I made it home!

Thanks to everyone for all of your well wishes and support! The Good Beer Country Boys will still be blogging!!!! (At least I will!)

I have been super busy since I have been home, but I did manage to drink a Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary's Fritz and Ken Stout with a friend. It is good.

I'm missing Japan already, but the wife comes to KY tomorrow--so that will be nice!

Expect some posts to come this weekend....beer in KY, and the state of jibeers in Japan!

Cheers!

Goodbye for now!

I'm heading home in the morning friends. But don't worry--the blog will live on! I've had the time of my life here in Japan, and will be back soon. Until then, please follow and comment as I try to get readjusted to live back in the Bluegrass State. I wish you all the best! To all of you who I have met and who have taught me so much over the years, I can never say 'thank you' enough. If ANY of you readers are ever in Kentucky, hit me up on here and let's meet up. I'll be managing a restaurant and bar when I go home, and I'd love to pour you a pint. The blog will change a bit of course, since my days will not be filled with trips to Nagoya looking for jibeer, but none the less I hope you read and join in on my journey!

The Final Weekend in Numazu...(for now)

DH and Chuwy with two of the 'Zu's Finest.

I can't tell you how much fun last weekend was in Numazu. Of course, all of the regulars were there, and it was awesome. Of course, the beer was great. Of course, the food was stellar. Now, the weather was good, which was quite rare considering this past winter. But by looking at those things separately you might not think we had that great of a time...but after a few surprises, it was one for the books.

You see, I am leaving this great country this Friday. I know I will be back one day soon, but I don't know what day or when that will be. So this was a send off for me of sorts. Chuwy came down, and it was our last bash together. Michi and I had just gotten married, so this was kind of a celebration.

Now, the biggest kicker of all was the fact that while we were there, Bryan Baird called from the World Beer Cup in Chicago to tell his wife that Baird won THREE gold medals. Wow. No other breweries won more golds, and only one tied with Baird, Ballast Point, who also happened to win small brewer of the year. That's pretty good company for Baird to keep.

Chuwy with some brew that Chris brought us!!!

After word spread about the news, we passed around sheets with the other winners and scoured through them looking for other winners and just how big of an accomplishment that this was for Baird. I don't think it hit us at the time, and maybe it still hasn't hit the boys in Numazu yet, but this is a HUGE deal. Japanese Craft Beer is on the map. The bar has been raised, and the gauntlet has been thrown down. People from California to Prague saw these results and are wondering just where in the hell Numazu is and what is going on there.

Many times on this blog I have told you that I feel like Baird is leading all of the Japanese Craft Brewers (by far) and they are the future of Japanese Craft Beer. It's true, and now the world knows it. Of course, there is more great beer out there in Japan. And this should just go to show that Japan is not the good beer void that I thought it once was.

Michi and the leftover hops from the Suruga Bay that Chris brewed up Sunday morning!

But the fight has just begun. Other Japanese Craft Brewers-- the bar has been raised. Japan has a world class beer (more specifically at least THREE beers that were judged the best styles in the WORLD) and making so-so beer will not cut it anymore. Sticking to the three "German" types of beer at your brewery will get you nowhere. It takes skill, a daring spirit, and as Bryan Baird himself likes to say over and over again--PASSION.

The Gold Winning Saison Sayuri 2010 and a blurry Chris. (We were the first to try it in Numazu---shhhhhh!!!!!!!)

I know the boys at Baird who brew the beer-Bryan, Chris and Shinya-- and they are NOT going to slow down. This will light a fire under their asses so hot that I bet they will still be feeling a year from now. This awesome success will push them for 10 golds next year and beyond.

Japanese beer drinker--get ready. You've only seen the beginning of what Baird Beer will be. And for Pete's sake son, if you haven't been to one of the Taprooms or ordered some Baird Beer yet....DO IT.

The best guy I know in Numazu, Chris Poel-Baird Beer's lead brewer.

(Also some notes about Baird's golds. Numazu Lager, which one best American Style Amber--is one of their year round beers. It's just a one time specialty ale--it's a year round constant. That says something about Baird's quality and devotion to their year-round line-up. Saison Sayuri, which won gold for best Belgian and French Style Ale, was voted the best out of a group of 57 other beers. 57. That beer didn't win a new style or a category with only a few entries. 57. WOW.)

Baird Beer wins Three Gold Medals!!!!!!!!!!

I have been singing their praises for a long time now, and it seems that the good folks at Baird Beer are going to get a lot more famous--really soon.

I promise I am going to do a proper write up about this weekend, but I had to post this quickly:

Here is the link to the official press release from The World Beer Cup. Notice anything?

• Two breweries tied for taking home the most gold awards:
• • Baird Brewing Co. from Numazu, Japan
• Numazu Lager – American-Style Amber
• Country Girl Kabocha Ale – Specialty Beer
• Saison Sayuri – Belgian- and French-Style Ale
• Ballast Point Brewing Co. from San Diego, CA
  • Bourbon Barrel Aged Piper Down Scottish Ale – Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer
  • Fathom IPL – Out of Category – Traditionally Brewed Beer
  • Sculpin IPA – International Pale Ale

HOW ABOUT THAT???? Baird Beer tied Ballast Point for the most Gold Medals. No one won more Golds than Baird, and the only brewery to match them is one of the hottest in the US. Not too bad. Not too bad at all.


Cheers to the Baird crew in Numazu, and those working hard in Naka-meguro and Harajuku. The world knows Baird now!

And for those of you who are readers but haven't tried Baird yet--get yourself to one of the taprooms and drink some of their Gold Medal winning, world's best beers!!!!!!

NUMAZU IS ON THE MAP!

BAIRD BEER = 3 GOLDS

More to come soon, but for now just know that Baird Beer won THREE gold medals at the 2010 World Beer Cup in Chicago: Saison Sayuri beat out 57 other beers to win the best Belgian/Fresh Style Ale, and Numazu Lager and Kabocha Ale brought home the Gold as well. Coedo Brewery also brought home a silver. It's a great day for Baird Beer and Japanese Craft Beer!!!!!


KOMPAI!