That was fun.

I'll try and get some posts up later on today.

Tokyo guys--thanks for a great weekend!!!!!

Fun was had, money spent, stories embellished, brews drank. Now it's back to work and it's pouring the rain here--and I have to ride the scooter to the farthest school. No fun.

And now I am on a Hiatus.

Friday Came, The King of Pop Left

Well, the King of Pop and the woman who's face was on the wall of the men's bathroom at the place where my mom worked when I was a kid have gone on. Sad sad sad. I guess Michael is one of the first huge stars from my childhood to kick the bucket, and even though he was a creepy plastic dude in his final years--he still could sang.

I will always remember Michael as Captain EO. IT WAS AWESOME. Captain EO was a short 3-D movie that used to be shown at Disney's EPICOT studios in Florida. When I was growing up, if I could have been Captain EO for one day--I would have been the happiest kid on the planet.



When you pop your Friday brews, take a sip for old Michael Jackson--the pop one, not the pop top one. But you can take a sip for them both, since they've both gone on.

I've got an enkai tonight with all of the teachers in the town. It's a toss up right now whether they will serve Super Dry or Kirin Lager. I'm holding out for the Ichiban Shibori--but I've got a bad feeling it will be the Super Dry. No worries though!

We are heading to Numazu tomorrow morning. Hope to see all of you there!!!

I got the pics of me drinking a few brews on the mean streets of Nagoya. They are super blurry thanks to cameraman Nate and I remember them looking much better at the time. Anyways, you can look at these pics of me drinking Swan Lake IPA, Minoh Pale Ale, and Baird Teikoku IPA--all were very good, do I have to choose the best one? If you will notice, I am demonstrating the proper way to smell a good brew.










And last but not least. If you ever come to KY, just remember what my mom always told me: "KEEP YOUR GRUBBY LITTLE FINGERS OUT OF THE BOURBON MASH!"

Ichiban Umai Happoshu!

Asahi wants you to decide the ichiban umai Happoshu!

Click here to see pictures of Asahi Cool Draft and a tough lookin' Japanese dude with shitty facial hair...

...while Eye of the Tiger plays in the background!

Yeah!

Kirin's Golden Moment

I can't resist when a new Hopposhu or 3rd Category shows up in the 7/11 across the street. After school today, there were two, Kirin's Golden Moment and Suntory's Yutaka. I didn't want to drink these back to back, so I got the Golden Moment. Why that beer? Well, marketing got me.The can reads "Kirin's KOKU NO JIKAN delivers you a great harmony of refreshing and full body taste." Let's break this down. You have refreshing taste. You have full body taste. These are harmoni-a-sized and then delivered to you, the consumer, in this...oh, wait. I was about to say beer, but this is 3rd Category. This malt-free beer flavored alcoholic beverage.

Surprisingly enough, the slogan is right on the money. This beer has a refreshing taste for the first two or three drinks, ice-friggin-cold (I suspected trouble, so I threw it in the freezer for 10 minutes). This beer has a full body taste, a full body that is made of things beside barley malt. Seriously, if you can't put malt in these 3rd Category abominations, then don't put body either. I would rather the main flavor be water than mutated soy protein.

In conclusion, the drinkers of this original Japanese beer style are drinking to get drunk, not drinking for taste. Body in 3rd Category beer? Makes it harder to chug.

Get thee behind me....BEER SNOB!

"I'm no beer snob"-- Bryan Baird

I'll never forget when I heard Bryan say that the first time I met him at The Fishmarket Taproom in Numazu. It was refreshing for me to hear, because often times I feel that I am out of place in the world of meticulous beer judges and elitists. I admit that back home I often enjoy drinking PBR, High Life, or whatever else my cheap friends decide to buy. Of course, I love a good craft brew, but bringing a twelve pack of Bell's Hopslam out to the creek just doesn't fit like a case of cold Coronas does.

Is craft beer becoming the new wine?

I love making fun on winos. I like to see people who don't know jack squat about wine talk about how this one is better than that one while they try to use words that they read in a magazine or heard their brother's sister's ex-husband who just happens to be the sommelier at the finest restaurant in New York use. Most have no idea what they are talking about when it comes to wine. Wine is not a drink of the common man, beer is.

Sometimes when I go to the bar, or drink a nice beer I have bought at my home--I like to savor something nice and enjoy the interesting flavors. Usually this is when I am alone. If I am with friends, often times I want to drink something good, but something that doesn't require note-taking and analyzing. I think we lose something when we analyze a can of PBR. (which you can find on Ratebeer and BeerAdvocate) PBR isn't brewed to be anything else than what it is: A common beer for the common man.

Being a bartender at my local pub in Kentucky helped me realize this. We sell Bud Light 10-1 over any craft beer, and in fact our bars top three beers were 1. Bud Light 2. Miller Lite 3. Bud Heavy. Many of the guys coming in after work weren't looking for an Imperial Stout or an IPA. In fact, IPA's don't sell well in KY at all. We aren't an IPA loving state. (I love them of course.) Does this make Kentuckians less knowledgeable about good beer? Does it make their opinions and likes a non-issue?

I think that BeerAdvocate and Rate Beer are great sites. I wish I had started them, and then I wouldn't be working today. But, we have to remember, that these sites are full of opinions of everyday Tom, Dick and Harry's like you and me. I trust BeerAdvocate's top 25 beers about as much as I trust the Fox News Poll about Obama's approval rating.
The great thing about beer is that what I like--you may hate. Also, I may think a beer that you really like tastes like complete crap. (Guiness? Boddington's? Leffe?) BUT, Good Beer lover's know that this is what makes beer great and gives it the mass appeal. My love of beer doesn't require you to love the same beers that I do. I am just appreciative that you have found a good beer that you like. My friend, "The Birdman", only drinks Bud Heavy, Corona, or anything else very close to those two. Should I consider myself better off than he? I remember the days when he drank Parrot Bay and 151, and couldn't stomach a brew. As a Good Beer Brother--I must simply respect the fact that he has found brews that he likes--and leave that at that.

I can't help but think of CAMRA and those that turn up their noses at all the "other beer" out there. I see these people in the same way as I see those who listen only to classical music and snub those who listen to anything made after 1900. Open your eyes! We are all different! We like different foods, colors, hobbies, AND beer.

Nate and I were asked to help with the judging of last years Asia Beer Cup. We declined. Part of the reason is because Tokyo is far away and I don't have a trust fund, but the main reason is that I have more business going to the moon than I do judging a beer contest. I can tell you what beer I like, and what beers I don't like (few that they are), but I can't drone on for hours about "Carmel overtones" and "tannins" and pick out the taste of a pube that fell into the brew pot. I leave that to the Real Beer Nerds, or as the funny British comic calls them--the Real Ale Twats.


It's true that Nate and I dream of having our own Brew Pub in Kentucky one day. We are taking steps to make that happen. We want to make great, exciting brews that we love for people to enjoy. If I see the Real Ale Twats come in our door and ask about cask ales, I'll oblige them of course. Then, I'll tell them to grab a pint of something cold, go sit down, and talk to the locals about where the small mouth are hitting on the creek, how UK basketball is doing, and bourbon. I promise whatever you they are drinking will taste just a bit better...

So, weigh in Good Beer Lovers and Beer Nerds alike. What do you think? Do you still like to drink Asahi when you have it? Will you take a water over an Ichiban Shibori? Do you pack a tasting glass with you everywhere you go??


And read the comics. They are great!!!!

The Real Ale Twats. (From Jeffrey's Beer Blog --formerly Stonch's Beer Blog)

Good Beer and Good Food

Great article from The New York Times about good beer and good food in New York. I think you Tokyoites can identify a lot with what it has to say, check it out. Also they give a shout out to "Hardcore IPA--from a brewer in Scotland." Geez, Brewdog cant get a name drop?????

While you are in a reading mood, you might want to check this article out, and decide which 5 beers you would like to be with on a deserted island. And no Chuwy, by "beers" we mean beers, not Welsh girls.

My top 5:

1. KY Ale
2. Stone IPA
3. Bell's Oberon
4. Baird's Angry Boy Brown Ale
5. Gotemba Kogen Weizenbock

Now, I didn't say that those are my favorite beers in the world, but the 5 I would like to be marooned with on an island. What say you?

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin 2009 #15

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin 2009 #15

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

Harajuku Taproom:

The craft beer rumor mill has been rife with whispers of a new Tokyo-area Taproom. The scuttlebutt, it turns out, is true. Baird Brewing will be opening its second Tokyo Taproom in a lovely area of Harajuku this coming August (Saturday, August 8 is the hoped-for grand opening date). The Harajuku Taproom will be a sort of kushi-yaki beer bar with great grilled skewers, 15 Baird Beer taps and two Baird Beer real ale handpumps. 35 to 40 seats will be mostly counter seats with the exception of a sofa area and one large table. Specific details regarding operating hours and other matters will be announced shortly.

Also, in conjunction with this business expansion, we are on the lookout for good personnel. It you are an individual who is passionate about a career in the craft beer-restaurant industry, speak Japanese at an adequate level and possess a Japan work visa, please send along a cover letter and resume to: sayuri@bairdbeer.com. We are hiring for both the Harajuku and Nakameguro Taprooms.

Fishmarket Taproom 9-Year Anniversary Celebration (July 18 - 20):

We will be celebrating the 9-year birthday of our Numazu Fishmarket Taproom on the three-day holiday weekend of Saturday, July 18 through Monday, July 20. Highlights of the weekend festivities include:

*Baird Fruit & Beer Festival

*1,500 yen all-you-can-eat beer-inspired buffet (our new chef, Michiru, has hit the ground running and this promises to be an extraordinary treat)

*Baird brewery tours twice a day (2:00 pm and 4:00 pm)

*Outdoor yaki-tori grilling below the Taproom (everyday, 3:00 - 7:00 pm)

*Saturday evening live music

Please mark your calendar and plan a festive summer trip to idyllic Numazu for what promises to be a great beer bonanza! More detailed beer and event information will be forthcoming in an upcoming bulletin.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
www.bairdbeer.com

Swan Lake Beers

While Nate and I were knee deep in the last Street Drank, I procured a few Swan Lake Beer's to sample. This was the first time that I have seen Swan Lake in Nagoya, and to my knowledge Okadaya is the only place that sells it in the bottle, and it cannot be found on tap anywhere in the city. That's a shame, 'cause it was good beer.

I tried the Swan Lake IPA and the Weizen, and both were really good. The IPA was really balanced and excellent in my opinion--one of the best IPA's I have had in some time. I had drank a Teikoku just before this, and I think my tongue was ready for a little lighter hop taste. The weizen didn't disappoint as well--it was perfect for a sunny day's walk around Nagoya.
All you Tokyo jibeer lovers out there who can drink the Swan Lake on tap---how is it?

I think Nate has some pictures of me drinking the Swan Lake, but until I can get them, enjoy a picture of some real swans, on a real lake.

The Last Street Drank

Nate and I had a great Saturday in Nagoya. It could have been the last time Nate and I will street drink in Nagoya!!!! Like he told you, he started the day with an Anchor Summer Beer before we embarked on the Asahi factory tour, always a good start to the day. We have done the tour so many times that two of the lady tour guides told us hello, and long time no see. Think about if we lived in Nagoya??!!


After that we found the good beer store Okadaya, near Nagoya station. I will give Nate a bit of Hell since he couldn't find the place, and it turns out it is really close to the station. We finally found the place by asking the drivers of a beer truck where the Okadaya store was. They told us matter-of-factly that it was just around the bend. Which brings me to some advice jibeer lovers: when in doubt, ask the beer man.

We bought a few good brews and spit some game with the girl in the beer store since she was female and knew a lot about jibeer. She wasn't smoking hot, but hey--knowledge about beer covers up a multitude of sins. The girls there can speak a bit of English, and the shop is nice and cozy. If I lived in Nagoya, I would frequent it often.

After a few round there, we made our way to Sakae (with the help of a few Turkish sandwiches). Once there we switched to The Premium Malt's and kicked it in the tiny park near Spirits. We had two big 'uns each and smoked some Backwoods. Good times.

Then it was time for us to head back to Toyohashi. Of course, not before stopping back by Okadaya and Seijo Ishii to grab a few rounds for the train ride home. Lovely day. When I arrived back in Toyohashi though, my girlfriend was less than amused.





On to some beer news, check out Stone's Juxtaposition Black Pilsner. (brewed with Cambridge and Brew Dog!!!) If you remember, we did an interview with James Watt of BrewDog way back at the beginning of the blog, and we just did Greg Koch! Impressed yet? I think I should get a case of this stuff in the mail as a gift!!!

Also check out this sweet Stone birthday cake.

If you don't know yet, we are having a Good Beer Meet-up this weekend in Numazu!!!! We are going to be hitting Baird's The Fishmarket Taproom Saturday (27th) afternoon and having a good time. If you are in the area, come and check it out. Hopefully a few of the Tokyo boys can come down, and good times will ensue. If you have never been to The Taproom before--now is your chance!

Skunked!

Saturday morning I was waiting for DH at Kanayama Station in Nagoya so we could go tour Asahi. I walked into Seijo Ishi International Store to see what was up. They had Anchor's Summer Beer. I said to myself, "Self, that is a tasty wheat beer that I would like to drink." So I shelled out 399 yen for a bottle. I walked back into the station, popped the top, and found... that the beer was skunked!

Come on! Anchor makes some good beer and I have drank the Summer Beer in America before. That means either Seijo Ishi or Mitsui Foods (Anchor importer) dropped the ball. Someone let this beer get hot during it's journey. This isn't the Liberty Ale or Old Foghorn Barleywine. This is a 4.6% wheat beer.After the interview with Greg Koch and him stressing the importance of their beer being refrigerated on its way to Japan, this is just bullshit. I shouldn't have to pay 400 yen for a skunked beer. Mad props go to Andrew at Nagano Trading and Phred at Izu Beer for having standards. All of the Stone, Rogue, Bear Republic, Green Flash, Speakeasy, etc, I have drank in Japan has been in tip-top shape.

Have anyone else had problems with heat damaged imports in Japan? Has anyone drank an Anchor Summer Beer this season?

Friday Friday Friday!! YEAH!

Greetings on a sunny wonderful Friday fellow jibeer lovers!! It's a beautiful day here in the mountains, and I can't wait to catch that afternoon train back to civilization!

Hope everyone had a great week, although I think it was a pretty mild one. It seems that our good buddy Chuwy is down with a toothache, I've cut my foot to shreds, and money is short in general. Never fear, the meat of the summer is near. I'll be back in KY in almost a month!! I will be coming back to Japan though in the fall. Nate, I'm sad to say, is going back to the land of bourbon, blond women and horses for good. Don't worry though, once he is back he is going to start brewing full-time and try to turn this passion into something that will pay the bills, or at least the bar tab.

Saturday will find Nate and myself trolling around Nagoya looking for good beer. For sure we will hit all of the hot spots and the new store Okadaya, which sells awesome beer. (for Nagoya anyways) I might even make it to Towser in the evening. Anyone who wants to join me at one of their outside tables with a proper pint or six, let me know!

I'll be doing a post about where to find good jibeer in Japan, as a fella named Duncan sent me an email asking where the best beers could be found--'cause for sure it's not the convenience store. SO, what do you think good readers? Do you have one store that you frequent for all of your beer needs, or are there many? Do you hit the department store basements, or speciality shops? Tell us in the comments.

I hope everyone enjoyed the interview with Greg Koch. He is one of the hottest brewers (if not the hottest) in the world right now and it was a huge boost for the site. Thanks to everyone that submitted questions, even if he didn't get a chance to answer them all. (Sorry Chuwy!) Your hits and comments make it all possible for sure. We have a few more interviews in the works, and if one in particular works out--you (and I!!!!) will be very impressed. Any guesses on who it might be???

That being said, Chris Poel posted a few brewers in the comments that he would like to see an interview with. Pipe up the rest of you! Who would you like to see us interview??

Lastly, I will leave you with a pic from the homeland. I'm heading to the 'ole home place in a few weeks, and already I can smell the bourbon based BBQ cooking on the grill and the Kentucky Ale in my glass. I can feel the warm summer night and the glow of the campfire. I can hear the frogs croaking and the crickets singing while the fireflies dance around in the air......wait....What's that I hear? Is that the murmur of the creek? No, it sounds like an engine??! OH WAIT! It's a drunk redneck riding a wheelie on a four-wheeler with a recliner mounted on the back as a seat! He's going straight into the fire!!!!!!

Yes friends, that's a real KY boy. I didn't just post a random pic. That's my good buddy "The Bone" gettin' wild on a summer night.




OK, I know--that's not one of the real Good Beer Country Boys. You want to see a pic of me gettin' wild on an all terrain vehicle? You got it.

Utopias drank

The friday night before Lance and Rob headed back to the homeland, we popped open the Sam Adams Utopias. That's right, bottle number #11663, the same bottle that many of you Tokyo-ites had seen collecting dust in Tanakaya for so long. It was an experience.



Utopias smells like a barley wine that is going to be good but then.... It is "not like beer." This is one statement that all of us agreed upon after the first sip. The maple syrup and the wood aging come on strong. There is a strong alcohol nose but it is pretty subdued for almost 26 %.

A few ounces in, I was really craving a stack warm, fluffy pancakes with melted butter dripping off of them. I would cut out a three layer triangle and dunk it in the Utopias before poppin' it in my mouth.Sam Adams must have used a bazillion different barrels to age the beers they blended to make the 2007 Utopias. You can taste bourbon, scotch, port, and sherry flavors. We slightly chilled the bottle so we could let it get warmer as we tasted it. As it got warmer, it really started expanding and exploding. This stuff coats your mouth and throat.

Lance said, "A taste explosion that beckons all of my sense at once. Yes, that's right. It even calls my ears to its singing beauty. It's song? The Sound of Freedom."

There is not much I can really say about Utopias. Yes, it is too damn expensive. But, it has a taste that is like nothing else. It doesn't taste like beer and it doesn't taste like a liquor. It is somewhere in between but better. Sam Adams is releasing the 2009 series this fall. I'm considering buying one, if that tells you anything.

Weekend Plans....

I don't have too much brews news to report so far. Last weekend was a great one except for the fact that I destroyed my foot on a rock swimming at the beach. That serves me right for trying to swim to "that big rock out there." Some people never learn.

We drink a ton of Aooni and Eichigo's 90 Days Stout. It's pretty good and a great deal for the price!

This weekend I'm thinking of doing a little jibeer hunting around Aichi. I might head down to Chita Hanto to check out Beer City...which I haven't heard too much about. And that's usually not a good sign. I will probably just end up in Nagoya just hitting the usual spots and ending up at Towser or Beer Circus. Any takers?



Hope everyone is enjoying a pretty slow week--we've got a good summer to prep for.



* Also remember to update your links if need be. We're rocking out at www.jibeer.com or www.goodbeercountryboys.com, but not the old blogger address!!!!!

Japan brings Bling to the Beer Table.

Beer Advocate. Why didn't I think of that?

Great article on the Beer Advocate guys. LUCKY BASTARDS.

Q&A with Stone Brewing's Greg Koch! Part 2!!!

Greg Koch, Stone Brewing's CEO and co-founder was nice enough to let our readers submit questions for him to answer. Some of them are about beer, some were not. Some questions were downright ridiculous and didn't make the final cut. (Chuwy, I think you know which one I am talking about!)

Without further ado, here are Greg's answers to your submitted questions!!!




First of course was this one:

What is the meaning of life?

A: To do our best. To live. To love. To experience. To make the world a better place. To give...and sometimes take...but mostly give.

1. Will you ever open a Stone pub/restaurant/bistro over here?

A: Unlikely. I love the idea, but ideas are easy. It's execution that's the challenging part. The execution of opening a place in Japan would be...substantial to say the least!

2. If you could choose one company in japan to brew with (Yoho and Toshi don't count) on a collaboration, who would it be and why?

A: I have not had the privilege of getting to know too many brewers in Japan yet. I have had the pleasure to meet Bryan Baird and tour his brewery and enjoy his beers. I have had the additional pleasure of meeting Sato-san of Shiga-Kogen and really enjoying his beers as well, but have not yet been able to visit his brewery (I would like to!). I would pick one of those two companies.

3. Coke slightly alters the taste of, well coke, to appeal to the specific preferences of various international markets. (apparently you can taste them all at coke hq in Atl.) Do, or should, brewers that want to expand internationally attempt to brew types of beer or slightly altered variations of their signature beer to fit with a local tastes in order to spread their product and brewing style? Or should craft brewers fight the man, say to hell with what everybody else thinks and just focus inwardly on a product they like and let niche, or sometimes large, markets follow?

A: This only applies for the commodity side of the world in which marketers strive to sell the very highest volume possible. We are not a commodity brewery. As such, we brew what we brew, and it is up to beer drinkers to decide for themselves if they like it or not. We do not change our recipes to suit the fickle tastes of the public, no matter where they live.

4. Stone always refused to sell beer unless it was kept cold during shipping, or at least that's what the word on the street was. Are the Stone beers we get here shipped in refrigerated containers? If so, wow! If not, why the compromise?

A: You are correct. That is our standard and we stick to it. One of the reasons we chose to work with Nagano Trading was that they understood this standard and agreed to live up to it. And they have. Their standards are equally as high.

5. According to www.stonebrew.com/ruin, the hops used in Ruination IPA (awesome beer, BTW, huge respect) have changed, from Magnum and Centennial to Columbus and Centennial. Was this change forced by hop availability; is the change permanent; and do you perceive any change in the taste of Ruination as a result?

A: The change was actually quite modest. I was not able to personally perceive any change to the finished beer. Centennial is the 'finish' hop and the one that is principally responsible for the character of the Stone Ruination IPA. Magnum/Columbus are used as the bittering hop, and the result is substantially similar with either one. The way we use those in that recipe, it's all about the alpha acids.

6. Homebrew extension to that question --- is the recipe for Ruination out there somewhere or is it a closely guarded secret?

A: I imagine there's one out there somewhere. However, I cannot speak for its validity. We have not published the recipe for Stone Ruination IPA. There are a number of recipes we have published. Take a look at the issue from December 2008 of BREW with me and Steve and Mitch on the cover. Also, you can find the Stone Vertical Epic Ale recipes on our website.

7. What was your first experience of craft beer? What made you first realize there was more out there than just the crap the multinational corporations churn out?

A: 1987. Downtown Los Angeles. Al's Bar. It was a little hole in the wall punk alternative bar in the artist loft part of the old warehouse district in downtown Los Angeles. They had Anchor Steam on tap. It was awesome.

8. ) Let's say you were hanging out in Kentucky and the San Adreas fault ruptured and dumped half of CA in the ocean. What would you do with your life?

A: I would join a band of nomad warriors canvasing the newly created coast, preying on the weak and helpless. Ummm, I mean I would fight against those dudes. Yeah, that's it.

9.) Do you believe in global warming?

A: Are you asking if I have my head up my ass or not? If I'm a reality-denier? Of course I believe in global warming. However, for sake of argument, let's say that there's no such thing. That means that I'd have to suffer through a world that has adopted less of a throw-away culture, there'd be less garbage on our streets and in our oceans. Less smog pollution, so we'd all be breathing easier. Less global conflict centered around fossil fuels. Better quality veggies from local organic farms. Better quality meats from ethically raised animals. Better availability of quality food for all to eat.


Thanks again to Greg Koch for a great interview. Once again, if you want to get some up to the date knowledge about Stone Beer and what Greg is up to, follow him and Stone on Twitter. While you are at it, follow me as well.




Now we can get back to this week's beer news, which I admit I have been slacking on---since I went to the beach last weekend and destroyed my foot on the rocks. It hurts. I'm complaining. Deal with it.

Stone Brewing's Greg Koch's Guide to Life--Part 1

You asked for it, now you got it. Stone co-founder and CEO Greg Koch is here to answer your questions. If you missed it two weeks ago, we asked YOU to submit some questions for Greg--and he was kind enough to answer a bunch for us. I don't know of any other site out there where you can submit questions, and a famous beer guy will actually answer them! Greg Koch--you Rock!

Thanks to the "I am a Craft Brewer" videos and his amazing beer, Stone Beer is HOT right now. If you haven't tried any--get your tail to your local good brew store and pick some up. Stone IPA is always a good call, and you will find that many of their beers are stellar. Find one for yourself that fits your mood. You won't be disappointed.

I'm going to divide the interview into two parts. Part 1 will be the questions that I had for Greg. Part 2 will be all of the ones submitted by our inquisitive readers.

Enough of my babble. On to Greg's answers as he drops some beer knowledge on our heads!

QUESTIONS (and such)!!!!!

Welcome Greg to Good Beer and Country Boys!! Let's start with the basics...have you ever been to Japan? What did you think of the beer scene here? Ever been to Kentucky? Would you say you got any country boy tendencies?

A: I spent two incredible summers in Japan. Summer 1982 I lived in Nagoya (exchange rate was $1=Y242). Worked in a small store owned by the wife of Inoac/Inoue MTP/IRC Tires CEO (my father's company did business with their company, that was the connection for the summer job). Spent three weeks during that summer on a rail pass around Hokkaido. Incredible! Returned summer 1986 and lived in Toyotashi (Toyota City) with the family of a friend I'd made in '82 (exchange rate was $1=Y180). Worked at a Yama (rock quarry) driving heavy equipment for a month, then took a variety of much better paying jobs teaching English. I visited two other times for very short visits in late '86 and '91, then returned for the first time in many a year in 2008:



I was born in SoCal, but I grew up in a small town outside Columbus, OH, so yeah I have a lot of small town country boy in me.

1.a.) Greg--When you co-founded Stone brewing, did you ever imagine that your beers would be on tap in some of the best beer bars in Tokyo?

A: No, I have to imagine that of all the things I contemplated, I never imagined that one...and I'm a pretty imaginative guy!

1.b.) What was your vision for Stone's beers? Has it changed?

A: To brew big character beers that we really liked. That has not changed!

2.) Your "I am a Craft Brewer" video is all over beer blog land. What inspired you to make the video? Why do you think there is such a bond between brewers who at first glance may appear to be competitors?

A: I was inspired by my friends in the craft brewing business that make all these wonderful beers. Not only are the beers themselves amazing, the people are awesome as well, and I am privileged to be able to count so many of them as my friends. Yes, many of us have a great bond.

3.) You've said recently that you think the U.S craft beer scene is going to explode with popularity in the next several years. I feel the same thing is true for Japan. What do you think is the driving force behind this moment towards local, well-made, passion-filled beers?

A: It is a team effort. In the classic groundswell, there's a point at which the curve of knowledge and awareness starts to head sharply north. I believe we are on the cusp of this. It's a natural curve. Add in the factors of today...blogs, beer enthusiast websites, social media, and traditional media...and there's a great deal of momentum. Combine that momentum with the fact that there is such a great number of really fantastic craft brewers today that are creating an absolutely amazing array of great beers and...I think we're well poised to really leap forward.

4.) You've just got done with a tough day of travel and work. It's a Friday night in summer and you are ready to blow off some steam. Which Stone brew do you reach for to start your night? Do you stick with one brew, or bounce around?

A: I'll head over to Pizza Port Solana Beach. It's close to my house and very relaxed and kickback. They always have a different selection of amazing house beers and guest beers on tap, so it's hard to say for certain which one I'd choose. Definitely something hoppy!

5.) Stone beer is well known in Japan because it is a great beer, but also because it's where Toshi Ishii (formerly of YoHo fame) learned how to do his thing. Is it just a coincidence that his last name means 'stone' and he traveled around the world to come work for you? Rumor has it that he is back on the West Coast---could he possibly be coming back to Stone to help you take over the world?

A: I've heard a variety of rumors about Toshi as well, but to know which one is true, you'll definitely need to hear it direct from him! No matter where he goes, I know I'll remain a fan of his work...and depending where it is, I'll either be a semi-regular customer, or a very-regular customer!

6.) What is the most rewarding part of knowing that you created one of the great beer companies in the world?

A: Questions like this one. That's awesome. Hugely flattering. And right on target!

7.) You got any plans of coming to Japan in the near future? The Country Boys and friends would love to show you a good time...

A: No current plans, but I really love the country and look forward to the next time I visit. I don't think I'll be able to get over there this year...maybe next!

8.) Stone is all over the blog world, twitter, facebook and the like. How much has this new media helped craft brewers like Stone and others who don't have the big advertising budgets?

A: It's hard to quantify, and admittedly we don't really try. Connectivity and communication is critical to the artisanal side of the word. Mostly, we need to focus on what we do and hope fans will spread the word!

9.) What was the last beer you drank?

A: I'm in the Austin, TX airport as I type this, waiting for my flight back to San Diego. The last two beers I enjoyed today over lunch were Live Oak Brewing's Pilz, and Real Ale Brewing's Pale Ale. Both were fantastic.

10.) Which Stone beer to you recommend to the johnny-come-lately who drinks lite lager and wants to get into craft beer?

A: Since craft beers still make up less than 5%, it's hard to refer to the other 95% as johnny-come-latelys. Yes, the 5% are most definitely ahead of the curve. I think the number one best way to turn folks on to great craft beer is with great craft beer. Instead of judging for someone that "This is the beer that you should like" I prefer to approach newbies with "This is the incredible world of great craft beer...let's find one, you really like!"

11.) Me and the boys back in KY once drank the appropriately named Stone Ruination IPA--eventually to our ruin. Had the same experience?

A: It's pretty much possible to take any beer too far. The Stone Ruination IPA is so-named as a bit of a warning. Some choose not to listen and learn the hard way. So be it! ;-]-=

Greg Koch, thanks so much for taking the time of your busy schedule to stop in and answer some questions for a few country boys here in Japan. We'll keep drinking Stone, and hope to see you in Japan one day soon!

Asahi Royal Brew

Another new Asahi brew is on the way!!! YEAH! Welcome Asahi Royal Brew to the family of Japanese crappy beer!

The description says it has fine aroma hops and Cascade hops, but don't let the green can fool you. I'd be willing to bet that this brew has less hops than Bubba after the all you can eat Sunday brunch at Shoney's. I hope you got that.


You will have to wait until June 30th to try and see if I am wrong....

My fridge is ready for the weekend!

It's friday morning and my fridge is ready for the weekend. Mostly it's full of homebrew; the White Trash Ale, Tsuchinoko IPA, Infinite Sadness, Stank Tail, and Catepillar Stank are all waiting their turns to be drank. If you look close, you can see two Echigo 90 Days Stouts chillin' in the door. One of those is for you, DH. Also, in the bottom drawer are two Aooni's. Yesterday marked the first day Atsumi Foods started selling them, so I had to buy one, then another to keep him company. Go weekend!

We Can't Get Enough.....

I Am A Craft Brewer :: Reactions from I Am A Craft Brewer on Vimeo.

3 beers

Kinshachi's Okazaki Hachou Miso Lager - This is the special Okazaki version of the Miso Lager. It has a light taste of Miso and is really not that bad. That is a bunch of Doteni sitting next to the beer. Miyuki want to be a true Aichian and Miso-out her lunch. This is lighter than the regular Miso Lager which follows because I think Okazaki Miso is lighter than whatever they make in Nagoya. Either way, this beer does not even come close to making the 560 yen I paid worth it. Kinshachi's pricing is so screwy. 500-600 yen seems fair to pay for a delicious 8% Imperial Chocolate Stout, but when they price their 5% blah goldenish ale the same, something is wrong.

I think this beer might be Nagoya area only, so that is interesting. You can buy it in bottle at Spirits in Nagoya, a couple department store basements, and at Yama-chan's. If you are coming to Aichi, you can pick one up...or not.

Hitachino Nest's Japanese Classic Ale - My friends and I drank this up in Toei with DH after we had already had a Kentucky Bourbon Barrel, so I think it got the short end of the review stick. Miyuki and I opened a bottle the other day with a fresh palette. Chuwy, you said this was one of your favorite Nest beers (though you don't like Nest) and I can see why. From both the aroma and the taste, the cedar aging is there. This beer reminds me of standing among the tall cedars in the forests of Toei, breathing the fresh air, my falcon Blitzkrieg on my arm, dead mamushi in her beak (Yes, Blitzkrieg is female). Even the color is reminiscent of split cedar heart wood. This is a malty and fresh tasting ale. There is a slight sharp pine taste on the end. Definitely drink this beer if you find it.

Echigo Brau's 90 Days Stout - So, this beer came out of nowhere. Atsumi Foods in Tahara has always carried Echigo's lager, kolsch, and stout in cans for roughly 250 yen apiece. OK. I show up the other day and they have bottles of the lager, an organic beer, and this 7% stout. Amazingly enough, this 7% stout only cost me 252 yen.

First, it's good. You could call it a dark brown ale because it's not dark like you would expect from a 7% stout. This beer is damn tasty and easy to drink. I want to get silly with this beer. It's not the greatest stout ever. Hell, it's not even that stout-y. But you can't beat 252 yen for this. Get this beer. Oh, and the bottle has a long neck, perfect for some street drankin.

Those Elitist Bastards at the US Embassy!!!!

From Stone Brewing's Twitter, 30 minutes ago:



StoneBrewingCoA pallet is shipping to Japan @ 5. Our importer needed to stock up since the US Embassy insisted on having Stone at their 4th of July party!

BASTARDS!!!

Baird's new taptoom moving forward.....

Got an update about Baird Beer's new taproom opening soon in Tokyo. Originally it was slated to be called the Urahara Taprooom, but it looks like now it will go by the sly name of The Harajuku Taproom, as the location they are renting now isn't in the Urahara area. Unfortunately, that doens't bring them any closer to Aichi. As of today, the targeted opening date is August 7th or 8th--but with all new projects--it could be a few days before/after.



No word yet if the girls will dress like this inside the taproom:

Suntory's Fall Draft 2009

Hold the phone until August 25th, 2009. Yesterday, Suntory was the first of the Big 4 to announce their standard "it's fall so let's make a beer in a reddish brownish can and give it a little higher alcohol content and call it a seasonal beer" brew. For those of you who have lived through a fall in Japan--you know well how the beer section in the conbinis change into fall colors and offer brews that have pretty cans--but that's it. This happoshu does feature some roasted malt, but my guess it that it is just enough to change the color, but not enough to change the taste. The great thing about this beer is that when it comes out, I will still be on break in KY--most likely drinking Kentucky Ale Bourbon Barrel and Ruination IPA. And that's exciting.

Goodbye Country Boys from the Homeland

It has been awhile. Rob and Lance are safely back in Kentucky and I have recovered. Well, I had two 30 minute bike rides, 5 elementary classes, a kickball game, and lunch with some crazy kids today. That set me back a little.
I put Rob and Lance on a plane this past Saturday morning and am now left with the memories (and pictures) of all the great things we did together. Things involving beer. They were able to drink their weight (and Rob's a big dude) in homebrew as well the great beers of Japan.

They did many other things that I will write about in the next few days not only because I like tooting my own horn, but because what I will say is pertinent to beer drinkers everywhere. For now I am going to talk about what DH and I got at the Chainsaw Art Festival in Toei.

We were walking around, admiring the carvings when we came across one that threatened to pull us through the protective fence. It had been fashioned by a Seattle man named Thor and combined two of DH and I's four favorite B words: Beer and Burgers (another B word is Bourbon, can you guess the last one?) Anyway, we purchased the relief carving and I like it more every time I look at it. What a work of art.Also, Bryan Ruth, the Master of the Chainsaw, gave a great beer quote. We were talking to him and his wife about this beer blog and all the craft beer in Japan, and she said, "You know, Bryan really likes beer." And Bryan said, "Yeah, I mean, beer...it's just good."

Well said, Bryan.

Yebisu Stout Creamy Top

Got the scoop this weekend from Homebrew Japan (now in the blogroll) about a new Yebisu coming out sometime July 2009. ANOTHER new Yebisu? You know that we are big fans of Yebisu around here, and since the last one went over like a fart in a diving helmet, you can be sure that we can't wait to try it. This new Yebisu is rumored to be available on tap only, and as of right now there is only one review on RateBeer. I'll post what Homebrew Japan sent me:

It's BAR ONLY, designed to compete against Guinness. It will use nitrogen during dispensing and wont be heavily carbonated. It's supposed to be more beer like than stout like though - in terms of body.

Wait and see if it will overtake Guiness as the next best dark beer with no taste (was that a Guiness bash? I think so!) but don't hold your breath. Especially if you are in that diving helmet.


DO check out Homebrew Japan's blog. I have been following it since he got started earlier this year--and he's serious about his brewing, as is Lost in Fermentation. Drop in and give 'em some hits, comments, praise and advice. They already thank you.

Thanks to Homebrew Japan for the pic as well!

The New Brews of 2009...so far so BAD. (From the Big 4 that is...)

Well, usually I am much more busy on Monday. I must say that today I have a pretty easy day, which makes it hard for me to be motivated to do anything. The biggest thing I am trying to do is to figure out how to renew my visa before I go home this summer for vacation. HEADACHE.

This weekend was a pretty easy one truth be told. I chilled in Toyohashi with the girl on Friday night, but before dinner with her parents I managed to procure a new Yebisu and The Master and give them the street drinking test. The Master is drinkable but tasteless and the new Yebisu is metallic (like Chuwy said) and I wouldn't buy it again. I did take a nice pic of The Master though.




Saturday was pretty chill as well, I went in to Toyohashi where I met up with Nate for a second, just long enough to street drink a brew or two. After that, I can't say that I did too much of note, besides have dinner at Akakara--which is always a good call.

Sunday I headed back to the mounatins, relaxed, and made up some good KY summer food for me and the girl. Hamburgers, pasta salad, french fries--and a few cold brews. Delicious.

In the news today....Check out this video about some manly Japanese dudes:

Nate and The OC Boys pop the Utopias!

Nate has now crossed over into the sacred few who have drank Sam Adam's Utopias. This is what Jim Koch of Sam Adams says about it:


You are about to experience the strongest beer ever brewed. With an alcohol content of 25% by volume, we've broken our own record set by Sam Adams Utopias MMII in 2002. Beer enthusiasts have never enjoyed a beer like Sam Adams Utopias. When served at room temperature in a two-ounce serving, Sam Adams Utopias is an ideal after-dinner drink. Pour it into a wine glass or brandy snifter. Note the aroma. Take a sip and enjoy the ideal beer. People have asked what inspired me to brew such a unique beer? Drinkers have long been familiar with light beers. I wanted to show them the opposite end of the beer spectrum. A beer that is strong, rich and dark. Some would say, the ultimate beer. A beer without carbonation, one to be savored slowly. We started by using some of the world's finest ingredients, including all four types of Noble hops, which give the beer its earthy, herbal taste. The hops also add a spicy note. Carmel, Vienna, Moravian and Bavarian smoked malts add a rich amber color. A variety of yeast were used during fermentation, including the same yeast used in champagne. As a result of this unique brewing process, this flavorful, slightly fruity brew has a sweet, malty flavor that resembles the deep, rich grape taste of a vintage Port, fine Cognac or old Sherry. This limited edition ale has been aged in Scotch, Cognac and Port barrels. Your bottle of Sam Adams Utopias has been packaged in a unique, collectible copper-finished brew kettle decanter reminiscent of the brew kettles used by brewmasters for hundreds of years. We have produced only 8,000 bottles of Sam Adams Utopias in 2003 to be enjoyed by a select audience of better beer drinkers.

Cheers,

Jim Koch, Brewer and Founder





Utopias is coming out again soon, and this is the description from Sam's website :

Truly the epitome of brewing's two thousand year evolution, Samuel Adams Utopias® offers a flavor not just unlike any other beer but unlike any other beverage in the world. Its warm, sweet flavor is richly highlighted with hints of vanilla, oak and caramel. With an alcohol content of 27% by volume, its complexity and sweet, malty flavor is reminiscent of a deep, rich vintage Port, fine Cognac or aged sherry while being surprisingly light on the palate. And like the world’s finest after-dinner drinks, Samuel Adams Utopias is not carbonated and should be served at room temperature.

This is what it looks like when some Kentucky Boys get a hold of it and talk about it via ichat:



You'll have to wait on Nate to hear about how it tastes!!

Beers for Books @ Benny's Place in Yokohama Tonight!

From the Facebook invite:

"Please come to Yokohama’s first Beers for Books at Benny’s Place in Motomachi. Benny’s is an American style sports bar that serves beers, wines, and cocktails along with great barbecue, nachos, chicken wings, and many other delicious dishes. It's just a 5 minute walk from JR Ishikawacho Station. At Benny's you can eat, drink, play darts, and meet new people in a casual, friendly atmosphere.

Benny's is a long time sponsor of a Cambodian orphange and is happy to extend their support to Room to Read. For each drink sold on Friday, June 5th Benny’s will donate 100 Yen to create a treasured book for children in Cambodia.

Why not spend some time in Yokohama enjoying drinks for a good cause? Filling your glass fills bookshelves for Cambodian children.

Any questions? Contact Masami and Diane at rtrshonan@yahoo.com"

A Wet Start to Weekends in June!

A rainy Friday strikes again in the hills of Aichi. Never fear though friends--It's not going to keep me from heading into the big city of Toyohashi tonight.

Nate and buddies made it back from The Fishmarket Taproom in Numazu where he said good times were had by all. He came back singing the praises of Baird's Double IPA, which I am sure was delicious.

Here is the description of the Double IPA from Bryan's newsletter:

*Kinshu Domei Double IPA (ABV 8.0%):

The grist is entirely base malt (Pilsner, Vienna, Maris Otter and Wheat)
buttressed by a good dosing of Japanese red sugar (akato) in the kettle (sugar, of course, lightens body and dries flavor in beer rather than sweeten it). 80 BUs of American hops add a wonderful bitter character that balances the residual malt sweetness. Dry-hopping with a combination of Simcoe, Horizon and Glacier varieties renders this big IPA spritely aromatic. Available on draught and in 633 ml bottles

Keeping with the theme of delicious things, let me talk about Nate's imperial chocolate stout, The Infinite Sadness. Many of you might remember when Nate wrote about when he made this beast, and it does not disappoint. I drank one last night and was left wanting more. For sure, for a home brewer working on the barest of bare essentials--this beer is awesome. I can't wait to see what Nate can do when he gets to work using some real equipment back in KY!!!

If you've never been to the Great Japan Beer Festival and are dead set on giving it a try in crowded Yebisu, let us know how the beers were. I know that Scott Brimmer is going to be there on Saturday/Sunday serving his great Gotemba Kogen Beer. If you see him, tell him The Good Beer Country Boys said hello!

Since I was lazy and didn't get tickets to the Beer Festival at Loreley on Sunday--we will have to rely on Mark to bring us the good word. Mark, write a review and we will put it up!

We should get Greg Koch's interview back any day now. As soon as we do, we will put it up.


Speaking of Stone and Greg Koch, I saw (via twitter!) that the Vertical Epic 09/09/09 is being brewed as we speak. Three hours ago (as of 8AM here in Japan) the mash was started. Can you believe the age we live in? Some delicious brew is being brewed across the globe, and we can follow its every move. Now, if we can only get some here in Japan. The 08 Vertical Epic was great! Thanks to Andrew and TimE for serving up that goodness at Grande Biere.

That's an actual pic of the Vertical Epic 09/09/09 in the Mash Tun!

For those of you who aren't on twitter yet, get there. You can follow me, Chuwy, and TONS of brewers around the world who give up to the second "tweets" about their brews. It's an amazing tool for sure. Soon every bar will be tweeting about what new beers they just tapped, and which ones just ran out. This might save Chuwy from arriving just in time to find his favorite brew floated.

You can also follow Charlie Papazian (Nate's idol), who posted this pic of a nice little statue at the Dogfish Head Brewery. It's remote controlled, which I am sure makes for some laughs!




Also! Chris Poel (Brewer at Baird) posted in the comments that Baird Beer comfirmed their new taproom in Harajuku, and it will open sometime later this summer. It's name? Urahara Taproom.

Beer > Water

Well it's finally true. Beer is better for you after a workout than water. Yes, I think that this study is foolproof and conducted under the highest scientific monitoring.

The first Great Japan Beer Festival of 2009 is this weekend in Tokyo...anyone going?

This could have very well been in KY...but what do you think about daycare in The South?



Can you believe that I ate inago (grasshoppers!) at school this week? Crazy country mountain Japan!

Cheers, we made it past mid-week!

Last weekend was a good one. Nate and the boys came up and we had a ball. We started off on Friday afternoon by taking a tour of Moriyama-san’s sake brewery. The tour lasted about 5 minutes—then we sat down and tried his sake. About 5 liters and some snacks later—we were done for and somehow ended up back at my apartment. Nate then decided that he would take a walk to the creek—in the pitch black mountain night—which was made even more difficult by the fact that he had to dodge the empty beer bottles that I was throwing at him along the way. A great KY start to the weekend.

The next day we made out way to the Toei Chainsaw Art Festival where Nate and I bought a sweet carving of a beer and a hamburger. Nate also struck up a nice conversation with a crazy carver named "Thor" who had been a soldier, assassin, artist, ladies man, and now currently is a world traveling chainsaw carver and an aspiring writer. He was a riot.












After that we headed back to the apartment to chill and drink some of the good brews that Nate and the boys bought at Okadaya in Nagoya. Wow. We had Baird Beer’s Angry Boy Brown Ale (still my favorite beer in Japan), Minoh W-IPA, Nest Japan Classic Ale (a letdown), Nate’s Infinite Sadness Imp. Chocolate Stout, and most importantly some Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.

We all agreed that when Kentucky ale started out, the Bourbon Barrel wasn’t quite up to snuff. Now however, they got the stuff dialed in just right. It is great beer, and was the best beer that we had. It is malty (biscuity as Nate calls it) sweet, and has just enough bourbon flavors to make your tongue smack your brains out. Cheers to Rob and Lance to buying it and packing it all the way across the pond to us.

I was super disappointed by Nest's Japan Classic Ale, but that deserves its own post. Part of the reason that I was so disappointed was that I drank it right after the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale….and not much can stand up to that tall order. I said and hold to my opinion that it is much better than the other bourbon barrel (scotch too) aged brews out there…BrewDog’s Paradox included. I haven’t had Founders KBS yet…but for $24 a four pack in the US—I might not be trying it anytime soon.



Speaking of being disappointed, Nate and buddies are in Gotemba as of this morning, and are heading to Numazu tonight. Those bastards are going to meet up with Chris and Bryan and drink some of their good cold beer. I wish I were there instead of working at the elementary school that I dislike the most. But, as Tony Soprano says, “What can you do?”

Speaking of Tony Soprano, I have been watching that show too much these days. The past three nights I have dreamed that I was in the mob and that Uncle Junior had put out a hit on me, so I had to whack him myself and take over the family.

This weekend I’m headed to Toyohashi to see the old lady and hopefully relax, grill out, and recharge for this last month of work before summer vacation. It’s a tough life, but I’m managing.
Keep poppin’ the cold ones. You know I will be.

Minoh WIPA

Been super busy so far this week and it doesn't look like it's gonna slow down any time soon. Got some more info going up this week, but wanted to post a pic of us drinking the Minoh WIPA that Nate and his boys found for sale in Nagoya. Great beer!!!!!

New Yebisu Wednesday

And don't forget friends...the new Yebisu hits stores this Wednesday (6/3). I know you don't have high hopes for this brew--as all of the other stuff they make is overpriced and under-flavored. This stuff does promise a 6% alcohol punch---which is just enough to make me buy it when it comes out just to give her the old college try.

Give us your reviews in the comments below.

Baird Beer Starts World Conquest ???!!! Breaking News!

Nate, his friends and I lived it up this weekend in Toei. We drank a ton of good beer that they brought with him, and some good sake at the local brewery in town. While we were out and about....a little birdy flew up to me and told me some good breaking news!!!



This sneaky little birdy told me that Baird Beer is planning on opening up a new taproom in Tokyo (probably in Harajuku) sometime in July. The new joint is going to be small, maybe around 30 seats--but will feature about 15 Baird Beers on tap--with some of them being hand pumps.



This is awesome news for the Tokyo crowd, but shouldn't surprise you that much. When I was hanging out in Numazu with Bryan and Chris--Bryan told me that he planned on opening several more taprooms in Tokyo. I never thought he'd get them going this fast! For those of you out there that are Baird Beer lovers (we drank a few Angry Boys this weekend!) this is of course great news.


Now, if I can only catch that little Birdy and get him to tell me some winning lottery numbers....


Thanks for the questions for Greg Koch--we should have his interview up soon!