Falling in Love Again: Rising Sun Pale Ale
Starting in 2017, we are running a “Falling in Love Again” series where each month we will feature one beer from our year-round lineup to re-introduce each beer with some new background info that you might not know. Our Taprooms will also feature special promotions connected with the monthly beer.
This October we will introduce our year-round beer that gets the most questions about its name: Angry Boy Brown Ale!
Angry Boy Brown Ale
Among the year-round Baird Beers, one of the most common questions we get is where we got the naming for Angry Boy Brown Ale. Why is this boy angry? The truth is, “angry boy” was Bryan’s nickname as a child. Even as a child he had very strong preferences and a strong will to make things go his way. He loved football and would even wear his team’s uniform when going out on Sundays. But when his team lost, Angry Boy would make an appearance. Baird fans from long ago may remember, but the original label for this beer featured a picture of Bryan as a child surrounded by football helmets. Wow, that label feels like ages ago!
The Original Label
Moving on to the focus of this article: the beer itself! Brown ale is a traditional English style of beer. Real ale is a common style of beer served at British pubs and it’s basically a lighter style with a soft flavor. Compared to this, our brown ale is spicy, packs a hoppy punch, and is quite sharp. Your first taste will introduce you to to a kind, malty sweetness, but further drinking will bring out complexity and bitterness, and finish with an angry edge. With an IBU clocking in at 45, Angry Boy finds itself nestled between Rising Sun Pale Ale and Teikoku IPA in terms of bitterness.
One of our real ales
I touched a bit on the label artwork earlier, but this is the only Baird Beer that ever underwent a complete re-imagining by our designer. You could almost call this Bryan’s autobiographical beer! The old label depicts the child Bryan, who would get livid watching his beloved team lose to their rivals whereas the new label depicts a matured Bryan, living in Japan (hence the blue-eyed samurai) and achieving his goals with unconquerable strength and determination.
The blue-eyed samurai
Like Angry Boy Brown Ale, every Baird Beer has a back story. Personal tales, historical tales, tales of beer styles, these beers are steeped in stories. We hope that you, those who enjoy these beers, do so in a way that compliments and becomes a part of your lifestyle and experiences.
Sayuri Baird