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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin 2008 #23

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

The chill in the autumn air is a very welcome sign to the craft beer enthusisast for it heralds the coming release of a brewery’s most prized beer gems — strong, rich and warming high-gravity ales and lagers of many styles. The Baird Brewery is inaugurating this year’s big beer season with the release of two extremely unique first-time brews: Big Berry Brown Ale & Baird Dubbel.

(1) Big Berry Brown Ale (ABV 8.3%):

This irreverently strong Brown Ale is brewed with six different types of malted grain, Japanese red sugar, and four varieties of hops. It also, thanks to the cooperation of our friends at Serizawa Saketen, is concocted with ample dosages of freshly picked Shizuoka strawberries which lend a wonderfully tart and piquant berry fruit character to the flavor. Glacier & Fuggle dry-hops in the conditioning tank along with krauesening at packaging add complexity of character that is compellingly sublime.

Big Berry Brown Ale is available on draught at both Taprooms as well as at other fine Baird Beer retailing pubs and restaurants in Japan. 633ml bottles also are for available for purchase through the family of Baird Beer retailing liquor shops in Japan as well as through our brewery estore.

(2) Baird Dubbel (ABV 7.7%):

Experimenting with various yeast strains (particularly Belgian ones) is one of the joys in the work of a small-scale craft brewer. In this Baird interpretation of a Belgian-style Dubbel we ferment with a yeast thought to be derived from the wonderful Trappist brewery Rochefort. Five malted grains and two types of sugar (Japanese rock sugar and black sugar) provide richness and depth of flavor without excessive heaviness or fullness. The hopping is light at only 22 IBUs and no aroma additions are made. One-year of maturation in the package contributes a round, almost vinous character. This monkish brew is meant for the contemplative drinker and is best enjoyed on a brisk autumn afternoon or evening.

Baird Dubbel is available on draught only and exclusively at our Fishmarket and Nakameguro Taprooms.

Cheers!

Bryan Baird
Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin 2008 #22

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

If you are in search of the beery flavor of fall, seek no more. Baird Beer has captured that autumnal essence in a wonderful seasonal brew set for release today: Big Red Machine Fall Classic Ale.

Big Red Machine Fall Classic Ale (ABV 5.5%):

To baseball fans, October means it’s World Series (also known as the “Fall Classic”) time. To me, the annual Fall Classic invariably brings back boyhood memories of watching and rooting for the great “Big Red Machine” Cincinnati teams of 1975 and 1976 World Series fame. Big Red Machine Fall Classic Ale was brewed initially in 2005 as a 30-year tribute to the Cincinnati Reds World Series championship team of 1975 (they won in a dramatic 7-game series against the Boston Red Sox). We continue to brew it annually because it is such a fine beer and is the perfect libation to enjoy while taking in the Fall Classic.

Brawny in the depth and richness of its malt character (five different malts are used), this malt muscle is balanced beautifully by a wonderfully spicy and sprite hop essence (we use American Magnum, Amarillo and Glacier varieties). Much as the rare combination of power and finesse was a hallmark of the Big Red Machine on the field, so too is it a hallmark of the Big Red Machine in the pint glass!

Big Red Machine Fall Classic Ale (a bronze medal winner in the 2008 World Beer Cup) is now pouring from the taps of both the Fishmarket and Nakameguro Taprooms. It also will be available on draught, beginning Thursday, October 23, at fine Baird Beer retailing pubs and restaurants throughout Japan. The bottle-conditioned version (360 ml bottles) will be available for purchase at our online estore as well as via the fine family of Baird Beer retailing liquor stores in Japan.

Finally, please note a change in business hours for our Nakameguro Taproom. Beginning Monday, November 1, the Nakameguro Taproom will be open as follows:

*Monday-Friday (2:00 PM – Midnight)
*Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays (Noon – Midnight)

For all you late night drinkers, this is good news as we will be open later. We will not be serving lunch on weekdays any longer, however, although we will feature a lunch service on weekends and national holidays.

Cheers!
Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin 2008 #21

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

Germany is a great Mecca of beer culture in the world. Oktoberfest is an annual celebration of German beer culture held in Munich around this time. This year, Baird Brewing will be participating in that
celebration by hosting our own Oktoberfest event at the Nakameguro Taproom beginning Friday, October 3 and running through Monday, October 13.

This 10-day celebration will feature a special line-up of German-style beers which include:

*Old World Kolsch
*New World Alt
*Smoke Dark Lager
*Braumeister’s Bock
*Imperial Pils
*Export Lager

Also, the Nakameguro Taproom kitchen will be offering a special selection of German-inspired Beer cuisine designed to further enhance the German-style beer experience. Please plan on stopping in the Nakameguro Taproom and joining us for the revelry.

Today, the Baird Brewery is releasing for general sale three new fall seasonals: Old World Kolsch, New World Alt and Bull Run Ale.

(1) Old World Kolsch (ABV: 5.2%):

In the annals of German beer history, Kolsch actually is a relatively “new world” style at a mere two centuries old. It is a pale, dry, assertively hopped golden ale know as the “beer of Cologne.” A fruity-winy bouquet is one of its hallmarks. Baird Old World Kolsch is brewed with German Pilsner and Wheat malts, as well as English Maris Otter, and hopped with American Magnum and Sterling varieties. The appearance is highlighted by a gorgeously full head of long-lasting white foam and a slightly hazy white-gold color. The aroma is zesty and lemon-like. The flavor is dry and quenching with a hint of bitter hop fruit.

(2) New World Alt (ABV 5.2%):

“Alt” in German means “old” and when used in connection with beer the implication is that the beer is of a type that pre-dates the pale, bottom-fermented styles most commonly found in Germany today. “Alt” as a beer style in and of itself generally refers to amber-colored top-fermented ales associated with the city of Dusseldorf and its environs. A typical Altbier is light to medium in body and sports lots of hop character. Baird New World Alt is brewed with German Pils and Vienna base malts while deriving its copper color and body from additions of both Caramunich and Caraaroma malts. 40 BUs of Horizon, Perle and Vanguard hops punctuate the flavor experience from start to finish.

These most definitely are not the typical Alt and Kolsch versions available at other breweries in Japan. We believe the German beer gods are smiling contentedly at the Baird interpretation. What say you?

Both beers will be pouring from the taps of the Fishmarket and Nakameguro Taprooms, as well as at other Baird Beer retailing pubs and restaurants throughout Japan, beginning Friday, October 3. Bottle-conditioned versions (360 ml bottles) also are available for sale direct from the brewery via our online estore and through our fine network of Baird Beer retailing liquor shops in Japan.

(3) Bull Run Ale (ABV 5.5%):

This is a fantastically smooth, balanced but hearty American-style Red Ale. The rich malt character and lovely red hue make this a perfect autumn season libation. The snappy hop character (Columbus, Centennial, Cascade, Ahtanum), though, makes it a very satisfying thirst quencher too.

Bull Run Ale is available on draught only at the Nakameguro Taproom. A limited supply of 633 ml bottles also are available for purchase from the brewery and through Baird Beer retailing liquor store in Japan.

Prost!

Bryan Baird
Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin 2008 #20

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

We brewed our 1000th batch of Baird Beer this year on April 30. Thinking this an important landmark for us, we decided in advance to commemorate the occasion by formulating and brewing a uniquely characterful beer. We also found ourselves reflecting on our journey within the Japan craft brewing industry to batch # 1000. When we started the prevailing wisdom was that it made no economic or business sense to brew on a miniscule scale (our first brewing system was of 30-liter batch size). It generally was thought, too, that an exclusive focus on the brewing of beers with distinct character and strong personality was a mistake. Our dispense of beer at The Taproom at appropriate temperatures (generally 8 – 12 C), rather than at icy-cold industrial levels was often snickered at and provoked numerous comment about our “luke-warm” beer. I could go on.

Our sole mission was and is the delivery to discerning drinkers of a broad variety of beers that shimmer with character and shine with distinction. Fortunately for us, there is in Japan an abundance of sensistive, open-minded and discerning drinkers. It has been sheer joy to brew beer for such a fine group. To those who didn’t get it, and perhaps sitll don’t, we say, good naturedly: Zamamiro! (loosely translated as, “Hey, I told you so!”).

*Batch # 1000 Ale (Zamamiro! Ale) (ABV 7.8%):

The concept here is a strong, golden ale that enjoys a clean, crisp and easy smoothness while still packing a powerful flavor and alcohol punch. The brewing inspiration is very Belgian — we use only base malts and unmalted wheat, we jack up the gravity (to 1.074) with lots of sugar (sudakito), keep the hop BUs at a reasonable level (35), and accentuate aroma by dry-hopping with earthy, herbal hop varieties (Santiam and Glacier). The only thing Belgian we don’t do is ferment with a phenolic-producing Belgian yeast strain (we use our house ale yeast instead). The result, we think, is a beer that combines supreme drinkability with quiet audacity.

Batch # 1000 Ale is now being served on draught at both of our Taprooms as well as at other fine Baird Beer retailing pubs and restaurants throughout Japan. 633 ml bottles also are available for purchase at Baird Beer retailing liquor stores in Japan and via our online estore.

Please note: The Nakameguro Taproom will be closed for business Tuesday, September 16 due to a special event. It will re-open for normal business hours on Wednesday, September 17.

Cheers!

Bryan Baird
Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin 2008 #19

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

The sublimity of beer resides not just in the drinking but also in the historical, cultural and social tales it tells. Japan Tale Ale is our conception of a beer that tells, in its liquid way, a story of Japan. Today’s release of Japan Tale Ale 2008 represents the second installment in what promises to be a long and interesting story.

Japan Tale Ale 2008 (ABV 6.1%):

Brewed with a host of indigenous Japanese ingredients (umalted wheat, rice, sudakito sugar and plums), Japan Tale Ale is lightly hopped, highly attenuated, pleasantly tart and extremely refreshing. It almost drinks like a beer version of a well-made Ume Sour (a popular drink served in traditional Japanese pubs that is made with distilled shochu and plums and served carbonated on ice). It is now available on draught at both of our Taprooms and at other fine Baird Beer retailing pubs and restaurants. 633 ml bottles also will be available for purchase at Baird Beer retailing liquor shops throughout Japan and via our own estore.

Please mark your calendar for this Saturday, September 6. Beginning at 7:00 pm the Fishmarket Taproom will be hosting a live acoustic music show by the blues-inspired singer, Mexico. A 500 yen music charge will be collected at the door. Please plan to join us.

Cheers!

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin 2008 #18

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

Lest anyone question our determination to fully quench your summer thirst, we are releasing three more beat-the-heat seasonal beers: Export Lager, Queen & Country Pale Ale and Asian Beauty Biwa Ale.

(1) Export Lager (ABV 5.3%):

Brewed in the tradition of Dortmund-style export lagers, Baird Export Lager combines a huge depth of flavor with a brisk and refreshing character. Less fragrant in hop character but brawnier in malt body than a pilsner, Baird Export Lager is a supreme thirst quencher. Drink it side by side our Cool Breeze Pils and your tastebuds will experience a demonstration in subtle flavor differentiation that simply can’t be conveyed in words.

(2) Queen & Country Pale Ale (ABV 5.1%):

The heritage of the Pale Ale / Bitter style belongs to the British. American craft brewers have irreverently taken over the style with a boldly, and generally citrusy, re-interpretation. Baird Rising Sun Pale Ale slots into the irreverent American re-interpretation category. Queen & Country, on the other hand, is our tip of the hat to the British forerunners. Darker in color, earthier in hop aroma and more noticeably malty in body than Rising Sun, Queen & Country Pale Ale is a pintful of pleasurable beer history. Once again, a direct taste comparison between the two is a better lesson in Beer tasting 101 than we could ever hope to provide in words.

(3) Asian Beauty Biwa Ale (ABV 5.1%):

Biwa is “the small, yellow, edible, plum-like fruit of the loquat tree.” We had no idea what is was until our partner-friend-carpenter, Nagakura-san, brought some in last year for us to taste and then brew with. It is an extremely subtle fruit that harmonizes sweetness with tartness. Biwa Ale is krauesened at packaging and the character in the glass is a spritzy, effervescent and delicately firm one — like a true Asian Beauty!

All three brews are being poured from the taps of our Taprooms in Numazu and Nakameguro. Export Lager and Asian Beauty Biwa Ale are available in both draught and bottle (633 ml) at fine Baird Beer retailing pubs and liquor shops throughout Japan. Queen & Country Pale Ale is draught only and available in extremely small quantities.

Cheers!

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
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I will never be able to praise Bryan Baird in Numazu City enough for contributing so much to beer and micro-brewing in Japan!

This is only my second “official tasting”: “Angry Boy Brown Ale”
(I made a point not to read Bryan’s own comments. There might be quite a discrepancy between the two of us!)

Bryan Baird Brewery: Angry Boy Brown Ale
Draught/nama Beer
Ingredients: Barley Malt, barley, hops, yeast.
Alcohol: 6 degrees
Contents: 300 ml

Clarity: smoky
Colour: rich dark brown-orange
Foam: very long head, great long-lived foam
Aroma: Oranges. Yeast. Strong and sharp
Taste: Comparatively shart tail. Tangy oranges lingering on at the back of the palate. Steady. Solid. Oranges, lemons, grapefruits.Dry. Welcome acidity.

Overall: Another beer suited for any food, especially meat, sausages and the like. Can be appreciated cold in summer on its own, though. Refreshing and very satisfying. Funnily enough I enjoyed eating Carr’s Whole wheat Crackers with it!

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin 2008 #17

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

The enduring persistence of this year’s rainy season at last has abetted and the sultry heat and torporific humidity of a Japan summer are upon us. Fear not, though, for the most refreshing and revitalizing antidote to this seasonal languor is being released today: Baird Cool Breeze Pils.

Cool Breeze Pils 2008 (ABV 5.0%):

Bohemian in style, cleanly malty in body, and coquettishly floral in aroma, Cool Breeze Pils registers on the imbiber like a fresh ocean breeze does on the perspiring body of a mid-afternoon sunbather. Cool Breeze Pils is dry-hopped in tank, unfiltered, and re-fermented and naturally carbonated in package where it has undergone a 6-month maturation. The result, we believe, pays handsome tribute to the glorious history of this storied lager beer style.

Cool Breeze Pils is now pouring from the taps of our Taprooms in Numazu and Nakameguro, as well as at other fine beer establishments throughout Japan. 633 ml bottles also are available for purchase direct from our estore (www.bairdbeer.jp) and through our fine network of Baird Beer retailer liquor stores in Japan.

Cheers!

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin 2008 #16

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

The Fishmarket Taproom opened its doors for business on Saturday July 20, 2000. In the ensuing eight years many pints have been poured to an extraordinarily diverse and interesting group of patrons, many of whom have become intimate friends and all of whom we are proud to have an association. We will be celebrating the Fishmarket Taproom’s 8-year anniversary during this upcoming three-day holiday weekend (Saturday, July 19 – Monday, July 21). Event highlights are listed below.

Fishmarket Taproom 8-Year Anniversary Celebration (Saturday, July 19 – Monday, July 21) (Noon to Midnight each day):

*Fruit Beer Festival:
The use of fresh, whole fruit as an integral beer ingredient has become one of the hallmarks of Baird seasonal brewing. We have reserved kegs of fourteen styles of recently crafted fruit beer just for this special event. The fruit ales that will be poured during the festival weekend are:

(1) Fishmarket Taproom 8-Year Ale (Citrus IPA made with natsumikans)
(2) The Carpenter’s Mikan Ale (including the tapping at noon on Saturday of the first-ever wood cask-conditioned version)
(3) Mikan Wheat Stout
(4) Shizuoka Summer Mikan Ale
(5) Sweet Citrus Stout
(6) Temple Garden Yuzu Ale
(7) Daidai Dark Wheat Ale
(8) Yamanashi Budo Ale
(9) Yamanashi Apple Ale
(10) Japan Tale Ale 2007 (brewed with ume)
(11) Country Girl Kabocha Ale 2007
(12) Strawberry Milk Stout 2007
(13) Snow Storm Strong Dark Ale (brewed with strawberries and Belgian yeast)
(14) Saison Sayuri (brewed with kinkan and natsumikan peels)

All Baird Beer during the festival (including these fruit ales) will be available by the pint for 700 yen, the glass for 500 yen and tasters at 250 yen.

*1000-Yen Buffet:
We will be serving a hedonistic buffet of wonderful beer fare each and every day of the festival (noon until 10:00 pm). Best yet, it is 1000 yen per person, eat until you can’t see!

*Special Fruit Beer Cuisine:
Our crack team of chefs (Takanaka Tencho, Shoko-san and Sayuri) are busy as I write concocting a phenomenal menu board of fruit beer inspired cuisine. Each of these special a la carte items will be designed to pair with one of our festival fruit ales.

*Sidewalk Barbecue:
We will be grilling some wonderful Numazu specialties downstairs on the sidewalk each festival day from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. Order you beer upstairs in a plastic “bura-bura” cup and enjoy it outside in the glorious seaside summer weather while feasting on sumptuous sticks of seafood barbecue.

*Brewery Tours:
We will be conducting tours of our Fishmarket Brewery each festival day. On Saturday and Sunday, tours will commence at 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. On Monday, one tour will be conducted at 3:00 pm. The tours will leave from the Fishmarket Taproom at the appointed times (you may, of course, bring your beers with you as the brewery is only a short 3 minute walk). Reservations are not required. Anyone is welcome.

Please plan on joining us for what promises to be one hell of a celebration!

Cheers!
Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
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