Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
New Releases: Fruitful Life Collaboration Ale & Morning Coffee Stout
Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:
We are celebrating the debut of two unique seasonal brews (Fruitful Life Collaboration Ale and Morning Coffee Stout 2013) with two special Taproom beer events (Nakameguro Taproom European Beer Night and Morning Coffee Stout Brunch).
New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Fruitful Life Collaboration Ale (6.8%):
One of the best aspects of working in the craft beer industry is the friendly spirit of cooperation that exists among brewers. This spirit manifests itself in many ways, none more indicative than collaboration brewing. Our most recent collaborative brew was in partnership with the Mikkeller guys (idiosyncratic Danish “gypsy” brewers of world renown). Brew day was December 10, 2012 at the Baird Brewery in Numazu. It was a fruitful one.
The charge from Mikkel was: “Let’s brew a distinctive beer incorporating as many fresh local ingredients as you can get your hands on.” Into the Heda orchards of Nagakura-san we went, scavenging five types of in-season citrus fruit (aoshima mikan, hassaku, kabosu, yuzu and lemon). In addition to the fruit, we brewed with three types of Japanese sugar (korizato, akato, sudakito) as well as raw wheat from Saitama. The hops we used were all fruit-accented varieties (Summit, Nelson Sauvin, Cascade, NZ Cascade, Motueka). We fermented the wort with our Belgian yeast strain and then krausened at packaging with our Single-Take Session Ale.
The result is a dry, crisp, and unmercifully tart citrus ale. It is draught-only and is debuting at our Nakameguro Taproom European Beer Night on Thursday, February 28. It will be available at our other Taproom pubs beginning Friday, March 1. If you are a craft beer retailer and wish to purchase one of the remaining kegs, please contact our friends at Whisk-e (importers of Mikkeller beer) as they will be the distributor (fukuda@whisk-e.co.jp; tel 03-5418-4611).
*Morning Coffee Stout 2013 (7%):
Each year at Baird Beer we combine our passion for stout with our love of coffee in the brewing of Morning Coffee Stout. This 2013 version is an export-style stout infused with freshly roasted (delivered still warm direct from the roaster of our friends at Arabica Coffee) organic beans from Mexico. We add these beans — whole, without grinding – directly to the stout in the conditioning tank in what amounts to a cold beer toddy extraction method. The result is a perfectly balanced flavor marriage between stout beer and java beans.
Morning Coffee Stout 2013 debuts Saturday, March 2 at 11:00 am sharp at all of our Taproom pubs in a special Morning Coffee Stout Brunch. It also will be available both on draught and in bottles (360 ml) at other fine Baird Beer retailing establishments throughout Japan beginning Saturday, March 2. If you enjoy both the flavors of stout beer and coffee, this is a beer not to miss.
Taproom Beer Events:
*Nakameguro Taproom European Beer Night (Thursday, February 28):
This is the kick-off party for the release of the Baird-Mikkeller Fruitful Life Collaboration Ale. We are taking it also as an opportunity to celebrate beers from Europe — the cradle of modern beer culture. In addition to the Fruitful Life Collaboration Ale, we will feature five European beers, all imported by Whisk-e, on tap. The selected beers are:
Mikkeller Sort Gul Black IPA
Nogne Brun Belgian
Thornbridge Saint Petersburg Stout
Brew Dog Dogma Scotch Ale
Brew Dog 77 Lager
A one-night only European Beer Card with punches for all six featured beers (sampler glass size) will be available for 1,800 yen. Patrons who complete the card will be awarded a special beer goods prize. Chef Joon is preparing a European-themed food menu designed to complement the beer selection. This is not to be missed! Doors open at 5:00 pm.
*Morning Coffee Stout Brunch (Saturday-Sunday, March 2-3, 11:00 – 13:00):
All of our Taproom pubs will open early on Saturday and Sunday (March 2-3) to host a brunch celebrating the release of Morning Coffee Stout 2013. Each Taproom will feature its own distinct brunch menu which will be served from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm. Bring the kids too — they are always welcome!
Morning Coffee Stout Brunch will also serve as kick-off of Baird Beer Taproom Lucky 7 Stout Month. During the month of March we will be paying homage to stout beers by releasing six seasonal versions of stout. The Stouts on the menu are:
Morning Coffee Stout
Midnight Oil Export Stout
Mama’s Milk Stout
Smoke & Fire Habanero Stout
Black Smoke Stout
Great American Stout
The lucky seventh stout is our year-round Irish-style dry stout, Shimaguni Stout. Each of the beers will be released on separate dates (to be announced as the month unfolds). Lucky Seven Stout Month cards will be printed and Baird Beer prizes will be awarded at the end of the month to patrons who have completed the entire card (which includes the seven stouts as well as an eighth beer, Luck of the Irish Red Ale, which will be released on St. Patrick’s Day). The cards can be used and stamped at any of our four Taproom pubs. The Taproom kitchens will be preparing specialty dishes throughout the month designed to enhance your stout drinking experience.
Cheers,
Bryan Baird
Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE
RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,
Must-see tasting websites:
-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents
HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City
