, February 6.  We will be showing the game live at three of our Taprooms:  Fishmarket, Bashamichi and Nakameguro.  Doors will open at 8:00 am.  Each Taproom will be serving a Superbowl buffet breakfast available to those who take the first meal of the day seriously.  Additionally, and in commemoration of its maiden debut 10 years ago at our 2002 Superbowl party, we will be tapping this year’s Carpenter’s Mikan Ale.  This is a morning event not to be missed, whether or not you happen to be a football fan.  Please join us.

*Morning Coffee Stout Brunch at 11:00 am Saturday, February 11:

Speaking of morning events, for the first time, we will be celebrating the annual release of our Morning Coffee Stout with a Saturday morning brunch at each of our Taproom pubs.  Doors will open, coffee stout will be pouring, pancakes will be flipping, jazz will be playing, and happy weekend morning revelry happening at 11:00 am sharp.  More details on the brunch menus of each Taproom will be released shortly.  In the meantime, mark your calendar!

Cheers!

Bryan Baird

Our experiments with yeast strain and fermentation regimen continue.  Now up:  Angry Belgian Brown Ale.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:

*Angry Belgian Brown Ale (ABV 6.5%):

Our Angry Boy has gone Belgian, fermented at high temperature (around 25 C) with our house Belgian yeast strain (rather than our normal house Scottish ale strain).  The flavor comparison is interesting:  subtle yet definite. 

Angry Belgian Brown Ale begins pouring from our Taproom taps today (Thursday, January 26).  It is draught-only and will be available also at other Baird Beer retailing pubs and restaurants throughout Japan. 

Cheers!

Bryan Baird

Our news cup has runneth over and this bulletin is packed with announcements.  Where to start?  That is easy:  the 2012 debut of Dark Sky Imperial Stout. 

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:

*Dark Sky Imperial Stout 2012 (9.5%):

This foreboding stout is a beer lover’s winter dream.  It is pitch-black in color, unctuous in body, elusively complex in flavor, warming in alcohol and piquantly hoppy.  This 2012 version is more highly attenuated than previous, bumping the alcohol strength to 9.5%.  The hop BUs total 80 (up from 75 a year ago) and include significant aroma contributions from a combination of Sterling, East Kent Golding and Hallertau Tradition.  As with all our big beers, we krausen at packaging to produce a secondary fermentation, natural carbonation and continued flavor evolution.  If you want to take the nip out of winter, this is your brew!

Dark Sky Imperial Stout begins pouring at our Taproom pubs, and at other Baird Beer retailing establishments in Japan, on Friday, January 20.  Bottles (633 ml) also are available and can be purchased either through our fine family of BB retailing Japan liquor shops or direct from the brewery via our online Eshop. 

Upcoming Taproom Events:

*Big Beer Winter Weekend @ Nakameguro Taproom (Jan. 20 – 22):

This event is our annual ode to the wonderful world of strong beers, or winter warmers, as they’re known in season.  We will be featuring twelve Big Beers (six Baird and six guest) during the weekend festivities.  These will be:

(a) Baird:

1. Jubilation Ale
2. Hatsujozo 2012 Strong Belgian Gold
3. Yabai-Yabai Strong Scotch Ale
4. West Coast Wheat Wine
5. Dark Sky Imperial Stout
6. Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine

(b) Guest:

1. Rogue Mogul Madness
2. Green Flash Imperial IPA
3. Ballast Point Victory at Sea Imperial Coffee Stout
4. Lagunitas Imperial Stout
5. Left Coast Asylum Belgian Triple
6. Rogue Old Crustacean Barley Wine

Big Beer Winter Weekend Drink Cards (7,200 yen) containing punches for all twelve Big Beers will be available for purchase.  Customers who complete the card during the weekend will receive a free, and newly designed, Baird Beer logo glass (500 ml or 250 ml size).  A la carte Big Beer purchases will be welcome also.

In addition to the fantastic lineup of strong ales, chef Ishikawa and the kitchen staff are busy designing a special weekend food menu to match and compliment the big beers.  Sayuri, John and I will be in attendance Friday evening to kick off this special weekend of gluttony.  Please join us.

*Taproom Live — Sat. Jan. 21 @ Fishmarket Taproom; Sun. Jan. 22 @ Bashamichi Taproom:

Aside from good food and friendly camaraderie, nothing pairs better with beer than excellent music.  We are privileged to be hosting two live performances of acclaimed Irish fiddle player, Dale Russ, who will be accompanied by his friend and accomplished musician, Kyoto-based Jay Gregg.  Shows on both evenings will start at 7:00 pm.  There will be a JPY 500 cover charge at the door.  Hope to see you there!

Upcoming Taproom Improvements:

Both in the brewery and at our Taprooms, we always are in search of ways to get better.  We have hit on two changes to our Taproom service that we think will further enhance the customer experience:  (1) new Baird Beer glassware, and(2) newly designed Baird Beer menus. 

Glassware plays an important role in the experience of fine beer.  In our judgement, the finest beer glassware is crafted in Germany.  It has taken us  eleven years of hard work in order to be able to afford it, but at last we are turning to glassware from one of Germany’s premier makers — Sahm.  Beginning Friday, January 20, Baird Beer poured at our Taproom pubs will be served in volume delineated and BB-logoed Sahm glasses (500 ml and 250 ml sizes for year-round beer; 400 ml and 200 ml sizes for seasonal beer). 

Together with the new glassware, we will be debuting a beautiful new Baird Beer menu that has been designed by our talented artist friend, Ms. Eiko Nishida.  It is a lovely, full-color menu, printed on wood that is bi-lingual (Japanese on one side, English the other).  All of this has been in the making for some time now and we are thrilled finally to be ready to share it with you. 

Thanks for your continued support and patronage.

Cheers!

Bryan Baird

Happy New Year!  2012 promises to be an interesting one in Japan in the arena of craft beer.  Over the past 18-24 months the door to the Japan craft beer market has been kicked open wider than ever before:  the core enthusiast community has expanded, the periphery is becoming curious, and the pub/restaurant world has begun to broaden its drink menus to include a greater choice of characterful craft beer.   

We would like to contribute additional momentum to this movement with today’s release of a fantastic seasonal India Pale Ale:  Brewmaster’s Nightmare Rye IPA.

New Seasonal Beer Releases:

*Brewmaster’s Nightmare Rye IPA (ABV 6.5%):

We love the flavor of rye malt in beer.  It lends a spicy, dry character that we find especially pleasing when combined with large doses of piquantly bitter and pungently aromatic hops.  The problem with using significant portions of rye malt in the mash is that it tends to make the wort more viscous and gummy, thus rendering lautering (separation of liquid wort from particle grain material) slow and difficult.  This year, with more ambition than prudence, we loaded up the mash tun with a grist containing 50% malted rye!  A lauter that normally lasts 90 minutes ran 5 hours, with much stress, strain and underletting — just ask Chris!  Was it worth it?  Oh man!

Part of the 5-hour lauter nightmare was spent readying a massive quantity of five wonderful hop varieties (Columbus, Citra, Nelson Sauvin, NZ Cascade, Motueka) for multiple dosings in the kettle boil.  Why not add more to the whirlpool also?  And how about a post-primary fermentation double dosing of dry hops in the conditioning tank?  Yes and yes! 

Brewmaster’s Nightmare Rye IPA is draught-only.  It begins pouring at our Taproom pubs today (Tuesday, January 10).  It also will be served at other draught dispensing Baird Beer retailers throughout Japan.  Come in and get a few pints while the gettin’ is good!

Upcoming Taproom Events:

*Bashamichi Taproom 1-Year Anniversary Celebration (Sat-Sun, January 14-15, noon-close):

We opened the doors of our Yokohama Bashamichi Taproom on Saturday, January 15, 2011.  Fueled by the BBQ dreams and passions of our pitmaster/manager, Chuck Morrow, the Bashamichi Taproom enjoyed a smokin’ first year.  To celebrate the one-year birthday, and to show our thanks to the loyal customers that have supported it, the Bashamichi Taproom will be hosting a 2-day weekend BBQ and Baird Beer blowout bash.  Highlights include:

-500 yen BBQ plate specials:  chicken plate w/ cole slaw, pork plate w/ cole slaw, brisket plate w/ cole slaw, BBQ sandwich

-500 yen Baird Beer:  The entire lineup of Baird Beer will be poured in our 400 ml plastic bura-bura cups for 500 yen a pop.  This includes our special BT anniversary ale:  Black Smoke Stout.

-Live Texas Blues on Sunday afternoon:  The Sparky Trio will be rockin’ the house with great Texas blues.  They will perform four separate sets beginning at 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30 pm. 

To facilitate smooth service, food and beverage will be cash-on only, no tabs or credit cards.  Additional food and beer stations will be set up on the second floor for your convenience.  Please join us for what promises to be a special celebration.

*Big Beer Winter Weekend @ Nakameguro Taproom (Fri-Sunday, January 20-22):

This year’s annual Big Beer Winter Weekend at the Nakameguro Taproom will be held Friday-Sunday, January 20-22.  We will be pouring an amazing lineup of strong winter-warmer beers and serving them in conjunction with a special Otsumami menu.  Mark your calendar and stay tuned for specific details which will be released very shortly.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

It has become a Baird Beer tradition to greet the dawn of each new year with a special “First Brewed” (Hatsujozo) seasonal specialty beer.  At the stroke of midnight on the evening of December 31, we — along with a host of other Baird Beer retailing pubs/restaurants in Japan — pour this commemorative Hatsujozo and share it with our fellow beer enthusiasts in a toast to the New Year.  

New Baird Beer Seasonal Release: 

*Hatsujozo 2012 Strong Belgian Gold (ABV 8%):

This year’s “First Brewed” is a take on a Belgian-style strong golden ale:  a base-malt grist (Maris Otter, Pils, Munich, Sour) buttressed by a mammoth addition of Japanese korizato sugar that yields a strong 17.3 Plato wort; a moderate hopping regimen (30 IBU) that is conducted in five separate additions and combines nine different hop varieties (Motueka, Tradition, Perle, Vanguard, Glacier, Sterling, Hersbrucker, Saaz, Tettnanger); warm fermentation with our house Belgian ale yeast; and secondary fermentation and natural carbonation in package with the same Belgian ale strain.  2012 promises great things; Hatsujozo 2012 Strong Belgian Gold is the first it will deliver!

Hatsujozo 2012 is available this year exclusively in kegs.  It is meant to be enjoyed at a fine pub or restaurant on draught and in the company of friends, family, colleagues and all the great people we count as beer enthusiasts. 

Kampai to 2012!

Bryan Baird

P.S. Please join as at one of our Taproom pubs (Numazu Fishmarket, Nakameguro or Bashamichi) for fun and festive countdown parties on Saturday, December 31.  We will be pouring complimentary glasses of Hatsujozo 2012 to all patrons for our New Year toast.

Life is a fleeting thing.  Each of us is here but a very short time.  The older we get, the more clearly we comprehend this inexorable reality.  And despite the sometimes awful travails and the always regular monotony of life, it remains a mysteriously beautiful thing.  The end-of-the-year holiday season provides wonderful occasion for reflection and appreciation of the joy of living. 

At Baird Brewing, 0ur appreciation of this joy is manifested in a celebratory Christmas-New Year season holiday ale which we call Jubilation Ale.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:

*Jubilation Ale 2012 (ABV 7.5%):

This malty rich, festively red-hued ale derives its special character primarily from the addition of two wonderful local ingredients:  (1) fully ripened and freshly picked figs (ichijiku) and (2) cinnamon twigs culled from a Japanese nikki tree.  The full bodied character combined with the attendant alcohol strength will warm the flesh just as it brings jubilation to the soul. 

Jubilation Ale will be available on draught and in bottles (633 ml) throughout Japan beginning Friday, December 23.  Consumer purchases of bottles direct from the brewery are possible through our online E-Shop. 

Holiday Season Cheers!

Bryan Baird

The end-of-the-year holiday season is upon us once again.  Although 2011 has been a trying year in Japan, we hope everyone may enjoy more than a little peace and happiness during the Christmas and O-shogatsu season.  We take great joy in our fortune to be able to celebrate this special season each year with our many customer-friends.  We hope to provide you many reasons to get out and share the holiday happiness with your fellow beer enthusiasts.  Let me list several of these reasons below.

New Baird Beer Holiday Seasonal Releases:

*Midnight Oil Export Stout (ABV 6.5%):  In a change from tradition, we are moving up to December the release of our annually brewed foreign export stout, Midnight Oil.  Why?  I tasted a test bottle a few days back and felt it so richly delicious, and so appropriate to this warm and festive season, that I couldn’t hold back.

Export stouts generally are rich and roasty in flavor, moderately high in alcohol strength, and sport some noticeable hop character (normally registering in terms of bitterness and flavor).  Baird Midnight Oil Export Stout enjoys a complexly layered roasted malt (barley & wheat) character that is balanced beautifully by just a kiss of caramel sweetness.  An unctuous, oily smoothness brings about a perfect finish.

Midnight Oil Export Stout begins pouring from our Taproom taps today, December 14.  It also will be available at other fine Baird Beer retailing pubs, restaurants and liquor shops beginning December 15.  The bottle-conditioned version (633 ml) will also be available for purchase direct from the brewery through our online E-Shop.

*Upcoming Holiday Seasonal Releases:  Mark you calendar for Friday, December 23 (which is a Japan national holiday).  This will be the release date for our special holiday season spiced ale — Jubilation Ale.  Brewed with Japanese figs (ichijiku) and cinnamon twigs (nikki), Jubilation Ale is a Christmas and O-shogatsu celebratory standout. 

As many of you know, we also have established the custom of ringing the arrival of each new year with the December 31 stroke-of-midnight release of a special Hatsu-jozo (First-brew) beer.  Hatsujozo 2012 is a strong golden ale fermented with our house Belgian ale yeast.  Kampai toasts will be made with it at the countdown parties of many Baird Beer retailing establishments in Japan, including our own Taproom pubs (which will pour a complimentary glass to attending patrons to celebrate the first toast of 2012).

Upcoming Taproom and Beer Events:

*Special Cheese & Beer Tasting @ Nakameguro Taproom on Sunday, December 18 (1:00 – 3:00 pm):  We are teaming with Nagano-based cheese expert, Ms. Tomoko Tsuyuguchi, to introduce a marriage made in heaven — six gourmet cheeses paired with a selection of Baird Beers.  We’ll provide a bit of history and guidance (in Japanese); the fun part, though, will be arriving at your own conclusions with regard to the perfect beer/cheese matchup.  Cost is 4,500 yen per person.  There are only a few spaces remaining, so kindly RSVP to the Nakameguro Taproom staff as soon as possible (nakameguro-tap@bairdbeer.com or 03-5768-3025).

*Grand Opening of Goodbeer Faucets on Sunday, December 18:  A brand new 40-tap craft beer pub in the heart of Shibuya called Goodbeer Faucets is opening its doors for business on December 18.  In addition to other great domestic and international craft beers, this will be the first non-Taproom pub in Tokyo to pour the entire lineup (year-round and seasonal) of Baird Beer.  These guys have a great concept in a great location.  Check them out at http://goodbeerfaucets.jp.

*Christmas Celebration @ Nakameguro Taproom (Friday-Sunday, December 23-25):  Opening at noon each day of this 3-day Christmas weekend, the Nakameguro Taproom kitchen will be featuring a special menu of Christmas dishes.  Jubilation Ale will debut on Friday, December 23.

*Countdown Parties @ Nakameguro, Bashamichi and Fishmarket Taprooms (Saturday, Dec. 31):  Each of these Taprooms will be hosting festive New Year’s countdown parties.  Nakameguro will be featuring a tasty all-you-can-eat buffet @ 1,500 yen per person and pouring Baird Beer at our low Numazu prices.  Chuck and Ken at Bashamichi are busy formulating their own special New Year’s menu as I write.  At our Numazu Fishmarket Taproom, we will be hosting, per our custom, an all-you-can-eat Mexican food buffet (1,500 yen per person; served from 5:00 – 10:00 pm) which will be spiced up with a open-mic karaoke night.  Hatsujozo 2012 will be tapped at the stroke of midnight and one complimentary glass will be served to all patrons.

Taproom O-shogatsu Schedules:

*Numazu Fishmarket Taproom:  Closed on January 1.  Open for special O-shogatsu service on January 2-3 (noon to 9:00 pm).  Closed on January 4-5.  Resumes normal hours on January 6.

*Nakameguro Taproom:  Closed January 1-2.  Open for special O-shogatsu service on January 3 (noon to 9:00 pm).  Resumes normal hours on January 4. 

*Harajuku Taproom:  Closed on December 31 (Tokyo countdown party @ Nakameguro).  Open for special O-shogatsu service on January 1-4 (noon to 9:00 pm).  Resumes normal hours on January 5. 

*Bashamichi Taproom:  Closed January 1-2.  Open for special O-shogatsu service on January 3-5 (noon to 9:00 pm).  Resumes normal hours on January 6.

We are looking forward to celebrating the season together with you.

Warm Holiday Cheer,

Bryan Baird

Yeast is the most mysterious and arguably most important ingredient in beer.  It is a living single-cell organism whose job in the brewery is to transform the sweet wort made by brewers into beer.   It does this by eating the wort sugars and turning them into alcohol, CO2 and myriad other chemical byproducts.  There exist many different strains of cultivated brewers’ yeast, each with a unique personality which imparts different characteristics to the fermented beer. 

In the Baird Beer brewery, we employ three different strains of yeast to ferment our beer:  (1) a Scottish ale yeast which is our main house strain, (2) a Belgian yeast strain noted for its use in witbier fermentations, and (3) a lager yeast known to be used widely in North American lager breweries.  We selected these strains after many brewing trials because we felt they performed better than others given the processing techniques used at our brewery. 

Recently, both for our own edification and that of our customers, we have been fermenting many of our year-round brands with a yeast strain other than the one we normally employ.  Today we are releasing two more of these non-standard yeast fermented year-round beers:  (1) Numazu Ale and (2) Red Rose Belgian Ale.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:

*Numazu Ale (ABV 5.4%):  Obviously, this is Numazu Lager fermented with an ale yeast (our Scottish ale strain).  Drink this side-by-side Numazu Lager and witness for yourself the flavor difference between a lager and ale yeast fermentation.

*Red Rose Belgian Ale (ABV 5.8%):  Yes, we have fermented Red Rose Amber Ale (normally done with our Scottish ale strain) with our Belgian ale strain.  How similar are they?  How different?  What is the difference?  Please taste it for yourself.

Both Numazu Ale and Red Rose Belgian Ale will begin pouring from our Taproom taps on Wednesday, December 7.  They also will be available at other fine Baird Beer retailing establishments throughout Japan — in both draught and bottle (633 ml) form — beginning the same day.

Cheers!

Bryan Baird

The onset of cooler weather and shorter days announces the arrival of the season for the enjoyment of hearty, warming and complexly potent ales.  We are pleased to greet the season with the release of our 2011 version of West Coast Wheat Wine. 

New Seasonal Baird Beer Releases:

*West Coast Wheat Wine 2011 (ABV 9%):

Wheat Wine is a beer style born on the U.S. West Coast in the 1980s, thought to have  been originally brewed at the Rubicon brewery-pub in Sacramento, California.  It has as its progenitor the British Barely Wine style.  A Wheat Wine, generally, is characterized by a rich and hearty complexity that is lightened and made a touch sprite by a predominantly wheat, rather than barley, malt base.  It is a style representative of the irreverent creativity and unrelenting passion that are hallmarks of craft brewing on the West Coast of the United States.  Baird West Coast Wheat Wine is crafted in annual homage to the skilled brewing artisans and fearless beer entrepreneurs who have pioneered craft brewing on America’s great West Coast!

This 2011 version of West Coast Wheat Wine contains no character malt whatsoever and thus appears in a wonderfully hazy hue of sunset gold.   The flavor is characterized by a deep, layered wheat malt complexity that is complemented  beautifully by a citrus-fruit accented hop character (exclusive use of U.S. West Coast hops:  Citra, Centennial, Cascade, Ahtanum).   At packaging, West Coast Wheat Wine is krausened in order to add further flavor complexity and to produce a piquant all-natural carbonation.  

West Coast Wheat Wine 2011 will begin pouring from our Taproom taps on Wednesday, November 23 (which happens to be a Japan national holiday — appreciation of labor day).  It also will be available at other fine Baird Beer retailing pubs and restaurants throughout Japan.  Bottles (633 ml) can be purchased by individual consumers direct from the brewery via our online E-Shop.

Cheers!

Bryan Baird