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Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:
The grand opening of our new taproom in Harajuku (Harajuku Taproom) is just around the corner. We open for business at noon on Saturday, August 8.
The Harajuku Taproom is a yakitori-izakaya style beer pub inspired by our love of the casual Japanese dining and drinking (and they always go together) experience. The decor is the simple and natural one of wood and stone which has been rendered even more magnificent by the craftsmanship of our world-class carpenter, Mitsuo Nagakura (everything is hand-made by him, including the furniture!). The food too is simple and natural, and fresh! Chef-manager, Tetsuya Naruoka, will be manning the grill with skill and his consummate enthusiasm. The beer will be Baird and it will be served impeccably. The house Harajuku Ale will be a real ale poured from a handpump and is a slight variation of the European Summer Ale we released earlier in the year. The Harajuku Taproom Celebration Ale is a kind of American-style IPA hopped to the heavens and frothing at the prospect of being enjoyed in the company of a plate of perfectly grilled Japanese skewers. As for the location, it is both convenient and fun (from Harajuku JR station walk down Takeshita-dori about 100 meters and turn left at the first intersecting road; walk 30 meters to the end of that road and the Harajuku Taproom will be staring at you from the right). Harajuku Taproom details are below:
Harajuku Taproom
1-20-13 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo 150-0001
Tel/Fax: 03-6438-0450
email: harajuku-tap@bairdbeer.com
Business Hours: Monday-Friday (5:00 pm - Midnight), Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays (Noon - Midnight)
The beer fun is not limited to the Harajuku Taproom, however. Bottles (633 ml) of Harajuku Taproom Celebration Ale will be available through the fine family of Baird Beer retailing liquor shops in Japan beginning Friday, August 7.
Harajuku Taproom Celebration Ale (ABV 6.5%):
This bold and pungently American-style IPA is for hop lovers only. Loads of BUs lend a boastful bitterness exceeded in arrogance only by the aromatics of what can best be described as a hop oil orgy. Cheers to Harajuku!
Lastly, the Baird Brewery is pleased to announce today's release of yet another unique annual summer seasonal beer: Asian Beauty Biwa Ale.
Asian Beauty Biwa Ale 2009 (ABV 6.0%):
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-farmer, Nagakura-san, brought some in two years ago for us to taste and then brew with. It is an extremely subtle fruit that harmonizes sweetness with tartness. Asian Beauty Biwa Ale is coyly fruity, spritely effervescent and yet delicately firm -- like a true Asian Beauty! It promises to be a superb August heat and humidity tamer.
Asian Beauty Biwa Ale 2009 is being sold in 633 ml bottles by fine Japanese liquor stores and is available on draught, beginning Friday, August 7, at our Taproom pubs as well as at other Baird Beer retailing pubs and restaurants in Japan.
Looking forward to seeing you either this weekend or soon thereafter at the Harajuku Taproom.
Cheers!
Bryan Baird
Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
www.bairdbeer.com
Numazu, Japan
www.bairdbeer.com
8 comments:
Jibeer lovers: Make sure if you are free you get to the Harajuku Taproom. Baird is great beer and the brewers and all involved are great people. If you see Bryan or Chris, make sure you tell them that The Good Beer Country Boys told you about them...they know we's good people. (Dang my KY English is back!!)
Chris: Wish I could be there man! I'll have to make a special trip up when I get back at the end of this month. Also, let's tack down a date to do a tasting and a meetup in Numazu this fall!
DH -- Meeting up in Numazu is always a good thought. I have some bottles of beer I've been saving for a good occasion -- we can do a major tasting. But, that means we can't drink a lot of Baird, especially if I have to work the next day! Shit!!!
All reports are that Harajuku Taproom is beautiful. I'll be going today for a look around and a test run -- can't wait. Hopefully I'll be able to see some people Saturday as well at the official opening.
If you're taking Tokyo Metro, you want to head for Exit #3 on the Chiyoda Line side of the Meiji-Jingumae stations. (It appears the Fukutoshin Line has no exits of its own.)
That will put you on the east side of an unnamed street. (The JR structure should be on your left.)
Then walk north. The next avenue on your right is Takeshita-Dori. Go east the 100 meters and turn left. The Harajuku Taproom will be on your right.
It was a good first night (not the preopening party, but I made my own party!) of business. Lots of people were there. I was possibly the first thru the door and oneo fhta last to leave. Over 12 hours drinking, not too shabby. BUck bought me a few beers, too.Just hasd the 10 pints but the Harajuku ale i thought was very good, better than the European Summer ale, in my opinion. It got to taste slightly sweet a tthe end. The celebration too was very good. Finished the berrel, as I drunkenly bragged to Marco I would - wasn't serious at the time. My mainbeers for that night were celebration, harajuku ale. The teikoku and rising sun were in good form and the workingmans dark mild also was very good. Food was delicious but I only managed to grab a bite of someone else's, as I spent all my omney on booze.
Didn't care for the pacifi porter, though. Not for me.
Chewy, sorry I didn't make it on Saturday (or Sunday) -- after a long week of long days, I really just needed a day in front of the TV vegging out, which I got. I'll be back, though, and I'll bring you a special beer when we meet up there for the first time!
No worries, Chris. It was a good day. Met Steve and his son (chip off the old block there), Luc Lafontaine (man, he's got the coolest name!) the brewer at Dieu du ciel and met quite a few old friends and made new ones. Oh, I also got nicely drunk.
I met Luk a few months ago at Numazu Taproom -- nice guy. And we're probably going to do business with him in the fairly near future.
...and they keep on coming.
I used to have free ads on my old blog and was amused at how the computer chose them.
I'd keep getting ads for Alcoholics Anonymous.
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