Baird Beer News & Taproom Events Email Bulletin September 2, 2010

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

Beer, as you know, is our passion. We enjoy drinking it everyday and in some quantity. Our aim is pleasure from flavor enjoyment, though, not inebriation. To this end, we are great fans of flavorful beers that sport a moderate to low alcohol content. Today we are releasing two first time seasonal brews that pack powerful flavor without undo alcohol strength.

New Seasonal Beer Releases:

1. Eastern Wind Session Ale (ABV 4.8%): Session Ales are moderate to low alcohol content beers that enjoy full flavor and are meant for imbibing the duration of the social session. Eastern Wind is brewed with a variety of wheat malts, rye malt and floor-malted barley. It delivers moderate hop bitterness but tons of hop flavor and aroma from generous late hopping with equal portions of three aromatic varieties (Tettnanger, Santiam, Saaz). It then is fermented with a Belgian yeast strain which lends a wonderfully tart and fruity character. Eastern Wind Session Ale is available on draught and in bottles (633 ml) through the fine family of Baird Beer retailers in Japan. Consumers can purchase direct from the brewery through our online E-Shop.
2. NZ Cascade Single Hop Ale (ABV 5.0%): We love to experiment with different hop varieties. In this single-hopped version of an English-style Pale Ale, we employ the New Zealand varietal version of a classic American hop — Cascade. While the aromatics tend to be somewhat restrained, the bitterness is firm and clean and the hop flavor has great depth in its piquant fruitiness. NZ Cascade Single Hop Ale is available only on draught and exclusively at our own Taproom pubs.

If you are planning a session drinking outing to one of our Taprooms soon, you also will find one additional beer gem: Hop Burst Brown Porter. We are serving the lowish gravity English-style Brown Porter as Real Ale on hand pump. Generally, Brown Porters tend to be low in hop character but this is not so with Hop Burst, which enjoys terrific hop flavor and aroma with restrained bitterness. “Hop bursting” is our practice of making only late flavor and aroma hop additions and forgoing early bittering additions. Come in for a pint and see for yourself what that tastes like.

Cheers!

Bryan Baird

I'm still Country.

It's been a long few weeks. As anyone who has ever been in the restaurant biz knows, time is not a plenty. The main thing is that I am having a good time, although every now and again I find myself dreaming about Japan...

I've been trying to decide on which way I am going to take this blog. I bought kybeer.com, and was planning on starting something like that here in Kentucky--but I can't get away from Good Beer and Country Boys. So, I've made my decision.

This blog will live on. I am going to try and bring back Nate, as well as bring in a few other personalities to give you some fun stuff to read, and as always to try and promote the craft beer world, both in Japan and KY.

We are going to write about where to get good beer here in KY, all of the Japan news that I hear, and of course to post crazy pictures of my friends and I drinking good beer all across the globe. I hope that you keep reading and commenting, and thanks to all of you who have done so through the years!

The blog will take on a new look, but never fear. No ads or crap like that.

I'm looking forward to next weekend as none other than Bryan Baird of Baird Beer is coming to visit me in KY! I'll post some pictures of us getting wild and enjoying catching up on the craft beer scene.

And just in case you were wondering about life in KY, here's a pic. Oh yeah, I'm still country.

If you guessed that this pic was from my rehearsal dinner in KY, you are right. Seriously.

Well I have said I will post again soon...which I will. Nate is a REAL brewer now. I am a restaurant manager. The brewery dream is alive. But I miss Japan. Drinking Dogfish Head IBA now. Wishing I was drinking Suruga Bay.

Ahhh....Nihon...

I'm missing Japan. Reading about Baird Beer's upcoming events...it's enough to drive a guy crazy!!!! If you are in Japan and you like beer, you have to get over to the Taproom to celebrate with them this summer.

Baird Beer is blowing up in the US. People are asking about it, searching for it, and wanting to drink it. AWESOME. Japanese beer is on the map. The real beer map.

I know I have been slipping on the blog, but I am working on getting it rolling again. I promise. I also promise to be back in Japan before too long. That's right Chris, get the toilet ready.

Japan Wins!

It was a good day. Lots of work, and Japan wins an awesome game. I'm drinking Baird Beer to celebrate.


The beer scene in Japan is taking off. I see it now in all of the new sights, magazines, apps, and people that are flocking to the good stuff. I am proud. Japan will be the mecca for beer soon.

Being married and working 80 hours a week make it tough to blog, but I am working on it. We will get this site up and running again soon. Never fear.


Miss all of you in Japan and around the globe!

CHEERS!

Well guys, it has been a while. I came back from Japan on April 16th, and after our second wedding, Michi's family coming for a visit, and both of us starting work--I am back to blogging.

I find myself managing a restaurant in my hometown called Circa 1840, a fine dining spot located in a old home from...you guessed it, circa 1840. It's fun and great experience, but just like all jobs in the restaurant/ bar biz--long nights.

Nate is working for our local brewery now, as an associate brewer making KY Ale, the very beer I am drinking in our blog pic. Really cool stuff. It's crazy how life works out. We want to own a brewpub one day, and I think we are on our way to getting it going!

Kentucky is nice and the weather is good, but I would be lying if I said I didn't miss Japan. More to come !

Getting married...AGAIN.....

So after this Sunday's wedding I will be back to posting as usual. I have been scrambling to get all of the arrangements made for the wedding...and I hope it goes well. Michi's family arrives tomorrow: mom, dad, brother, his wife, and their FOUR kids. All staying at my place. Going to be fun!!!!!

I'm missing Japan, but enjoying life here. We will see what the future holds. Part of me can see me staying here for a long while, and another part of me can see me trying my hand at a good beer pub in Japan. One thing is for sure, I WILL have a house on the bay in Numazu to retire to. Chris, if you are reading, that means YOUR house. Upstairs toilet and all.

Just to let you all know, I'm still drinking good beer.

NATE!!

You all remember NATE, the other Good Beer Country Boy. Well, you will be happy to know that he has just been hired on as the next assistant brewer at The Lexington Brewing Co., makers of Kentucky Ale and Bourbon Barrel!!!!!!!!!!!! Great news for a good friend!

Leave him some love, he still gets on here!!!!

Business is good in Gtown, but I miss Japan!

Drinking some Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale tonight. Awesome stuff. Really cool too considering that this is the same recipe as Stone's 11th anniversary ale, which I also happen to have cooling in the fridge to taste at the right moment. It's been a hard day at the restaurant, and I need something to help me unwind....this is the beer....


Tomorrow I have to paint the bathroom, buy a TV, and continue to set up this place. The couch we bought arrived today, and I couldn't help but think of all of the Suruga Bay's that I could have bought with what it cost. Oh well, if I can drink them while I sit on it that will be ok......


Miss all of you in Japan! Dreaming of some good sushi and yakitori at the moment...

Bell's Hopslam and Founder's Centennial IPA

Got off work a bit early tonight, so had to come home and try a few that I picked up today at the store. WOW. They are good. Now I just need a Suruga Bay to wash them down.