Tag Archives: Gastronomy

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/07/05): New Summer Seasonals; Fish-Tap Turning 13

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
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New Summer Seasonals; Fish-Tap Turning 13

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

Although the rainy season lingers here in Japan, the summer heat and humidity are not proving deferential — they have crashed the party. We greet these summer weather twins with the perfect beer antidote: Baird Lemon Wit.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Release:
*Baird Lemon Wit (4.5%):

A ‘Witbier’ is a Belgian ale style whose hallmark ingredient is unmalted wheat. In addition to lending a light and wholesome taste character, unmalted wheat also contributes a hazy white color to the beer (’wit’ literally meaning ‘white’). Belgian-style witbiers also tend to be spiced, most commonly with curacao orange peel and coriander. The result is a sprite, quenching and playfully effervescent brew that is an ideal summer session ale.

Baird Lemon Wit is brewed in this Belgian tradition only with a local twist — we spice with Japanese sansho rather than coriander and use the peels (and juice) of locally grown lemons rather than curacao oranges. The unmalted wheat we use (as 25% of the grist) is grown domestically in Chiba prefecture. The taste? Bright and tart, crisp and refreshing.

Baird Lemon Wit is available both in kegs and bottles for immediate release. It begins pouring from the taps of our Taproom pubs tonight (Friday, July 5). Those visiting a Taproom pub this weekend will also be greeted by two other new and limited release (Taproom-only, draught-only) seasonal specials — Faded Glory Pale Mild (3.2%) and Shohei’s First (5.8%). The former is a classic English-style Mild pulled as you would expect in real ale fashion through our Taproom hand-pumps. Faded Glory is the ultimate session ale. The latter is the first go at a bit of recipe formulation by the newest member of our brewing team — Shohei Taguchi (formerly of Yoho Brewing in Nagano prefecture). Shohei’s First is a sort of hoppy Golden Ale that features Southern hemisphere (New Zealand) hops — Motueka, Wakatu, Nelson Sauvin and Cascade (dry-hopping with Motueka and Wakatu). It you happen across our lanky new brewer enjoying his namesake brew this weekend, give him a pat on the back and welcome him to the Baird Beer family.

Upcoming Taproom Event:
*Numazu Fishmarket Taproom 13-Year Birthday Celebration (Saturday-Sunday, July 20-21):

Sayuri and I first opened the doors of the Fishmarket Taproom on Saturday July 20, 2000. It is hard to believe that our baby is about to become a teenager! Despite her increasingly sassy impertinence, we still love her and will be celebrating her birthday next weekend. Celebration highlights include:

11:00 AM (Saturday 7/20) kick-off in the brewery parking lot with the tapping of Morning Coffee Stout 2013
Brewery parking lot BBQ (11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Saturday; Noon – 5:00 PM Sunday)
Brewer-guided brewery tours at noon, 2:00 and 4:00 each day
Special tappings of various cellared brews (Daidai IPA, Carpenter’s Mikan Ale, Bakayaro!, Second Strike Apple Ale, Kiwi IPA, Saison Sayuri and more!)
Debut of Fish-Tap 13 Anniversary Ale
Phenomenal lineup of celebration food and BBQ delights
The doors of the Fishmarket Taproom will open each day at noon (food last order @ 22:00; drink last order @23:30). All beer and food items will be 500 yen (beers to be served in our take-out bura-bura cups). Kindly mark your calendar and plan to join us for what promises to be a most festive birthday celebration!

Cheers!

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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

French Gastronomy: 3 Local Fish at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Excellent and very friendly.
Facilities: Great cleanliness overall. Superb washroom (mouthwash and toothpicks provided!)!
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive, very good value.
Strong points: Interesting wine list. Great use of local products, especially organic vegetables and Shizuoka-bred meat and caught fish.

Fish and seafood is the essence of Japanese gastronomy but French gastronomy is consequently enjoying a suprlative supply of the best fish in Japan in our Prefecture of Shizuoka!
Since the number of tourists is definitely going to shoot up with the advent of Mount Fuji and Matsubara being elected as a new World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO, I would gently advise our future visitors to delve in our gastronomy!

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One place you to write at the very top of your notebook is the French Restaurant named Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!
It is simply extravagant value. I wouldn’t start imagining the money you would have to fork out (no pun intended!) in some vaunted restaurants in the Capital for the same quality and originality!

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To cut a long story short I would like to show you what local fish (only part of a grand dinner!) we had the pleasure to sample!
Incidentally the picture above is that of a peach (from Osada, Shizuoka City) Vichissoise cold potage!

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Bonito or katsuo/鰹 is one fish that made Shizuoka Prefecture all over Japan!
This particular one was caught Omaezaki/御前崎 in Central Shizuoka.
Chef Toru Arima/有馬亨さん seared it as tataki/たたき/Japanese-style seared and served it with a jelly made with Suruga Bay seawater!
As for the small vegetables, they are native/zairaishu/在来種 vegetabkes from the mountains near Ikawa!

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O-Amago from Izu Peninsula!
This is a river fish of the trout variety bred alongside wasabi fields in Northern Izu Peninsula!

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Gently sauteed on its skin to make it really crispy and attain a beautiful tenderness in the flesh!
Just a little olive oil and balsamico vinegar and voila!

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Sole/flatfish/Hirame/平目 caught off sagara/相良 in Central Shizuoka!

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The tempura is organic native vegetables from Ikawa including green tea!
The sauce is a coulis of red paprika!

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Green asparaguses from Fujieda City with an unctuous Hollandaise sauce!
The nira/ニラ/Oriental garlic-Chinese chives are also native from Ikawa!

Meat coming soon!

PISSENLIT
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 2-3-4
Tel.: 054-270-8768
Fax: 054-627-3868
Business hours: 11:30~14:30; 17:00~22:00
Closed on Tuesdays and Sunday evening
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/06/28): Seasonal Debuts: Kellerpils and Old Brown Ale

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
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Seasonal Debuts: Kellerpils and Old Brown Ale

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

Germany and Belgium share at least two things in common: a border and world-renowned beer cultures. Yet their respective brewing traditions could hardly be more disparate. The Germans are methodical, scientific brewers who eschew any beer ingredient save four: malt, hops, water and yeast. The lagers and ales of Germany tend to be clean, round and highly drinkable. The Belgians also are traditional brewers but with a more open and intuitive approach, incorporating a wide range of ingredients including uncultured yeast and wild micro-flora. The ales of Belgium tend to be funky, complex and often refreshingly sour.

We are pleased today to release two new seasonal beers, one inspired by Germany (Kellerpils) and the other by Belgium (Old Brown Ale).

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Kellerpils (4.5%):

The term ‘Kellerbier’ translates literally to ‘cellar beer.’ It refers to a type of German beer that is not clarified or pasteurized and contains some of the original yeast of fermentation. This methodology, of course, is the one we use for all Baird Beer. Pilsner is the world’s most popular lager beer style, being crisply quenching and bracingly refreshing.

Baird Kellerpils is a simple brew comprised of two German malts (Pilsner and Sour) and four classic continental hops (Magnum, Spalter, Tettnanger, Saazer). The nose contains a pleasant hint of sulfur from the secondary lager yeast fermentation; the flavor is nutty and bready; the finish is dry with a balanced bitterness. This truly is an old school Pils. It is available in kegs only.

*Old Brown Ale (4.5%):

Belgian beer styles run a very large gamut and their definitions tend to be broad. A regular bruin (brown) ale would be darker than amber in color, less sour than a Flemish Brown Ale, and less strong than a classic Abbey/Trappist Dubbel.

Baird Old Brown Ale is brewed to moderate gravity, 12.8 Plato, and enjoys a typically eclectic Belgian grist bill which includes both malted and un-malted wheat as well as malted rye. Hop bittering is moderate at 22 IBUs while hop aroma is little to none. Fermented warm with a Belgian yeast strain, the flavor manages at once to be sweet and a touch tart. The overall character is perhaps best described as sessionably complex. Old Brown Ale is available in both kegs and bottles (360 ml).

Both beers begin pouring from our Taproom taps tonight (Friday, June 28) and both are available for immediate release to craft beer retailing establishments throughout Japan.

Cheers!

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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

Wine Bar & Restaurant: Kichi To Naru Kitchen in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Smiling, friendly and easy-going
Equipment & Facilities: Great cleanliness overall. Superb washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Very fresh local vegetables. Healthy and filling fusion bistro food. Wines served all day long

There is a new very welcome trend of new restaurants coming to town not only to please all budgets but also making a maximum use of local products ensuring freshness and taste at reasonable prices inside a modern and easy-going environment

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The latest addition in Shizuoka City, Kichi To Naru Kitchen, is actually the third establishment opened by Kichi To Naru Co. which originally hails from Fuji City.

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The place is extremely clean and comfortable tucked away from the heat of the summer and the cold of winter.

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The gastronomy is markedly Italian-inspired although it is more fusion than anything else comprising typical Japanese and French bistro fare.

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If you are on your own sit at the counter and enjoy the sight of young chefs working in an open kitchen!

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Even at lunch the menu offers quite some choice.
For my first lunch I chose the Milky rice (risotto-style) with curry sauce and mushrooms cultivated by Mr. Hasegawa in Fuji City!

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It comes with fresh greens and beans salad,…

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and potage.

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The milky rice risotto and (mild) curry sauce, a very Japanese concept!

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I must admit that the milky rice risotto was a bit of discovery! It was perfectly married to the curry sauce!

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For my second lunch I sampled the pasta with fried eggplants in mildly hot tomato sauce!

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Very Italian in concept!

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Very healthy and tasty al dente spaghetti!

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And home-made tiramisu for dessert!

Expect more visits at tea-time and dinner!

Kichi To Naru Kitchen
Chef: Ryo Ogihara
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken-Cho, 5-8, Miraie Shichiken Cho Bldg. 1F
Tel.: 054-255-5036
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00 (until 24:00 on Saturdays & Sundays)
Closed on Mondays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

Other establishments:
Kichi To Naru Kitchen
Fuji City, Takane Cho, 11-9
Tel.: 0545-57-0111

Kichi To Naru Izakaya
Fuji City, Urijima Cho, 108
Tel.: 0545-53-0187

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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

French Gastronomy: Dinner at La Fillette in Shizuoka City!

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French Andouillette!

Service: Friendly and a bit shy
Facilities & Equipment: Very clean overall, pleasant washroom
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: French restaurant doubling as a wine bar. Traditional French Bistro gastronomy. Good range of wines.

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La Fillette (meaning “young/little girl) has the enormous merit to double as a wine bar (you may drink beer, lol) which allows you to sit comfortably in front of a h[glass at any time of the evening.

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It used to be a Spanish restaurant before it opened 6 years ago and the decor outside has changed very little!

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have a good look at the blackboard outside! Take your time and read it! I personally found an item that any Frenchman worth his salt has to sample!

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Actually, it is not one but two blackboards you will have to check before entering!

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A great feature of the place is that hey have their own cave/cellar which you can peek inside. I can garantee you you will discover some memorable bottles !

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if you are on your own, you would do better to sit on a high stool at the bar counter, but if you are with a special company take a table in a cozy corner!

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They have some very reasonable champagnes for the connoisseurs!

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The menu is very traditional French bistro gastronomy with many a little surprise such as the above cheese creme brulee for appetizer!

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As a Burgundian I couldn’t resist the escargots/snails!

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The single item I would kill for!
French andouillette (pork tripes sausage)!
Home-made (not easy) and serve with succulent mashed potatoes!

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Oysters gratin to damn a New Englander!

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Ox jowl wine stew!

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Another view of this traditional French Bistro fare you would find anywhere back home!

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Home-made pistachio ice-cream!

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but for me it was a succulent cheese plate!

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With the perfect garlic toasts!

Looking forward to my next visit! There are too many many morsels I had to ignore! LOL

LA FILLETTE
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Hitoyado-Cho, 2-1-4 (along Showa Street)
Tel.: 054-251-6018
Opening hours: 17:30~24:00 (from 15:00 on Saturdays)
Closed on Sundays
Credit cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Yamanaka Brewery- Enshu Yokosuka Aoitenka Homare Fuji Junmai Ginjo Limited Edition

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Homare Fuji sake rice grown in Shizuoka Ptrefecture doesn’t need much to be introduced any longer, but the difference is that many local breweries are tackling the more difficult ginjo level with it and successfully at that!

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More than two thirds of the Shizuoka Prefevture breweries are creating sake with Homare Fuji!
With the recent inclusion of Mount Fuji as a World Heritage will tempt collectors!

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Rice: Homare Fuji 100%
Rice milled won to 55%
Yeast: Association N0 1501
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 1.5
Acidity: 1.7
Bottled in June 2013 (limited edition)

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Strong, dry and fruity. Banana, apricot, almonds
Body: Fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Strong dry attack backed up by puissant junmai petillant.
Complex.
Bananas, oranges, nuts, almonds, walnuts.
Disappears fairly quickly on a very dry nutty note.
Changes little with food.
For all its seemingly announced little dryness, the sweetness is counterbalanced by the high acidity, for a beautiful balance.

Overall: A strong dry fruity nutty and very assertive sake.
Drinks superbly with any food.
Probably bets appreciated slightly chilled.
Although eminently enjoyable on its own, this is a typical sake from Yamanaka brewery (Kakegawa City) with intriguing complexity and fruitiness, making it the perfect sake to enhance food, especially of the better kind, be it Japanese or Western.
Shizuoka-grown Homare Fuji sake is definitely coming of age!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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

American Gastronomy: Chili Burger & New York Blue Strip Burger at Tequila’s Diner in Shizuoka City!

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The Chili Burger

Service: Shy but very friendly
Equipment & Facilities: Good general cleanliness
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive but very good value
Strong points: Tex-Mex gastronomy of superior quality. Doubles up as bar in evenings.

This is another report which should please my good friend Quizoxy!

The fact of being French is not going to prevent me from enjoying real burgers!
Fortunately here in Shizuoka City (and it seems to be the only decent venue in the whole of the Prefecture) we are blessed with a Diner serving burgers made with local beef only, notwithstanding the local vegetables, other meat and buns and bread locally baked!
I suppose I will continue reporting until I have exhuasted the whole menu!

1) CHILI BURGER

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The lunch menu (on both sides!)

No, I didn’t have these two burgers in a single lunch!
These lunches, although a bit pricey, are very generous and I can guarantee you satisfaction. They even offer an extra free serving of fried potatoes on request!

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The first lunch featured a chili burger with home-made chili beans!

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I like the way they serve it as you can either eat it the American way with the burger between your hands, or my way, a little at a time with a knife and fork!

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I know a lot of American and Canadian friends who would come just to sample those beautiful chili (not really hot, thanks!) beans!

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And their potatoes are always freshly fried!

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Always coming with a very tasty corn salad!

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Try and mix those chili beans with the fried potatoes!

2) New York Blue Strip Burger

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The last time I visited the place I just couldn’t resist this intriguing New York Blue Strip Burger! French also like their beef!

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New York Blur Strip Burger!

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I couldn’t wait to slowly demolish it!

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“Raising the cap” you will discover a whole steak, grilled semi-rare, cut in strips. And plenty of it!
For once my friends will have to eat it the slow way with fork and knife!

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The bottom row queuing for your fork!

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Now, that beef is extravagant (and local!)!

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And plenty of fresh vegetables for good balance and taste!

To be continued… You bet again!

TEQUILA’S DINER
420-0035 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken Cho, 8-6 (near Aoba Park Street), ACT 7, 1F
Tel.: 054–255-7595
Business hours: 12:00~14:00, 18:00~24:00
Closed on Wednesdays
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/06/06): Three Single-Hop Seasonal Releases

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
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Three Single-Hop Seasonal Releases

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

Hops are the spice of beer; they provide the bitter balance to the malt sweetness and infuse the brew with varying attributes of flavor and aroma. There are many varieties of hop, all imparting different character notes. Hops sharing the same name and genetic lineage often manifest characteristics dramatically different from their brethren grown in other regions of the world. Hops are, in a word, fascinating.

The best way to understand the comprehensive character of an individual hop variety is to brew a beer exclusively with that hop. This is called single-hop brewing. We have been busy single-hop brewing over the past several months and are happy to begin releasing some of these experiments. Up today: (1) Sorachi Ace Single-Hop Ale, (2) Santiam Single-Hop Ale, and (3) Northern Brewer Single-Hop Ale. All three of these varieties were grown in the United States. The recipes for these beers are identical, except of course for the hop variety. Calculated IBUs stand at 30. All are dry-hopped.

New Seasonal Baird Beer Releases:
*Sorachi Ace Single-Hop Ale (5%):

Sorachi Ace is a hop variety apparently from China but then shipped to and grown in Japan where it became known as a Japanese hop. It’s pedigree is a cross between Brewer’s Gold and Saazer. The Sorachi Ace we are using was grown in the United States. We have never seen, used nor tasted Sorachi Ace grown in Japan. This is our first experience with it period. It is noted for a lemon-like character. Alpha acid content for the 2012 crop is 15.3%. What do you think?

*Santiam Single-Hop Ale (5%):

This hop was released in the U.S. in 1997 and is a cross between Tettnanger and Hallertau Mittlefruh. It thus is noted for it’s ‘noble’ aroma, often described as spicy and floral. Santiam is one of the key hops in our year-round Single-Take Session Ale. Alpha acid content for this 2011 crop sample is 9.2%. How do your tastebuds respond?

*Northern Brewer Single-Hop Ale (5%):

Originally bred in England in 1934 from a Canterbury Golding female hop and a male hop known as OB21. It is held as a quintessentially ‘dual-purpose’ hop: equally good for its bittering potential and its aromatics. We are using the U.S. grown version here. We first got to know this hop as a signature hop in the Anchor Steam beer. Alpha acid content for this 2012 crop is 9.4%. We used to use Northern Brewer way back and featured it in our Bay Steam beer (a forerunner to Red Rose Amber Ale) — remember that? This is our first go with it in several years. What say you?

All three of these single-hop ales begin pouring tonight at our Taproom pubs. They also are available for immediate release to Baird Beer retailing pubs and restaurants in Japan. Please note, these are small-batch brews, keg only (no bottles), and thus very limited in supply. Orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sanwa Brewery-Garyubai Kaibin Jyuuri Ni Kaoru Junmai Daiginjo

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Sanwa Brewery in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City is a bit of a maverick in Shizuoka Prefecture as they are the only one brewery in Shizuoka Prefecture not using the Shizuoka yeast.

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Moreover they do not participate to sake competitions organised by the Association of Shizuoka Brewers in spite of their membership.

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The result is that their sake, although celebrated beyond our borders, are difficult to obtain even in Shizuoka as they are distributed only by a few sake shops.
I nonetheless, and especially the Missus and ladies in general, like them and am always looking for limited brews such as this one!

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Rice: Aiyama (Hyogo Prefecture) 100%
Rice milled down to 40%
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees (genshu)
Dryness: + 1
Acidity: 1.3
Bottled in March 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Complex and elegant. Pears, rice, pineapple
Body: Fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Dry, well-rounded fruity attack backed up with puissant junmai petillant.
Complex and fruity, almost sweet
Disappears fairly quickly on a somewhat drier note.
Apricots, nuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, faint hints of coffee and dark chocolate.
Insistently calls for the next cup.
Very easy to drink in spite of its high alcohol contents.
Although obviously to be enjoyed on its own drinks well with food with little change.

Overall: A beautiful, almost mysterious sake.
Splendid aperitif although I suspect it would make for the perfect night cap with a special chocolate.
To be drunk only in the company of connoisseurs or lovers!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/05/29): Limited Seasonal Release: Daidai Pale Ale

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Limited Seasonal Release: Daidai Pale Ale

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

Just back from a fantastic few days in Melbourne, Australia where we participated in Australian Beer Week. As part of our participation we were asked to brew a special beer with some unique Japanese ingredient to debut at the week-ending beer festival. Daidai fruit was in season at the time and thus we choose to brew a daidai-infused citrus-laden pale ale. It was a big hit down under! Well, we wanted some for ourselves and our beer-loving friends here in Japan, too, so we saved a few bottles and kegs. What remains of Daidai Pale Ale is being released in the Japan market today.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Release:
*Daidai Pale Ale (5.5%):

Daidai is a wonderfully aromatic citrus fruit the juice of which is pungently tart. The aroma is captured in the peels, which we add once on the hot-wort side (whirlpool after boiling) and once as a ‘dry-peel’ addition on the cold green-beer side. The juice is added to the whirlpool along with the first peel addition and thus is subject to yeast metabolism during fermentation. The hops (Simcoe, Citra, Chinook, Sorachi Ace) were selected and combined with the intent of complementing and enhancing the daidai fruit character.

The result is a brisk and balanced pale ale highlighted by a sublimely complex fruit character. Daidai Pale Ale is available in extremely limited quantities in both bottles and kegs. It begins pouring from the taps of our Taproom pubs tonight (Wednesday, May 29).

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Morimoto Brewery: Sayogoromo no Uta Genshu Nama Junmai Ginjo

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“Sayogoromo no Uta/The Light Night Veil Song”! Call a Japanese friend to translate the label. It is worth it!
And the sake is also worth a long conversation as it it is practically untouched/adulterated in its making! No pure alcohol or water added!

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Rice milled down to 55%
Alcohol: 17~18 degrees
Dryness: + 1
Acidity: 1.7
Bottled in 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Light, dry. Pears
Body: Fluid
Taste: Well-rounded dry attack with assertive junmai petillant.
Both complex and straightforward at the same time.
Pears and nothing else apparently!
Disappears quickly on a dry note.
Turns on a drier note with food with more junmai petillant.
Elegant in spite of its high alcohol content that tends to be dangerously forgotten!

Overall: Another Morimoto Brewery nectar off the beaten tracks of Shizuoka Prefecture or whatever traditions for that matter!
Chilled, makes for a superb aperitif, probably the best compliment to be made to any sake!
For special people only!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Shidaizumi Brewery-Junmai Daiginjo Yamada Nishiki

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The toji/brewmaster at Shidaizumi brewery in Fujieda City is of the Noto School, that is from Noto Peninsula in Ichikawa Prefecture.
Ichikawa and Shizuoka Prefecture sake arevery similar in concept and many are made for sake tasting competitions.

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Elegant presentation!

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plenty of explanations but this is the very top!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki
Rice milled down to 40%
Alcohol: 15^16 degrees
Yeast: Shizuoka HD-1
Dryness: + 4.0
Acidity: 1.3

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Fleeting, elegant. Rice
Body: Fluid
Taste: Soft well-rounded attack backed up by junmai petillant.
Abruptly turns to a very dry note at the back of the palate upon swallowing.
Complex:
Pears, hints of green apple, grapes. Late appearance of dry nuts.
Elegant and sophisticated. There is no point to drink it with food although it changes little.

Overall: A sake obviously conceived to be tasted on its own.
A great and so elegant aperitif when chilled.
But is eminently enjoyable at any temperature.
A sake to impress your friends or important people!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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

Shizuoka sake Tasting: Morimoto Brewery-Sayogoromo Junmai Koshu Roman

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Morimoto brewery is not only “notorious” for its sake away from the general Shizuoka trend but it also produces extraordinary “koshu/old sake”!

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But the more extraordinary is that that particular koshu had been matured at room temperature for the last 12 years!

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And there were only 3 bottles left in the whole brewery!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 17~18 degrees
Bottled in 2001

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Golden
Aroma: Chinese old spirits, very dry, sherry
Body: Fluid
Taste: Strong pleasant dry attack.
Very complex.
Reminiscent of a dry sherry at first, but turns sweet on the palate before disappearing on a drier note.
Very fruity. Mandarines, apricot, loquats, dry persimmon.
Changes little with food although junmai petillant asserts itself.
So easy to drink in spite of its high alcohol contents.

Overall: A rare treat as usual!
To think that every year sees a new sake crafted to be left in the same spot for years and years!
Makes for the perfect aperitif although it would definitely make for a very dangerous proposition late at night!
For connoisseurs and gastronomes only!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/05/16): Two More Hoppy Spring Seasonal Beers

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Two More Hoppy Spring Seasonal Beers

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

May is our ‘tribute to the hop’ month and we are pleased to announce the release of two more wonderful hop-character seasonal brews: Fire in the Belly — Doug’s Red Ale and Belgian Pale Ale.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Fire in the Belly — Doug’s Red Ale (6%):

Doug Benning was what we would consider a ‘founding customer’ in our Fishmarket Taproom. He first made an appearance the second or third weekend of our operation, visiting together with his wife, Miyuki, and fellow ‘founding customer’, Jason Block. That Doug was a curiously inquisitive and passionate person was revealed to Sayuri and me within minutes. That he was to be a life-long fan of the Taproom and Baird Beer, a future owner-partner in our business, and, most of all, an intimate and fiercely loyal friend, became apparent over the coming months and years.

Sadly, Doug passed away one year ago today, in a fashion as sudden as his life was intense. I understood Doug’s intensity perhaps better than most; we shared what my mother would have called ‘fire in the belly.’ We love Doug and Fire in the Belly is our beer memorial to him.

Fire in the Belly — Doug’s Red Ale is an explosively flavorful ale, richly malty with a bright hop character. The aroma is piny and pungent and comes courtesy of dry-hopping with two American varieties: Chinook and Simcoe. Doug, this Baird Beer is for you!

*Belgian Pale Ale (5.2%):

Pale Ale is the Pilsner of the ale world — myriad versions of it are brewed by ale breweries around the world. In this take, we ferment with our house Belgian ale yeast (a witbier strain) and incorporate a unique blend of fruity, grassy, herbal hop varieties (Galena, Santiam, Motueka, Styrian Golding, Saaz), all of which are used in dry-hopping. The flavor is fruity and full in the mouth, finishing with a very pleasant spicy dryness.

Both Fire in the Belly and Belgian Pale Ale are available for immediate release in kegs as well as bottles (360 ml).

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/05/10): 2013 Release — Saison Sayuri

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

2013 Release — Saison Sayuri

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

I am a big fan of Belgian-style Saison beers and so is my wife Sayuri. In 2007 I brewed this style for the first time as a birthday present for Sayuri. She liked it so much that we now brew it annually and release it on her birthday. Today is her birthday and we are pleased to release Saison Sayuri 2013.

Baird Beer Seasonal Release:
*Saison Sayuri 2013 (ABV 6%):

Saison means “season” and this family of beers is thought to have originated in Wallonia in southern Belgium. Saisons were brewed in the winter at farmhouse breweries for summer consumption by
thirsty farmhands. While there is no exact flavor profile or processing technique that define Saison stylistically, common traits exist (e.g. relatively pale in color, moderate in alcohol, refreshing in a dry or sour type of way, etc.). Often spices and ingredients uncommon to beer but otherwise readily available on the farm are incorporated. Saisons are thus typically Belgian in their funkiness and individuality.

Saison Sayuri is like its namesake — a fascinating admixture of down-to-earth simplicity and understated complexity. As with the 2012 version, this year’s Saison Sayuri is brewed with small spice-like additions of the peels and fresh juice of local aoshima mikan fruit from the local orchard of our carpenter and friend, Nagakura-san. The citrus character of the mikan fruit is complemented beautifully by bright fruit flavors imparted from three varieties of New Zealand hops (Motueka, Wakatu and Cascade). The result is a piquantly quenching brew that still manages a great, albeit understated, depth of character.

Saison Sayuri is available for immediate release in both in kegs and bottles (360 ml). It will be pouring from the taps of each of our Taproom pubs today, May 10, in honor of the birthday girl.

Sayuri and I will be at the Nakameguro Taproom tonight to celebrate her birthday together with the 5-year anniversary of the Nakameguro Taproom. Of course no Taproom birthday celebration would be complete without a special commemorative batch of Baird Beer. This year, our brewers are honoring the Nakameguro Taproom with NT-5 Wheat-Hop Ale. This is a hop-forward wheat-based ale that is dry-hopped with a unique combination of six hop varieties (Summit, German Magnum, Centennial, Citra, Saaz and Tettnanger). NT-5 Wheat-Hop Ale will be tapped at the opening of business tonight and is available on draught exclusively at the Nakameguro Taproom. We hope to see you there.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
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