Bryan Baird in Numazu

Last Sunday, after a great weekend of breweries (and brewing!--Nate will add more on that later) we started the trek back to Toyohashi. Of course, it was raining. Miyuki punched in the coordinates of Baird's The Fishmarket Taproom in Numazu, set the car on autopilot, and we were on our way.
We arrived at The Taproom, parked across from it next to the harbor, and I got my first look at Bryan Baird's baby--his very own Taproom in Numazu.
From the outset, the Taproom has an amazing look. Real wood abounds as you make your way up the steps to the second floor of this old building facing the water. The second floor has a huge window for a wall that gives everyone inside a nice view of outside, and it lets those outside gaze longingly and lustfully at those drinking the Baird pints inside.

We entered the bar and immediately I loved the atmosphere. There were some English speakers enjoying a pint near the window, a Japanese couple talked near the center of the bar, and some good spirited English teachers occupied the back nook of the bar. This place was a huge contrast to the places we had drank jibeer the two nights before. Hansharo has a HUGE hall that seems vacant and somewhat daunting. The all you can eat at Gotemba was excellent, but noisy and crowded. The Taproom was not crowded, not empty--but had a warm atmosphere that was addictive and attractive.

Luckily these boys arrived on the tail end of Baird's stout week. Nate and I immediately went to work. I got the Great American Stout, and Nate started with the Milk Stout. All of the stouts were excellent, but my two favorites had to be the "aggressively hopped" Great American Stout (Cincinnati Reds anyone?) and the Morning Coffee Stout. Wish I had a pint of each as we speak.

I asked the lovely lady working behind the bar if Bryan would be in anytime soon, and she assured me he was on his way. I came to find out that this was Sayuri Baird, his wife and partner. She was working her tail off behind the bar making some GREAT food and pouring drinks. Hats off to her for her hospitality and courtesy, and for the AMAZING food that she makes. You must try the Lemon Herb Potatoes and her famous Potato Salad. Her chili was STELLAR and the best I have had in Japan. (Although, those who were around me about three hours after eating it may want to have a few choice words with Mrs. Baird concerning the amount of beans she uses.) I loved it.

Nate and I were chatting over some stouts when all of the sudden a guy came up beside me yelling, "The Good Beer Country Boys! Hey! I'm from Cincinnati--I'm a bit of a country boy myself!!!"

The famous Bryan Baird himself.

Overflowing with energy and personality, Bryan Baird is your man's man. He is knowledgeable without being preachy, informative without being lecturing, and one hell of a nice guy. He's quick to the point, full of great information, and eager to make a friend.I don't want to give the impression that he is the perfect man, he is from Ohio (-1), but from what I heard is a Cincinnati Bengals fan (+1 for the amount of sheer determination that takes.) From the get go we hit it off, talking of home, good beer, and his view on the Japanese jibeer industry.
In one word, Bryan is intense. He loves to talk about his passion for his product, and was quick to point out that beer is not just following a recipe and adding the yeast at the right time. "Anyone can add some more malt or throw some hops in the secondary...", Bryan told us. Bryan told us that making great beer is about "process and implementation and meticulous attention to detail." Bryan spoke early and often about how many Japanese brewers lack "energy and passion" and how this comes through in the taste of their beers. How true.
"When you got your finger in the air, you're lost!!" --Bryan Baird

This idea permeates Bryan's whole brewing mentality. He says you have to make good beer for you, and you alone. The minute you start to try and please the masses and follow people, you are doomed. Bryan mentioned that if you make a good, flavorful brew--probably only one of out ten regular folks will like it. And even that ratio is good. His mission of "making great beer in an uncompromising way" is addictive and that attitude can be implemented in just about any area of business.

One very interesting thing that Bryan mentioned was how having too much equipment and capital can be a curse at the beginning. Many people think this is exactly what happened in Japan. "Brewers" had a lot of capital and the ability to get huge brewing systems--but didn't have the basic knowledge of how to use them. Many of the "master-brewers" you will find in Japan aren't even real brewers by trade, but just some fellas who lucked into a job. Coming up like Baird Brewing did, on a very very small system, every batch had to count and every dollar had to be well spent. You can tell that this attitude has made Baird very productive and successful.

We enjoyed a few more pints and talked about beer for a while. I found out that Bryan is no beer snob, and in his own words, "I have drank a lot of beer in my day, and truth be told there aren't many who have drank more." I like this guy.

Next, Bryan introduced Nate and I to The Carpenter, the man who helps Bryan build all of his bars and his a good friend. In fact, this was The Carpenter behind Baird's The Carpenter's Mikan Ale. In a sense, that is what Bryan is all about--no bull. If he says a beer is "The Carpenter's Mikan Ale" then for sure--it's because there was a real carpenter behind it. I saw that The Carpenter had an elegant glass of some type of strong brew, and I went to the bar and asked Sayuri for a glass of "whatever The Carpenter has." After that we enjoyed our 2009 versions of Baird's Barleywine. Amazing.
So what is the future of Baird Beer? Well, Bryan said that he wants to open his next "5 to 10 taprooms" in the Tokyo area, and essentially--he is just getting started. I don't think you will see any letup in Bryan Baird until his beer is in every izakaiya and bar around Japan. He's already started to import to the US, and I wouldn't be surprised if you see some of his beer at your local bar in the years to come. Back in the US, you may be drinking his beer in one of the Izakaiyas he dreams of opening on the West Coast one day soon. I'll be there with you.
I could write more and more about all of the great things that Bryan had to say, and the awesome time that we had there. Friends, I'll let it be with these last statements:

Bryan Baird is making the best beer in Japan, and The Taproom in Numazu is the best bar in Japan. Those are some bold statements to be sure, but test me on them. You will see.
If you haven't had his beer, you must try it soon. Get yourself down to Numazu and tell them that you heard about him from The Good Beer Country Boys. While you are there enjoy some of Sayuri's great food. Don't worry about being from out of town, Sayuri told us that many of the folks on the weekends are from out of town and we met a great group of teachers in the back corner who weren't regulars--but were having a great time none the less.
Bryan and Sayuri--thanks a ton for the great time. I expect more great things in the future (you too Chris Poel!) and I am sure that I won't be disappointed.

Cheers.