Tag Archives: 日本

観光, 農業, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Shimada City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Supermarkets, Tourism, vegetables

Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Japan Bazaar Supermarket in Shimada City

Leave a comment

Aki Suzuki/鈴木朋 doing her Sunday shopping at Japan Bazaar!

Contrary to other Prefectures, Shizuoka Prefecture does not so much grow in large mass-producing farms but more in a myriad of highly specialized agricultural ventures.
Which means a lot of cooperation needed for marketing.
The good side of it all is that buyers can visit the supermarkets selling the products of so many small farmers in one single place for the pleasure and convenience of all, especially restaurateurs.

Such a place (there are many others of course!) is “Japan Bazaar” in Shimada City!
My good friend, Ms. Aki Suzuki, Chef at my favorite vegetables restaurant Yasaitei, regularly (that is, on Sundays) drives all the way from Shizuoka City to buy her ingredients there. A must destination for her when you realize they retail the products of more than 260 local farmers!

They even sell wooden fence poles and shiitake wood logs!

It is actually located in the middle of a very scenic spot in Shimada City next to immense tea fields and not far from the Oi River.
Now, let me show what they were selling on a Sunday at around lunch time (yesterday):

Flowers in pots.

Cut flowers for ikebana/flower arrangements.

Flowers is actually a major business in our Prefecture and all year round at that!

Leeks!

These little seeds on the left are actually gardenia/kuchinashi/梔子 seeds, mainly used as natural colorant!

Broccoli!

Winter/Spring onions, tender and juicy!

Shiitake mushrooms.

Daikon. I just couldn’t help taking a pic of that strange one!

These are daikon, too!

Great traceability!

Mini tomatoes.

Great eggs from Kikugawa City. Aki would come for them only!

Organic eggs from the same producer!

Shizuoka is strawberry country!

Potatoes.

Amanatsu/甘夏 oranges.

Pampeyu! The largest citrus in the world?

Suruga Elegant oranges.

Kintsuba/sword guard cakes.

Home-made bentos!

More of them!

Shizuoka Prefecture is growing more and more of its own rice!

Great traceability again!

Rice powder/Komeko/米粉, great for wheat allergics!

Home-made soap (not for eating!).

Home-made jams!

Tokoroten/Agar agar jelly and konnyaku jelly!

Shimada beef and pork!

Aki’s basket!

Traceability again: the hens that lay the eggs on sale!

Sake made with sake rice (gohyakumangoku) grown in Shimada City and brewed by Oomuraya Brewery (next article!)

(Farmers Market) Japan Bazaar
427-0111 Shizuoka ken, Shimada Shi, Sakamoto, 4245-3
Tel.: 0547-5505
Fax: 0547-38-5507
Business hours: 09:00~17:30
50-car park
Closed on New Year only

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Cafes, Cakes, Desserts, Ice Cream

Dessert Plates at Rouge & Piquant

4 Comments

Service: Friendly, attentive and without any fuss
Facilities: Great tidiness, beautiful washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Very natural taste cakes, great artistic food design, late hours
Entirely non-smoking!

It’s been some time since I visited Rouge & Piquant which has become an institution of its own in Shizuoka City!
Last Friday I finally found a good reason to sample its supreme desserts after a great dinner at an Italian restaurant. We had decided to skip the dessert there for an extravagant finish to the evening!

Rouge Et Piquant is definitely an off-the-beaten-tracks cafe/cake shop.
The opening hours (14:00~24:00) are surely not the norm in Japan. Ms. Kanae Tsunogai’s confectionery concept shows some courage and determination in a very stereotyped country in spite of all its great creators. The accent is not on the sweetness, but on the true taste of the ingredients. So do not expect mountains of sugar or sweeteners. Her cakes are definitely for an adult audience in all the senses of the expression!

Cakes do not lay for an eternity inside a glass display, but their ingredients are assembled on order at the last second before being served. This is slow food cakes and desserts at their best!

Cakes are served individually or in dessert combination plates.
I opted for the “Rouge/Red” dessert consisting of two cakes:

A small red fruit tart with cassis, redcurrant, raspberry, blueberries, strawberry and apple slices mounted on a soft Chantilly Cream!

Raspberry, orange, pear, cassis sorbet balls, orange wedges and meringue artistically arranged on a sablé biscuit!
The sauce is raspberry coulis.

My friend opted for the “Chocolat/Chocolate” plate which consisted of:

Chocolate and banana cake with slices of chocolate génoise intersped with chocolate mousse and banana, the whole topped with Chantilly Cream and chocolate flakes!

And a sablé biscuit cup filled with (naturally!) home-made vanilla and caramel ice cream decorated with almonds and a chocolate ribbon.
The sauce is chocolate cream.

Need I comment any further?

Rouge Et Piquant
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-Cho, 2-4-29, Aspis Bldg. 2F
Tel.: 054-221-4538
Business Hours: 14:00~2:00
Closed on Mondays
Sits 2~3 at the counter and 8~10 at tables

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Japanese Gastronomy, vegetables

Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Stick Ginger at Hatada Garden

2 Comments

Toshikatsu Hatada/畑田敏克, the 7th generation of the Hatada Family!

With Chiba and Inbaraki Prefectures, stick ginger (or leaf ginger/ha shyouga/葉生姜 in Japanese) is a specialty of Shizuoka Prefecture, and the best are said to be cultivated in Kunou/久能, Suruga Ku, Shizuoka City near the sea where the sandy soil is most propitious!

Yesterday morning I found the whole family and their employees hard at work cleaning, sorting, cutting and packaging the leaf ginger harvested that morning.
Father, Mother, son and 4 staff, including a full time are not too many to harvest the vegetable grown on 1,500 tsubo/4,000 square meters in greenhouses.

Toshikatsu’s fater hard at work!
Toshikatsu’s grandfather first grew leaf ginger 34 years ago!

Ready for packaging. Beautiful, aren’t they?

For a closer look!

The root extremity will be snapped off (not cut!).

The snapped off extremities will not be thrown away. They are just too good! Their filaments and other unwanted parts can easily be pared off before the pieces of fresh ginger can be served in many ways, cooked or raw.
Toshikatsu recommend them fried rolled into tasty bacon!

Toshikatsu makes his own jam with the snapped off extremities of the fresh ginger and honey only. A true health food!

Or pickle them in amazu/sweet vinegar! I was offered that lot! a beauty!

The leaf ginger are carefully selected before delivery.

They usually harvest enough to prepare 100 boxes daily, but they have been asked to limit their delivery to forty daily boxes by their Association due to the recent earthquakes in north east Japan.

Half the boxes will be delivered immediately to Tokyo and the other half to various parts of Shizuoka Prefecture.

The inside of the leaf house greenhouses are hot!
I was advised to take off as many clothes as possible before entering.
40 degrees Celsius! No wonder!
The temperature is controlled by automatic ventilators, but Toshikatsu has to visit the greenhouses every morning and lift the second vinyl sheets where, if one is not careful, the temperature might go into the 70’s!

As for fertilizers, Toshikatsu uses only organic fertilizer, liquid or solid.
Pesticides will be spread at the the bare minimum only once a year.

The care for the health and quality of the vegetables will mean an unavoidable number of them rotting away that have to be taken out at once.

Toshikatsu does not market the rhyzomes (roots) that are found in markets all over the world, but use them for planting.

Choosing the right rhyzomes requires a lot of experience, good eyes, nose and ears (the snap sound is the best indictaion of their health!)!
The ryzhomes will be divided and planted from January to April to produce crops from March to July.
I can assure that the planting alone is back-breaking work!

Toshikatsu and his family grow “leafy” leeks between July and December inside the same greenhouses.
They also grow all year round tomatoes on 300 tsubo/1,000 square meters inside green huses, maily Momotaro and Chuudama varieties.
I certainly intend to come back soon to have a close look at those tomatoes!

Now, I took two batches of those freh leaf ginger with me to introduce them to restaurants of my own choosing. Two gastronomic articles are coming very soon!

Toshikatsu Hatada/畑田敏克
Hatada Garden/畑田農園
422-8015 Shizuoka Shi, Suruga Ku, Naka Hiramatsu, 212/静岡市駿河区中平松２１２
Tel/Fax: 054-238-3484
Mobile Phone: 09014137499
Corporate and individual orders accepted!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

花の舞酒造, Hamamatsu City, Hana no Mai Brwery, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, 浜松市

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Hana No Mai Brewery-Junmai Shiboritate Genshu

Leave a comment

Hana no Mai Brewery in Hamamatsu City ‘ the largest Sake Brewery in Shizuoka Prefecture and export a sizeabkle amount abroad.
For quit some time they have been breweing their sake with their own ingredients. They grow their own Yamada Nishiki rice in the same city, uses Shizuoka yeats and the local water!

They produce also many limited brews such this nicely warpped “shiboritate/newly pressed” Junmai (no alcohol added) Genshu (no water added!

Rice: Shizuoka-grown Yamada Nishiki
Rice milled down to 60%
Dryness: +3
Acidity: 1.8
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees
Bottled in October 2010

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Fruity and asserive. banana, pineapple, custard
Body: Fluid
Taste: Strong fruity alcohol attack.
Warms back of the palate.
Dryish and strong junmai petillant.
Lingers for a short while with lots of almonds and coffee beans. Oranges, Macadamia nuts, hints of dark chocolate.
Drinks well with food with more Macadamia nuts.

Overall: Unusually strong sake for Hana No Mai Brewery.
Straightforward and fruity.
Tends to vary with food.
Best appreciated with strong taste food, although the latter might influence the taste.
A good sake for Izakayas!

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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
——————————–
Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

—————————————-
日本語のブログ

Fuji-Takasago Brewery, Fujinomiya City, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, 富士高砂酒造

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fuji-Takasago Brewery-Tokubetsu Junmai Diamond Fuji

Leave a comment

Although the Fuji-Takasago Brewery in Fujinomiya City is part of a larger conglomerate, all the staff is from Shizuoka Prefecture and the sake there are made exclusively according to methods prevalent in the Prefecture.

Moreover, they are active in promoting sake rice grown in Shizuoka Prefecture.
In this particular case half of the rice used for this brew is Homare Fuji, a Yamada Nishii hybrid developed in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Rice: Yamada Nishiki and Shizuoka-grownHomare Fuji
Rice milled down to 60%
Dyness: +6
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottlled in November 2010

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Fruity: pineapple, custard. almonds
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very dry attack backed up by Junmai petillant.
Fruity: dry almonds, custard.
Quickly disappears with a soft custard note.
Very soft and easy to drink in spite of its softness.
Turns dry with food.
Goes very well with fish and sashimi.
As nurukan/lukewarm: Turns sweeter with a short strong junmai pang with a quick comeback on the drier side.
Oranges and custard.
very pleasant as a warm sake.

Overall: Very pleasant and easy to drink sake.
Goes well with any food, raw or cooked.
A sake to please everyone!
A great sake for a great party!

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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
——————————–
Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shidaizumi Brewery, 志田泉酒造

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Shidaizumi Brewery/Organic Sake-Junmai Ginjo

Leave a comment

Shidaizumi Brewery in Fujieda City has been conducting some very interesting experiments with organic ake rice for some time.
With Aoshima Brewery in the same city, a new movement has been started for a new and growing trend: Organic sake.

Shidaizumi Brewery hence received the Ecofarmer License from the Shizuoka Prefectureas a member of the JA Oigawa Yaizu Sake Rice Research Committee.

The Brewery used organic rice of the Yamada Nishiki strain cultivated by 11 farmers in Yaizu City:
Kohji Ohata, Toshiyuki Umehara, Masamitsu Masuda, Tatsuo Muramatsu, Teruo Matsumura, Toshiyuki Sone, Hirao Noda, Masashi Suzuki, Naomi Yamamoto, Riji Yagi and Kazuyuki Ishikawa.

Rice: Organic Yamada Nishiki all grown in Shizuoka Prefecture
Rice milled to: 55%
Yeast: NEW-5 (Shizuoka)
Dryness: +5.0
Acidity: 1.2
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in December 2010

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Bananas
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry attack with junmai petillant.
Soft but complex.
Warms up back of the palate and ends on a dry note.
Banana, almond, apricot, memories of coffee beans and dark chocolate.
Dry melon appears with food with more nuts and dark chocolate.
Elegant, easy to drink.

Overall: Ever talked of a “feminine drink”?
A sake not easy to discern.
Ladies would be screaming for it?

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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
——————————–
Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Robert Yellin’s Newsletter: Japanese Pottery Spring Greetings

Leave a comment

Holding a dish by Asano Akira

Dear Japanese Pottery Enthusiasts and Friends,

Greetings from Mishima and we hope this finds everyone well as we
enter in the lovely spring season, at least for those of us in
the northern hemisphere. In Mishima now spring is slowly
appearing in subtle way, a bud here, a songbird there and of
course the dreaded cedar pollen too! Into March……

Wakimoto Hiroyuki’s plates

Here at the gallery we have some stunning works online and more
on the horizon. A few weeks ago I visited Bizen for Wakimoto
Hiroyuki’s kiln unloading and selected an assortment of work,
some purely sculptural, yet most are daily functional pieces. I
often find the greatest joy in ceramic art is the beauty and
satisfaction that comes from the simple joys of daily life, such
as eating and drinking. Wakimoto’s tableware is quite
‘user-friendly’ and surely would bring a smile to Rosanjin’s
heart. Here is an example:
http://www.japanesepottery.com/gallery_detail.php?currentnum=0&cid=0&iid=1177&keys

Kako Katsumi’s Bowl

Also, we have some great news for two of our artists who we have
introduced to the world, Kako Katsumi and Gomi Kenji. For Kako it
is in the form of his chawan, of which he creates thoroughly new
glazing schemes and deep forms. First, a white-splashed glaze
chawan was selected for the very prestigious Japan Ceramic Art
exhibition showing in Tokyo next month. The JCA exhibition is a
select and juried exhibition that is quite hard to be shown at,
and most works are in a larger sculptural realm, of which Kako
also is maturing with great skill and finesse:
http://www.japanesepottery.com/gallery_detail.php?currentnum=0&cid=NOTSOLD&iid=802&keys=kako
In past JCA exhibitions very few chawan are exhibited, and in one
catalog I just flipped through there were only four, two being
from the hands of Living National Treasures! Kako’s chawan will
be in the catalog as well and we have a very similar one on the
gallery now:
http://www.japanesepottery.com/gallery_detail.php?currentnum=0&cid=NOTSOLD&iid=1169&keys=kako
The brown one shown in the related photos is also very similar
that was just selected and awarded at the upcoming Tanabe
Museum’s Contemporary Tea Forms exhibition! As I’ve told Kako
many times, “your time is now!”

Gomi Kenji’s vase

For Gomi Kenji his time is fast approaching, maybe even too fast.
Just last year we discovered him at a group exhibition in Gifu
and *immediately* fell head over heels for his stunning
creations. Well, the powers-that-are also took notice and his
work will also be shown at the JCA exhibition as well as being
awarded the JCA Exhibition Prize and Grand Prize Runner-Up! In
addition, he was awarded at the upcoming Musee Tomo Biennial.
Kudos to these truly talented rising stars!

Other news includes Kato Takahiko’s kiln unloading next week in
Shigaraki. I’ll be driving down for that to select works, as well
as to visit a few other artists there and in Kyoto. The Japan
Ceramic Society Awards went to Miwa KyusetsuXII(Ryosaku) and
Maeda Masahiro.
I was very saddened to hear the other day that Tokoname veteran
potter Takeuchi Kimiaki had passed way for reasons I still am not
sure of. His wife called and left a cryptic message. I called
back to express my condolences and left it at that. Takeuchi was
just 63 years old.

In Tokyo this weekend is a new kogei-craft fair and for anyone in
the area it should be worth visiting: http://global.kogeiart.com/
Some new works in the gallery also worth mentioning are a large
‘Fuji’ charger by the late great artist-teacher Asano Akira:
http://www.japanesepottery.com/gallery_detail.php?currentnum=1&cid=0&iid=1156&keys
A deep amber-glazed jar by Shimizu Yasutaka, square plate by
Living National Treasure Kondo Yuzo, a set of Oribe mukozuke by
the late great Sasaki Tadashi and a Mashiko faceted jar by the
late great Murata Gen.

We hope you’ll refresh your senses and enjoy some amazing works
by visiting our gallery online at www.japanesepottery.com or of
course stop by here in Mishima. We may have some big news about a
gallery move this year so stay tuned on that as well.

In any event, I and my staff thank you so very much for your
interest and patronage; all the best from Japan.

Cordially,

Robert Yellin
robert@e-yakimono.net
Yukari Niokawa
Izumi Tonegawa
Hiroko Iwata

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Baird Beer, Beer, Japanese Gastronomy, Numazu City

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2011/03/03)

Leave a comment

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

New Seasonal Releases; Lucky 7 Stout Week
Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

The tremendous variety inherent in beer rivals the frequent vagaries inherent in weather. As we approach spring here in Japan, daily changes in the weather are becoming more pronounced; so too are demonstrations of beer diversity. We are pleased to contribute to the beer diversity cause with the release of two unique brews: Second Strike Apple Ale and Wheaty IPA.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Second Strike Apple Ale (ABV 6%): The concept, and the succulent Nagano prefecture apples, for this brisk and refreshing fruited ale — brewed for a second consecutive year, were provided by the Harajuku-based company Alias’ president, Tajima-san. The chief difference with last year’s version is fermentation with our house Belgian ale yeast. The grist consists of a combination of wheat and barley malts, as well as un-malted wheat and Sudakito sugar. Hopping is moderate (25 IBUs) and simple (two additions of two varieties: Perle & Vanguard). Freshly cut, sliced and minced Nagano apples are incorporated in three different stages: (1) Wort kettle , (2) Whirlpool, and (3) Conditioning tank. The flavor result is crisp, tart and effervescent.

Second Strike Apple Ale enjoys an exclusive debut release at our Harajuku Taproom on Friday, March 4. General release happens on Saturday, March 5. It is available both on draught and in bottles (633 ml). Individual consumers can purchase bottles direct from the brewery via our online E-shop.

*Wheaty IPA (ABV 6%): This is another in our line of small-batch ales brewed exclusively for Real Ale dispense via the hand-pumps at our Taproom pubs. As the name implies, this is an India Pale Ale heavily accented with malted wheat (30% of the grist). The hop bitterness is clean (Warrior and Horizon) but the flavor and aroma is fruity (Centennial, Cascade, NZ Cascade). The soft and low-CO2 real ale dispense through our British hand-pumps yields an exquisite imbibing treat.

Wheaty IPA is being poured exclusively at our Taproom pubs beginning Friday, March 4. Please stop in for a pint while quantities last.

Upcoming Taproom Events:
*Lucky 7 Stout Week @ Nakameguro Taproom (March 13 – March 21):

Each of the past several years we have used the Irish national holiday, St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), as an excuse to celebrate the quintessential Irish ale style — Stout. Stout, of course, is a wonderful pitch-black ale that enjoys many stylistic manifestations. We serve up seven different interpretations of Stout during our week-long celebration which we call Lucky 7 Stout Week. This year we will be holding Lucky 7 Stout Week at our Nakameguro Taproom, kicking off at noon on Sunday, March 13 and running through the Japan national holiday, Monday, March 21.

We will be selling special Lucky 7 Stout drink cards throughout the week and purchasing customers who complete the card during the week will be eligible for a raffle of special Baird Beer prizes. The NT kitchen will be serving seven Irish specialty dishes all week to match the stouts. Sayuri and I will be in attendance on March 13 to enjoy Stout, talk Stout, eat Irish food and revel in the camaraderie of fellow enthusiasts. More Stout Week details will be forthcoming shortly.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE


The Japan Blog List

———————————
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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
——————————–
Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Baird Beer, Beer, Japanese Gastronomy, Microbrewery Beer, Numazu City

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2011/02/16)

Leave a comment

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine 2011 Debut; Barley Wine Beer School @ Nakameguro Taproom

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

It is the time of year when the big bear of the Baird Beer world, Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine, emerges from its hibernal rest in the Baird Brewery cellars. Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine 2011 will debut, along with its new brand artwork, on Saturday, February 26 (coinciding with the kick-off of our Nakameguro Taproom Barley Wine Beer School event).

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:

*Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine 2011 (ABV 9.5%):

Brewed in June 2010 and packaged upon krausening in July, Ganko Oyaji 2011 sports a grist bill consisting of floor-malted Maris Otter and Bohemian Pils, as well as British crystal malt and 10% Japanese red (akato) sugar. This year we lowered the starting gravity somewhat(23.9 Plato), primarily fermented with an American Ale yeast, increased the hop bitterness (75 IBU), and krausened with our house Scottish Ale yeast. The result is a potently complex yet extraordinarily balanced big 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 2011 will be available on draught at all of our Taproom pubs and at other Baird Beer retailing restaurants beginning Saturday, February 26. Bottles (633 ml) can be purchased direct from our brewery E-Shop and through the fine family of Baird Beer retailing liquor shops in Japan beginning the same day. Vertical tastings of three years of Ganko Oyaji (2008, 2010, 2011) will be possible exclusively at our Nakameguro Taproom. A small number of kegs of the 2008 Ganko Oyaji remain available for retailer purchase.

Upcoming Taproom Events:

*Nakameguro Taproom Barley Wine Beer School (Saturday-Sunday, February 26-27):

This is another in our popular series of Nakameguro Taproom Beer School seminars. Our thematic focus this time will be the historical beer style known as Barley Wine. Two Beer School sessions will be held: an English language version on Saturday, February 26 (3:00 – 5:00 pm) and a Japanese language version on Sunday, February 27 (1:00-3:00 pm). The English language Beer School will be conducted by Baird Beer Lead Brewer, Chris Poel, and Nakameguro Taproom Beer Manager, Marco McFarren. The Japanese language Beer School will be led by Baird Brewer, Tetsuya Kataoka, and Nakameguro Taproom Manager/Chef, Akitsuke Ishikawa. Cost of participation is 3,500 yen and enrollment is limited to 30 people per session. Advanced reservations are required (email: nakameguro-tap@bairdbeer.com or call/visit the NT directly).

During the Beer School, the following Barley Wine ales will be tasted:

Baird Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine 2008
Baird Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine 2010
Baird Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine 2011
Swan Lake Barley Wine (2011 debut version)
Green Flash Barley Wine
Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine 2009
Iwate Kura Barley Wine (wine yeast fermented)
Additionally, Chef Ishikawa-san and his staff will be serving a wonderful light tasting of speciality dishes matched with various of the Barley Wine ales. This is a beer and food event not to be missed. Please contact the Nakameguro Taproom today to reserve you spot.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE


The Japan Blog List

———————————
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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
——————————–
Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2011/02/16)

Leave a comment

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Seasonal Release: Morning Coffee Stout

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

Are you a fan of rich, roasty and robust stouts? Do you love a fresh brewed morning coffee? The answer is yes for me on both counts.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Morning Coffee Stout 2011 (ABV 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 2011 version is an export-style stout infused with freshly roasted (delivered still warm direct from the roaster of our friends at Arabica Coffee) Indonesian Royal Mandarin beans. We add these beans, after a very coarse 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 2011 will be pouring from our Taproom taps, and those of other Baird Beer handling pubs and restaurants beginning Thursday, February 17. It also will be available in bottles (633 ml) direct from the brewery via our online E-shop as well as through the growing family of Baird Beer retailing liquor shops in Japan.

As is our proclivity as passionate brewers, we continue to experiment all the time with new beer styles and new recipes. A recent example of this experimentation is being released tomorrow (Feb. 17) as Real Ale dispensed from handpumps exclusively at our four Taproom pubs. We call it: Winter Session Ale.

*Winter Session Ale (ABV 5.3%):

“Session” ales, of course, are light, low-alcohol beers that still pack real flavor and lots of refreshment. Our winter version is, as you might expect, just a little stronger and more robust than normal. The grist consists almost entirely of European base malts while the hop bill is an interesting mix of clean American varieties (Horizon and Perle) and grassy, herbal, spicy European ones (Tradition, Hersbrucker and Styrian Golding). Pulled from our handpumps, the flavor is soft, aromatic and wholesomely refreshing. Stop in for a pint or two at one of our Taproom pubs while quantities last.

Upcoming Taproom Events:
*Barley Wine Beer School at the Nakameguro Taproom (Sat-Sun, Feb. 26-27):

This is another in our popular series of Nakameguro Taproom “beer school” seminars. This time round the thematic focus will be on the historical beer style known as Barley Wine. Baird brewers will team with our Nakameguro Taproom staff in presenting a Barley Wine style seminar that includes a vertical tasting of three different years of Baird Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine as well as samplings of several other brewery Barley Wines. Food pairings, tastings and explanations also will be part of the package.

The seminar will be held in two languages on two separate days (English language on Saturday, Feb. 26 from 3:00-5:00 pm; and Japanese language on Sunday, Feb. 27 from 1:00-3:00 pm). Cost per participant, including beer and food tastings, is 3,500 yen. Each seminar is limited to 30 participants and reservations are required. Please contact the Nakameguro Taproom directly for more information or to make reservations.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE


The Japan Blog List

———————————
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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
——————————–
Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2011/02/10)

Leave a comment

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Baird Big Beer Winter Weekend @ Nakameguro Taproom

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

The annual Baird Big Beer Winter Weekend is now upon us. This three-day holiday weekend festival of strong ales and warming lagers kicks off at noon on Friday, February 11 at our Nakameguro Taproom. Event details follow below.

Baird Big Beer Winter Weekend @ Nakameguro Taproom (Friday, Feb. 11 – Sunday, Feb. 13):
*Featured Big Beers (Tasters 400 yen; Half-Pints 700 yen):
(a) Baird Beer:

Hatsujozo 2011 Imperial Pale Lager
Yabai-Yabai Strong Scotch Ale 2010
Baird Beer Ten (Imperial Red Ale)
Triple-Dry European Imperial IPA
Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine 2011 (Debut Tapping)
Dark Sky Imperial Stout 2011
West Coast Wheat Wine 2010
(b) Guest Beer:

Iwate Kura Barley Wine (Japan)
Isekadoya Imperial IPA (Japan)
Minoh Imperial Stout (Japan)
Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout (USA)
Bear Republic Big Bear Stout (USA)
Ballast Point Imperial Porter (USA)
Stone Double Bastard (USA)
This is the first year that we have featured guest Japan craft beer at the event and we are pleased to offer Big Beers brewed by three of our favorite Japanese brewers: Niwa-san of Iwate Kura, Nakanishi-san of Isekadoya and Kaori-san of Minoh. It looks too like we will be fortunate enough to receive special visits by our guest brewers during the weekend.

In addition to the tremendous lineup of Big Beer that will be served all weekend long, Ishikawa-san and the kitchen staff are busy preparing a wonderful selection of special Big Beer-inspired food dishes that promise to terrifically enhance the beer experience. Also, our Nakameguro Taproom has just undergone a bit of a cosmetic facelift as we have added a cozy sofa lounge area around the big screen T.V. and replaced one of our wall counters with small marble tables and comfortable lounge chairs. Come on in and check it out!

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE


The Japan Blog List

———————————
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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
——————————–
Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2011/02/04)

Leave a comment

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

2011 Release of Mikan Ale; Upcoming Big Beer Winter Weekend

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

I am excited to announce that today marks the 10th annual release of the first fruited ale ever brewed at Baird: Carpenter’s Mikan Ale.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Release:
*Carpenter’s Mikan Ale 2011 (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.

This 2011 version of the Carpenter’s Mikan Ale is different in several respects from its 2010 predecessor. For starters, it is a darker hue of orange-red than previous due to the use of Japanese red sugar (akato) instead of sudakito sugar. We also lowered the starting gravity of the wort somewhat to bring the alcohol percentage down to six. We then went back to fermenting with our house Scottish ale yeast rather than using the American ale yeast strain of last year. Finally, we added a bit more mikan juice and peels per unit of wort than we had in the past.

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 (Centennial, Perle, Cascade and New Zealand Cascade).

The Carpenter’s Mikan Ale is available both on draught and in bottles (633 ml) at fine Baird Beer retailers throughout Japan beginning Saturday, February 5. It also can be purchased direct from the brewery via our online E-shop.

Upcoming Taproom Events:
*Big Beer Winter Weekend 2011 at the Nakameguro Taproom (Friday, Feb. 11 – Sunday, Feb. 13):

Each winter we use one of our Taprooms as a venue for a celebration of strong and fortifying beers. We call this celebration Big Beer Winter Weekend. During this long holiday weekend, a collection of strong ales and lagers will be served simultaneously and paired with cuisine designed to complement these robust and warming libations. The Nakameguro Taproom will again play host to this year’s Big Beer Winter Weekend which will kick-off at noon on Friday, February 11 (Japan national holiday).

This year, in a addition to a terrific lineup of big Baird Beer and American imported craft beer, we will for the first time be pouring a variety of specially selected strong Japanese craft ales and we anticipate hosting guest appearances by the various Japan brewers. Please keep your eyes on your email inbox as a full Big Beer Winter Weekend menu and schedule will be forthcoming shortly.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE


The Japan Blog List

———————————
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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
——————————–
Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-

Uncategorized

Fruit Cocktails by Wataru Matsumoto 12: Ookimi & Toukun Strawberries

Leave a comment

This article could well been titled “Strawberries: From the Shizuoka Producer to the Gastronomic Table: Cocktails at Botanical!

After Gentil, I went to visit my good friend, Wataru Matumoto/松本亙, bartender/owner at Botanical, Shizuoka City to ask him to create a couple of his famous fruit cocktails with the Ookimi and Tokun Strawberries from Yaizu City!

Ookimi Strawberries on the left and Toukun Strawberries on the right!

Toukun Strawberry Cocktail (Cai Pirigna style)

These strawberries have a very strong perfume of peaches although their taste is llight and elegant.

INGREDIENTS:

-Strawberries: 2 large, diced
-Cachaca 51 (Brazilian Sugar cane rum, 40 degrees proof): 1 measure
-Sugar: 2~3 teaspoons
-Lime juice, 1 cut
-Crushed ice: 1 cup

RECIPE:

-Dice/cut the strawberries
-In a large glass drop the strawberries and all other ingredients.
-Shake the whole Boston-style.
-Pour in a “rock glass”.
-Top with some more crushed ice and decorate with a strawberry.

Keep a spoon handy, especially if you are in a hurry.
You can either drink this very refreshing cocktail slowly or eat it!
Rum enhances the strawberries for a very elegant drink

Ookimi Strawberry Champagne Cocktail

These strawberries have a great balance bewteen sweetness and acidity and an elegant taste.

INGREDIENTS:

-Ookimi Strawberries: 3
-Syrup: 1~2 teaspoons
-Mumm Champagne: 1 measure
-Absinthe/Pastis: half a teaspoon
-Crushed ice: just a little

RECIPE:

-Pour all the ingredients into a blender and blend well.
-Add 1 more measure of Mumm Champagen and pour into a long glass.
Decorate with a star anise seed.

Very elegant with the sweetness of the strawberries appearing late on your palate!

BOTANICAL (Comfort Bar)
420-0082 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 1-6-13, Shade Bldg, 1F
Tel.: 054-221-8686
Opening hours: 17:00~01:00
Closed on Mondays.
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Strawberries: From the Shizuoka Producer to the Gastronomic Table: Gentil!

4 Comments

Ms. Keiko Kubota/久保田敬子 at Gentil Restaurant

Ranking：
Service: very professional
Facilities: Very clean, superb facilities.
Prices:~ Slightly expensive to expensive
Strong points: Beautiful and fresh ingredients presented and combined to perfection. Local ingredients whenever possible. Superb wine list. The best cheese trays in Japan! Everything thoroughly and kindly explained!
Map

Toukun Strawberries

Yesterday I visited my good friend, Ms. Keiko Kubota, Maître D’Hôte at Gentil/ジャンテイ・レストラン, the oldest French Restaurant in Town and probably Prefecture.
I do not need to introduce this extremely talented lady who has attained national and international fame as the only Japanese Compagnon d’Honneur du Guilde des Fromagers (フランス熟成士の組合ギルドデフロマージュからコンパニオンドヌール)!
The reason for my sudden visit was to introduce her to new strawberries that have just been created in Shizuoka Prefecture, namely Ookimi/おおきみ and Toukun/桃薫 produced by an association of 6 farmers in Yaizu and Fujieda Cities.
Not only did I introduce her to these beauties, but I also challenged her to create (with her chef) a couple of gastronomic delights!

Sautéed Foie Gras with Toukun strawberries, fried and glazed Toukun Strawberry, Foie Gras Mousse on Aromatic Herbs Tile and Toukun Strawberry Jelly!

Now, for the explanations!

The foie gras was sautéed as it is (its own fat is enough) with a little salt and pepper and served with slices of one half Toukun strawberry.

The other half of the Toukun strawberry was lightly fried and glazed in its own natural sugar.
The leftover juices of the strawberry were combined with those of the foie gras with a little Madeira wine for a perfect sauce!
Great balance between relatively acid strawberries and strong-flavored foie gras!

A tile (タイル) perfumed with aromatic herbs, arching above some cress, was then topped with foie gras mousse decorated with jelly made from the same strawberry!

Ookimi Strawberries

An Ookimi strawberry Farandole (ファランドル)!

Farandole is a dance from the South of France, meaning that all participants join hands in a dancing circle.

The Ookimi strawberries were delicately cut and placed in a circle with small balls of ice cream and sorbet in their centre.

Can you guess the ice creams and sorbets?
Strawberry, Vanilla, Yoghurt and Panacotta!
All elegance!
The perfect dessert for ladies?

I don’t have to tell that I’m also looking forward to Ms. Kubota’s creations with other Shizuoka products I will bring her soon!

Restaurant Gentil
Address:420-0031 Shizuoka Shi, Gofuku-cho, 2-9-1, Gennan Kairaku building, 2F
Tel.: 054-2547655 (Reservations advisable)
Fax: 054-2210509
Opening hours: 12:00~14:00, 18:00~last orders for meals at 21:30. Bar time 18:00~23:30. Closed on Mondays.
Credit cards OK
Homepage　(Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Uncategorized

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2011/01/28)

Leave a comment

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Seasonal Debut: Winter Wit; Big Beer Winter Weekend at Nakameguro Taproom

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

There is one word for this winter: cold! We plan to warm you up, though, with today’s release of a first-time Baird winter seasonal brew: Winter Wit.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Baird Winter Wit (ABV 6%):

The newest everyday toy in our brewery is our Belgian ale yeast (brought in for the fermentation of Single-Take Session Ale). This yeast strain is known for its use in fermenting Belgian-style Wit bier. It ferments with a tart, spicy and only moderately phenolic character. The dead of winter hardly seems the season for a light, crisp and refreshing Wit bier, but we have addressed that problem.

Baird Winter Wit is heartier (14.7 plato), stronger (6% abv), and more gold (less white: 5.8 SRM) than a normal Belgian Wit. The grist is a classic blend of un-malted and malted wheat, floor-malted Pilsner and Maris Otter, with touches of rye (adding spicy complexity) and caramel malt (for the golden color). The hopping is light and performed with a combination of New Zealand (Motueka) and German (Traditions, Hersbrucker) varieties. The magic occurs when this ingredient combination is then fermented with our Belgian yeast strain.

The result is a pleasantly tart and spicy, sprightly carbonated ale with a hazy golden hue upon which sits a billowing head of virgin-white foam. The warmth comes in the finish, just enough to furbish without interfering with the refreshment. Glorious!

Baird Winter Wit begins pouring from the taps or our four Taproom pubs today (Friday, January 28). It is draught-only, and will be available at Baird Beer pouring pubs and restaurants throughout Japan beginning Saturday, January 29.

Upcoming Taproom Events:
We will be staging our annual Big Beer Winter Weekend at the Nakameguro Taproom on the three-day holiday weekend of Friday, February 11 – Sunday, February 13. This is the weekend in which we celebrate the storied beer history of strong ales and lagers (’Winter Warmers’ as they are known to some). We will be pouring a bevy of big Baird Beers as well as other strong ales both from abroad and right here at home. Ishikawa-san and the kitchen staff already have the wheels in motion for the offering of what promises to be an amazing menu of speciality dishes designed to pair with the various Big Beers.

Please mark your calendar. A detailed beer list and food menu will be announced shortly.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE


The Japan Blog List

———————————
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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
——————————–
Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

—————————————-
日本語のブログ
—————————————-