tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66439564796856451662024-03-04T21:39:48.362-08:00Drinking my BrainsThe more I drink, the less Brains I have.Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-35756582317474701852015-01-12T01:12:00.002-08:002015-01-12T01:12:36.336-08:00It's been too long without a postI need to clean up this blog and start up again or get another one going.
I've been posting a lot on facebook but I don't see that as a viable future to getting info out there.
So its either continue here or start a wordpress account.
Information is much more freely available these days, compared to when I started this blog and the bozelist but it is still spread out and some is selective or opinionated still.
I'll try to add something to the ever expanding collection of beer info sites out there.
Keep checking, guys.
Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-68904129395431347192012-10-23T10:15:00.001-07:002012-10-23T10:15:55.084-07:00Do not underestimate the power of the dark sideWhen most people think of beer, I suppose many think of light lagers.<br />
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Pale, almost transparent at times, mass produced examples of a truly ground breaking brew, first produced in1842, in the Czech town of Plzen by a Bavarian brewer. Well, that was relatively recent, by beer history terms. What most people don't realise is that before that pivotal moment, all beers were more or less dark beers. Europe has a long history of dark beers.<br />The most famous dark style in Europe is probably the German black or Schwarz beer.<br />
In the UK, everyone knows and loves pale ales, bitters, IPAs. These also are relatively new styles. Before the advent of coke, pale ale malt wasn't really possible. Most beers were made using variations of brown or dark or more heavily roasted malt. Also those malts were often roasted or kilned over fires and hence picked up smoky flavours from the fires. So in the olden days, people were often drinking dark, smoky, often acidic or even infected (no one knew much about sanitation back then) ales.<br />Everyone knows about the style known as stout. We all know Guinness.<br />
Irish beer. Yes?<br />
Well, the style of stout (sweet stout, oatmeal stout, imperial stout, oyster stout, Irish or dry stout, chocolate stout, coffee stout) is actually from the name 'stout <b>porter</b>' and porter came from the UK or more specifically London, way back around the 18th century. Brown porter, robust porter, stout porter, baltic porter, etc.<br />The UK has a long history of dark beers.<br />
<br />
Tonight, I'm going to sample three examples of <span style="font-size: large;"><b>the dark side</b></span> of beer styles.<br />
A German Schwarz bier, A British porter and a stout.<br /><br />
What all these beers have in common is not just their absorbant properties of most wavelengths of the visible light spectrum (their apparent darkness), but rather they all are brewed in <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Japan</b></span>.<br /><br />
Some think Japanese beer is all lager.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhKrzJlkI_gbWxwCwGWyLbE380ixz5oE-S683jEOeQGbMbODGi3XBR0ylZbDnmdC75CMnlMVmpm2G9ngFBG_RhpZeitYdtTVHcKQhkUjPAYCbCehWdLOzYwhfH3atu0QuZ-xuf9hyphenhyphenXig/s1600/AsahiSuperDryBeer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhKrzJlkI_gbWxwCwGWyLbE380ixz5oE-S683jEOeQGbMbODGi3XBR0ylZbDnmdC75CMnlMVmpm2G9ngFBG_RhpZeitYdtTVHcKQhkUjPAYCbCehWdLOzYwhfH3atu0QuZ-xuf9hyphenhyphenXig/s200/AsahiSuperDryBeer.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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In Japan, we have the big four breweries which control way over 90% of the market. Sapporo, Kirin, Suntory and Asahi.<br />
<br />
Although Asahi makes an excellent 8% stout, Suntory make a pretty good black Suntory malts and Sapporo make a reasonable Munich Schwarz in the Yebisu black, if you are looking for decent dark ales or lagers, you have to look at the craft beer market. <br />
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Craft beer in Japan is coming on leaps and bounds. Craft beer bars especially are opening up at fantastic rates, almost one per week at times. New breweries are coming into existence. Not as many breweries as bars, though, as it is much easier to acquire a bar license than it is a brewery licence, but changes are coming none-the-less.<br />
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I recently was fortunate enough to be a judge in a national beer tasting event held at the legend that is Craft Beer Bar Popeyes. 6 tables of up to 6 judges each, blind tasted many styles of Japanese craft beer and selected just one supreme champion from among them.<br />After the event, I was able to procure a few bottles of Japanese craft beer that wasn't consumed during the judging or the excellent after party.<br />I tried to choose the best of what was available. From among the 10 bottles I brought home (insert smiling emoticon here), 3 were of the dark variety.<br />
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Next, I'll attempt to sample then (I really mean drink the buggers!) all and try my best to provide some tasting notes on each one.<br />
I selected a schwarz, a porter and a stout. I feel a good representation of the dark styles of beer.<br />
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Ok, without further ado, I shall introduce tonight's brews:<br />
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Left to right: Isekadoya stout, Swan Lake porter and Shonan Schwarz.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Shonan schwarz:</span></b></div>
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Pours with a nice velvety light brown head.<br />
Colour is a deep, dark brown, gentle black with ruby highlights when held up to the light. Good clarity.<br />
Nice legs down the glass, when swirled.<br />
Nice toasty, roast, malts, chocolate, caramelised sugar in the nose.<br />
Flavor: Smooth, toasted dark malts with chocolate and a hint of liquorice. Light to medium bodied, smooth and delicate.Bitter chocolate finish with a hint of coffee. 5% alcohol.<br />
Very nice.<br />
One of the best Schwarz in Japan.<br />
Also check out Harvestmoon, Bayernmesiter and Baeren, among others for fine examples of this style.<br />
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Next up was <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Swan Lake porter:</b></span></div>
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Pours a dark black, with an off white, tan head. Thin but lasting head.<br />
Aromas of liquroice, chocolate, figs, alcohol. 6% alcohol.<br />
Flavour: Alcohol, roast malts, deep, dark chocolate. Medium bodied, creamy mouth-feel and toasty, coffee, dark caramel, liquorice, plum flavours coming into play. A slight bitter after taste, like bitter chocolate.<br />
In my opinion, best drank in a UK pint glass for just 950yen at The Aldgate British pub in Shibuya.<br />
You could also get it at the official Swan Lake Pub Edo for 1,000yen a pint (plus cover charge).<br />
One of best porters in Japan.<br />
Also check out Baird Kurofune robsut porter, Isekadoya imperial smoked porter, Shiga kogen porter and the newly established Brimmer porter for some other very good examples.<br />
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Final beer for tonight is the <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Isekadoya stout:</b></span></div>
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Pours a deep, deep brown-black, opaque. Light makes no difference to the colour. A big billowy, foamy off white cream head.<br />
Aroma: Black sugar, coffee, roast and caramel.<br />
Flavour: Dark roasted malt, light coffee, dark chocolate. Light bodied. Almost astringent bitterness from the black malt but it mellows into a lasting, roasted bitterness. I detect coffee like notes.<br />
Some cola type flavours too, but more like dark, watery black toffee caramel molasses.<br />
A thin to medium body and mouthfeel. Good, lasting, roasty bitterness.<br />
5% alcohol.<br />
<br />
Some other good stouts to consider: Isekadoya oyster stout, Baird Shimaguni dry (Irish) stout, Beahern stout (a tad yeasty), Shinano Kurohime stout (now stopped but it was awesome - some kegs still around) and Iwate Kura oyster stout.<br />
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<br />
Well, all three are excellent beers and fine examples of their style.<br />
I hope you get the chance to try these beers and appreciate them.<br />Please, don't just stick to light lagers.<br />
Do not underestimate the power and flavour of <i><span style="font-size: large;">'the dark side'</span></i>.Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-8367709858042623012012-06-20T07:46:00.000-07:002012-06-20T09:16:13.710-07:00I gotta sickness & the only cure is more pils(ners)!Hello.<br />
How are you? You okay?<br />
Why don't you just lay back and relax and let me tell you a story about the wonderful beer style known as pilsner.<br />
I might be right, I might be wrong.<br />
I probably will be wrong (most certainly drunk) but I'm gonna tell it anyway...<br />
<br />
<br />
The year is 1842. The town/city was Plzen, in the kingdom of Bohemia. The city had founded a brewery in <span lang="de" xml:lang="de"><i>Bürger Brauerei </i></span>(Citizens' Brewery - now <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plze%C5%88sk%C3%BD_Prazdroj" style="background-image: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-decoration: none;" title="Plzeňský Prazdroj"><span style="color: red;">Plzeňský Prazdroj</span></a>) after angry citizens continuously complained about the changing quality of the beer (in 1938, they dumped whole barrels into the streets in anger!).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Pilsner-Urquell-Main-Gate.jpg/320px-Pilsner-Urquell-Main-Gate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Pilsner-Urquell-Main-Gate.jpg/320px-Pilsner-Urquell-Main-Gate.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The famous Brewery gates in Pilsen/Plzen.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPBONpsa8TVbJT4WqEVjefSeIt21uhQz8eh-Lf1Va1KoCphzIPp5qxUJKXf9hfVPtaCK03xYJHZAfcXliBe0bDbbZuBZojJbOul5kKSLKiZNsTlW5QULdmq1eOvDfIVcSx9PG9qYKKzc8/s1600/ghates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPBONpsa8TVbJT4WqEVjefSeIt21uhQz8eh-Lf1Va1KoCphzIPp5qxUJKXf9hfVPtaCK03xYJHZAfcXliBe0bDbbZuBZojJbOul5kKSLKiZNsTlW5QULdmq1eOvDfIVcSx9PG9qYKKzc8/s320/ghates.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and at night, with a drunk Welshman.</td></tr>
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The new brewery wanted to brew in the Bavarian tradition and so they brought over a brewer from Munich called Josef Groll, to help them do that. Using his brewing technniques, together with the soft water of Plzen, the saaz hops from neighbouring Saaz (Zatec) and the famous pale coloured moravian malt, he produced a pale coloured, bottom fermented beer (most beers at that time in Bohemia were darker and top fermented, like ales).<br />
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So began the world's first Pilsener or pilsner beer. </div>
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In 1898, it was named Pilsner Urquell, from the German for "the source of the pislner"<br />
This amazingly clear, golden lager took the world by storm.<br />
It remains today, in one form or another, the most widely made/imitated style of beer - from the first Pilsner Urquell, to the more commonly found Budweiser (the less worthy American version)<br />
<br />
Today, I'm gonna talk to you about 3 excellent examples of some of the world's finest pale lagers (I just also happen to be drinking them! Win win!).
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<br />
So, let's start with the original:
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8QknjejEIVEL1vpMpveWyRbQTp-ogIBJFa6vMU5uaXI3WppZ227QA41ddxNgxVusPmNLEz2m0RVczM_jVBysYB3g_Pzb-JcpAvN5sQTiSJ254OvWgbNl0pFcZ-S9YvmtMfafYqNsPEZ0/s1600/urquel_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8QknjejEIVEL1vpMpveWyRbQTp-ogIBJFa6vMU5uaXI3WppZ227QA41ddxNgxVusPmNLEz2m0RVczM_jVBysYB3g_Pzb-JcpAvN5sQTiSJ254OvWgbNl0pFcZ-S9YvmtMfafYqNsPEZ0/s320/urquel_1.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pilsner Urquell. A nice beer.</td></tr>
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Color: A wonderful sgolden straw. Very clear. Nice foamy off white to white head.<br />
Aroma: Good aroma of saaz hops in here. Bitter and aromatic with malt tones.<br />
Flavour: Dry, hoppy, crisp. Good beer. These green bottles might be slightly skunked though. Brown would be better but they have their silly image to thnk of (marketing team like the image the green bottle has generated and won't change to brown bottles).<br />
<span style="background-color: black;">I pick up a little cardboard flavor and it's lacking freshness a bit but still not bad. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">I love the malty flavor I get from it on tap. Nowhere near as good as the <b>real orginal</b>, brewed way back in 1842. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">Tip: If you ever got o Prague, take the bus/train to Pilsen and take a tour of the brewery. go to the underground cellars and try the real unfiltered, unpasturised Urquel pilsner from the oak barrels. <b>GORGEOUS!!</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black;">Great stuff and my best ever pilsner.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4niF0FPx9opH4_D0SYuaSQXb_hq1cI9BNTaYmX_7JPbSFSv3WOHzMdazMnNrh9V0KQv8SzHA1YikQKPW_K7RBjZ2qO5ls6q-hCz8TTB3Mm8tQ1ONdvUggQdy-FG1IUhchgUM1qC_3heg/s1600/urquel+cellras.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4niF0FPx9opH4_D0SYuaSQXb_hq1cI9BNTaYmX_7JPbSFSv3WOHzMdazMnNrh9V0KQv8SzHA1YikQKPW_K7RBjZ2qO5ls6q-hCz8TTB3Mm8tQ1ONdvUggQdy-FG1IUhchgUM1qC_3heg/s320/urquel+cellras.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bloody lovely!</td></tr>
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With the success of Pilsen's golden beer, many others started brewing their own versions of this wonderful pale lager. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dortmund" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Dortmund">Dortmund</a> in Germany started brewing pale lager in 1873. They became famous for their <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dortmunder_Export" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Dortmunder Export">Dortmunder Export</a></i>.<br />
Soon after, in 1894, pale lager finally came back to it's roots (arguably!). Munich.<br />
Spaaten of Munich made their own pale lager which they called <b>helles</b>. This is German for 'light coloured'.<br />
a helles lager is not as up front hoppy as a pilsner, nor as dry. Instead, it is a much gentler, lighter, maltier tasting beer.<br />
Spaaten made the original helles and their still remains one of the most delicious and easy to find examples of the style.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Spaaten premium lager.</div>
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Color: lighter than pilsner, golden. clear and bubbly. Nice foamy, white head.<br />
Aroma: Good malt aroma wiht a hint of hops.<br />
Flavour: Nice crisp, light taste. Malt in the back end ooer! Again green bottle grrrr!<br />
A little dry but nice malt flavor in here. Not as dry or bitter or hop forward as the pislner. A good light alternative. Made for quenching ones thirst with.<br />
Good beer.<br />
<br />
<br />
Now I'd like to come back to the orignal style concerning this post, <b>the pilsner.</b> I'd also like to handily combine the Czech style of pislner with the country which spawned it's brewer, Germany. Let's talk about German pislner.<br />
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Especially true in the north of Germnay, pilsners tend to become drier and quite hoppy. Utilizing the German noble hops, these are actually some of my favourite flavoursome lagers. Jever is probably one of the most famous. Becks might be another one (first German company to use those bloody green bottles).<br />
<br />
for my example, I decided to go north, really North!<br />
The most Northelry brewing town in Germany, in fact. Flensberg.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Felensberger</b> beer makes a wonderfully dry but malty and hoppy pilsner.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPeKGCbWFMQyP9id3p7CujVI9ErsB2PU_uyBkRGEazvK8RWqDFNBoy7etsw9xem9KxjtF7_PBCVwFUbIDbyjDYuL4YY9_Fa-moEcmvir7AWT-e2qasG4qEP3tdYFiuVGFNxgDVrxF5PRR/s1600/flensburger_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPeKGCbWFMQyP9id3p7CujVI9ErsB2PU_uyBkRGEazvK8RWqDFNBoy7etsw9xem9KxjtF7_PBCVwFUbIDbyjDYuL4YY9_Fa-moEcmvir7AWT-e2qasG4qEP3tdYFiuVGFNxgDVrxF5PRR/s320/flensburger_1.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
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Some of you may have noticed the cool flip top bottles these guys push out. You might also have noticed the slightly hefty pricetag. It's worth it. They make an excellent pilsner, among many other brews. Still a small company (about 120 employees), it remains one of the last nation wide breweries not owned by a larger group (Becks being a great example of the huge scale).<br />
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Colour: This one looks great, kind half way between the two previous. Huge, billowy, white head.<br />
Aroma: Malty aroma with hints of sweet paper? Damaged? <br />
Flavour: Tastes not great and may be skunked slightly? Dry but with paper tastes or carboard flavors evident in small amounts. A good dry finish. Lots of malts in here but those hops might be skunked. Not sure. Not as bang on as I <b>know</b> this beer can and <b>should</b> be.<br />
Brown bottle. Oxidised? Getting butter in the back (ooer!) - daicytel? Weird. Never had a Flensburger this bad. Typibloodycal. Chuwy curse.<br />
I like the dry finish tho. A good dry pilsner. A little thicker bodied than I remember though. Not bad but not my favourite today.<br />
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Bugger.<br />
<br />
I'll just have to try them again. How about you?<br />
Why not try the variad pilsners out there, Czech, German, Australian, Japanese, American, etc.<br />
See if there is a particular 'style' within the style that you like.<br />
<br />
In Japan, one of the best Czech pilsners is made by <b><a href="http://www.nihonkai-club.com/index.shtml" target="_blank">Nihonkai Club Ishikawa</a></b>, by a Czech brewer, no less. Excellent full bodied and hoppy but good pilsner malt flavours to back it all up.<br />
German pilsner, I highly recommend <b><a href="http://www.bmbier.com/html/owner.html" target="_blank">Bayern Meister Bier</a></b>, brewed by Stefan Lager (yes, his name is Mr.Lager!), a real German Brau Meister (think of it as a beer Professor) from Germany, living and brewing in Fujinomiya. Both great beers.<br />
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If you have any recommendations of your own, please comment!<br />
for example, I haven't had a single American pilsner yet that I've liked. Not one.<br />
Do you know of any good ones? Noble pils, no thanks. Doesn't do anything for me.<br />
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Thanks for reading. hope this post was of interest.<br />
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<b style="background-color: black; color: red; font-size: x-large;">Go grab a beer! </b></div>
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Chuwy.Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-2329537936169685932011-12-20T02:12:00.000-08:002011-12-20T02:12:39.247-08:00Well, is he or isn't he?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It's hard to know what to believe. I've read so many conflicting 'news reports'.</div>
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Everybody knows who I'm talking about, so I won't say his name.</div>
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Love him or hate him, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">is he really gone? </span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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How can we be sure?</div>
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The world seems to be monitoring all and every broadcast in North Korea, hoping they will somehow provide us with answers.</div>
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Here are a few snapshots possibly taken from the North Korean media, although it's hard to know if it's all just some kind of crazy propoganda story, meant to scare the West:</div>
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The announcement went out early yesterday, on National TV:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZA8lks9JFKa8rwGATqGiCUUDCP9cgBqaaUPidIyIfBNrp1Xgf4WS6neNm6J25SziDQVS4FcqQSb4NEXOOIrDt0178IcsfkOq_zWuXQGaUjBN841ChkvxBPOeiBKwflry303kKa_TWWQ7/s1600/announcement.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZA8lks9JFKa8rwGATqGiCUUDCP9cgBqaaUPidIyIfBNrp1Xgf4WS6neNm6J25SziDQVS4FcqQSb4NEXOOIrDt0178IcsfkOq_zWuXQGaUjBN841ChkvxBPOeiBKwflry303kKa_TWWQ7/s400/announcement.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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People in the street seemed shocked at the news:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yINLSjybTo0r1gJCKb66NKXt6djz_pRp2woq7lnM6rvGhFoEtg1aIqhwxWgYLmMizehnD7ygvAiYmA9WY3pG9RXsrwBgcWWOGNMv_Aoz22YHYT2PgxD2HV108FCMCWDYA9tDt5wYDcxt/s1600/bon+jovi+dead+paper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yINLSjybTo0r1gJCKb66NKXt6djz_pRp2woq7lnM6rvGhFoEtg1aIqhwxWgYLmMizehnD7ygvAiYmA9WY3pG9RXsrwBgcWWOGNMv_Aoz22YHYT2PgxD2HV108FCMCWDYA9tDt5wYDcxt/s400/bon+jovi+dead+paper.JPG" width="278" /></a></div>
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Thousands immediately made their way to National Monuments, to mourn the passing of this inspirational, highly influential character.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yM6-Kl7rsPO1PkuvKOVbqgAxc9R9AdSFeizriEd6-xpCjhemkT4mRK-sKAd7r_-gbEK31cQ_0Qie_t-cRjJduhIosLTPIRN79nUnV0tluWMxIIkFUEPS4X0kBkmPRqEPQUK94Vl1gq5q/s1600/billboard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yM6-Kl7rsPO1PkuvKOVbqgAxc9R9AdSFeizriEd6-xpCjhemkT4mRK-sKAd7r_-gbEK31cQ_0Qie_t-cRjJduhIosLTPIRN79nUnV0tluWMxIIkFUEPS4X0kBkmPRqEPQUK94Vl1gq5q/s400/billboard.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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A huge rally has been held, seemingly to 'celebrate his greatness'.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozJIDuHx5v66lCaNMmipCQKhlEwY5-dBObE5inoD6kGRvS_B3FnCXnbXPFn44kiFh58856eBV__SIG-XfPDPcVuxKcGfwnCP17PHq279NYmpmCdBOgnjz6kiNSw8cs2xwAkCSVQRbAbvK/s1600/bye+jon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozJIDuHx5v66lCaNMmipCQKhlEwY5-dBObE5inoD6kGRvS_B3FnCXnbXPFn44kiFh58856eBV__SIG-XfPDPcVuxKcGfwnCP17PHq279NYmpmCdBOgnjz6kiNSw8cs2xwAkCSVQRbAbvK/s400/bye+jon.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Make of this what you will. I've heard conflicting reports on all this. </div>
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It's not easy to make sense of it all.</div>
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I must say, I'm still very much confused.</div>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-18608563016343123662011-12-19T02:44:00.000-08:002011-12-19T03:54:11.577-08:00Good Beer Faucets' opening night.<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Note: this is </span><b>not </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">a review, merely a report on last night.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Expect a more in depth review/verdict later on - they've only just opened!</span></i><br />
<i><br /></i>Last night (18th December, 2011) was the grand opening night for <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://goodbeerfaucets.jp/" target="_blank">Good Beer Faucets</a>,</span></b> the latest craft beer bar to hit Tokyo.</div>
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This was the one many people have been talking about for over a month, since they announced the opening night. </div>
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With a lot of hype and taking into account who's bar it was (the incredible engineering skills of Hori san and the latest rock star fantastic beer/food/manager virtuoso Dede - formerly with Yokohama Cheers and Roppongi Roti's), expectations were high. Everyone was excited.</div>
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It seemed that everyone and their friends turned up all at the same time!</div>
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Man, it was packed in there.</div>
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Good Beer Faucets is a few minutes walk from Shibuya station, just past the Bunkamura building.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYeJGQGIcx6YG4ZBNtTrrSW0Qjope_Omuwl5EvL9P6XKj6NLTPXaStfQC6FhpfYaKqOyJNS-WYCGj5ilLKuBC_5GG7UdLRafVDpfoCYc7POAvBeqRgcp6i6DFmNRH2gUFzdLWMn8G6yziv/s1600/outside1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYeJGQGIcx6YG4ZBNtTrrSW0Qjope_Omuwl5EvL9P6XKj6NLTPXaStfQC6FhpfYaKqOyJNS-WYCGj5ilLKuBC_5GG7UdLRafVDpfoCYc7POAvBeqRgcp6i6DFmNRH2gUFzdLWMn8G6yziv/s400/outside1.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside Good Beer Faucets</td></tr>
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Yes, there's a Family Mart directly downstairs. I wonder how many tight arsed Welshme-I mean people will be popping down there for a quick and cheap bento, between pints?<br />
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Walking in, the first thing you notice is the cool looking interior, dominated by the 'U shaped' bar and counter. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIsNVHKe5QWxcYzbm7gQ9EY0YRsFIovN2d8LlRePrwfuryDh_nQOpKwg4di09sFU1tCnfDtEIKPl5Hn8uuDtyG0x0n4ZnmqEcnSWMj8kYCGW3nXCxqzW082FXZLXPX4Te6QsP3Vd9-yAs/s1600/in1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIsNVHKe5QWxcYzbm7gQ9EY0YRsFIovN2d8LlRePrwfuryDh_nQOpKwg4di09sFU1tCnfDtEIKPl5Hn8uuDtyG0x0n4ZnmqEcnSWMj8kYCGW3nXCxqzW082FXZLXPX4Te6QsP3Vd9-yAs/s400/in1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good, long, U shaped bar.</td></tr>
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Then you can't help but notice those incredibly shiny, brand spanking new stainless steel taps, or <b>faucets</b> (hence the name). Man, it looks good.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_67F8TzhgoJLcVGxeoZTxhdEMZus-dJ9nvKqugmgCJYEKo8_smww6gY9YSmq3Lj2KiM1wUqfOI2lRfH4QlmUq_8V46mI7p3P9_JE55mwK0onBFMvdDgdABhKZzn4VjJaBBRieKdxQMtmd/s1600/handles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_67F8TzhgoJLcVGxeoZTxhdEMZus-dJ9nvKqugmgCJYEKo8_smww6gY9YSmq3Lj2KiM1wUqfOI2lRfH4QlmUq_8V46mI7p3P9_JE55mwK0onBFMvdDgdABhKZzn4VjJaBBRieKdxQMtmd/s400/handles.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love those shiny new stainles steel handpumps!</td></tr>
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There are stools to provide seating at (what reminded me of a sushi restaurant) the main bar.</div>
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Everything is very angular and square looking but clean and immaculate. Just the right height too, for most of us.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiG5T3IOzEn14j26k35CBby3LWqqhH8sLNPnW2zphS-tqW4FCF5RBifqDybr6CAzahRrG4BExMHWKKAHH_YxXGXtsWXN8Y99TavdJAcfgfJx0s0Gtn89GXNm4OD5j-3Zl61LMCfXU0qCd6/s1600/pour+dede.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiG5T3IOzEn14j26k35CBby3LWqqhH8sLNPnW2zphS-tqW4FCF5RBifqDybr6CAzahRrG4BExMHWKKAHH_YxXGXtsWXN8Y99TavdJAcfgfJx0s0Gtn89GXNm4OD5j-3Zl61LMCfXU0qCd6/s400/pour+dede.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shiny, new, happy.</td></tr>
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Being opening night, the place was PACKED. Seriously. This proved to test the system to the max, as many endured waiting times of 40-50minutes for their beers or even longer just to place an order, as nobody seemed to know the system (at times, it seemed that included the staff!). not the best first impression, I have to say.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQ7mqNpzbUdcZkZ1HEo1CNLlsuzD4kbOYZn5p6AQNdkBY0JIxIdtVnWp7LmmalCAKhzdYieP8C3hW15AaWqjzWA_qXzch3opey8vTocRzKSm12lSAwacH_QpOU-h0iHuX1b8jcYnmTJRU/s1600/in2b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQ7mqNpzbUdcZkZ1HEo1CNLlsuzD4kbOYZn5p6AQNdkBY0JIxIdtVnWp7LmmalCAKhzdYieP8C3hW15AaWqjzWA_qXzch3opey8vTocRzKSm12lSAwacH_QpOU-h0iHuX1b8jcYnmTJRU/s400/in2b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As expected, it was PACKED, opening night.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84lI1HKoF7N4CvrM1F-K9HxHOZ-Xl9ZCCB6CA7cXkDxFBK5kcosLCWscBpD62aJVEj6zgj3mSK0PItn1WMKXFmBbg5aha6sM56Gc-DsJC1PnjWEe9q71yXXExkNTDbPg_Jryy3RnmrT5V/s1600/cool+floor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84lI1HKoF7N4CvrM1F-K9HxHOZ-Xl9ZCCB6CA7cXkDxFBK5kcosLCWscBpD62aJVEj6zgj3mSK0PItn1WMKXFmBbg5aha6sM56Gc-DsJC1PnjWEe9q71yXXExkNTDbPg_Jryy3RnmrT5V/s400/cool+floor.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just gotta love this floor diagram.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
Luckily, I was at the main bar and I knew Dede, who was working literally flat out, doing what seemed to be <b><u>everything</u></b> and fixing things on the fly, talking to customers, pulling pints, answering questions, guiding staff... ...it was amazing to watch the man in action. All the time staying cool, calm and professional. I'd equate what he did last night to juggling 4 chainsaws and a pair of kittens and no, no animals were harmed during the entire performance.</div>
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The man helped us out on several occasions and took orders, poured and served beer expertly.</div>
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Pity we couldn't say the same for everyone else. </div>
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Many weren't happy that they had to wait extended times, waiting for the staff who were walking around with iPads and iPhones, using a computerised ordering system that was new to everyone. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8VceJDLNghdJBEd6sx09l3N8fB_zV9BH0Py6gfuW6CSuYwYsUKJzLKi83Mor80AfYFAaKi_94ze_Azqrs5hopm4CaM0n-vjw9kZdHtak16FSCZlSGS5uP-SB5gReLAma4zBxoGlO-SElL/s1600/system+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8VceJDLNghdJBEd6sx09l3N8fB_zV9BH0Py6gfuW6CSuYwYsUKJzLKi83Mor80AfYFAaKi_94ze_Azqrs5hopm4CaM0n-vjw9kZdHtak16FSCZlSGS5uP-SB5gReLAma4zBxoGlO-SElL/s400/system+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hint at their new system, using data from the iphone/pad entries. Interesting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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To be fair, you mix a brand new system for ordering and payment with a super busy FIRST night (for staff, as well as customers, let's not forget) and there is going to be a little confusion and kinks will appear that need ironing out.</div>
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Luckily Hori san and Dede were on task, each time.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUHwTHW_gkj6Dsei0pZbCAHg3MZzzHFefFpzKS2kozXgT4woNk1_k9jtBw0ztGigMQuub2o6-xcYROQ7i9IYM4Lnef08QEbgkewenbXN9lpo8D00h7OJThGvvjOmnVOEYY73fas5dBB4t/s1600/virtuosos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUHwTHW_gkj6Dsei0pZbCAHg3MZzzHFefFpzKS2kozXgT4woNk1_k9jtBw0ztGigMQuub2o6-xcYROQ7i9IYM4Lnef08QEbgkewenbXN9lpo8D00h7OJThGvvjOmnVOEYY73fas5dBB4t/s400/virtuosos.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Engineering genius Hori san, doing his stuff.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The staff handled things okay, considering some of them seemed a bit lost. Working in a bar that also get's insanely busy, I felt for them at times. Still, it did take a LONG time to get served, then to wait for the beer to arrive. Even longer than the wait at Popeyes <i>(oooh! Heresy!!!! How <b>DARE</b> you!)</i>.</div>
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Again, thank goodness Dede was near by. Otherwise I might have collapsed, due to thirst. Of course the adjustment that needed to be done, taking into account the extra waiting time was to double fist, which myself and my friend did. That helped, but still we were left waiting, between double fistings.<br />
While I had about a cm of beer left, a staff member came to take my not quite empty glass. I grabbed it back, politely saying I hadn't finished (there was still beer in the glass! - I wasn't fast enough though to prevent a female member of staff nicking the unfinished pint just before that! - cheeky!). He asked me if I was ready to order. I again politely informed him that I had ordered more than 20 minutes ago and will probably have to wait another 20mins for my beer, if the evening was anything to go by, which was why I was stretching my pint out as long as I could. We both laughed over it. What else can you do? <br />
Opening night blues.<br />
<br />
My biggest concern of the night was not the 400ml 'pints' (At least they advertised the volume in the menus and weren't trying to be sneaky like certain other bars- fair enough), neither the long waiting times. We have to remember it's only the first night and it was PACKED.<br />
No, it was the inconsistency in the pours.<br />
Dede poured beers very well (just the one time I had to ask for less head and he never forgot after that, fair play) but some of the pints I saw put out for delivery were, quite frankly, shocking.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4o5-fkJxA0lliZ_sTf1gdaPjRz_r9CKFhdeAMAYvYFE9J8sPESwjmrrtjkpwSRJYfiaXZB3Z3SmTT_H7Xoto8fepMM7LajqcmSjkH0GjYmQYyNr4IkAHpkZrscGZXwugnbolfAYXp2ns/s1600/inconsistency.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4o5-fkJxA0lliZ_sTf1gdaPjRz_r9CKFhdeAMAYvYFE9J8sPESwjmrrtjkpwSRJYfiaXZB3Z3SmTT_H7Xoto8fepMM7LajqcmSjkH0GjYmQYyNr4IkAHpkZrscGZXwugnbolfAYXp2ns/s400/inconsistency.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Slight' inconsistencies on opening night. Some beers were sent out like this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here, in the photo above, you can see there is a<b> hell</b> of a difference between those two pints. I know which one I'd rather have!!!! Hard to believe anyone would accept a 'pint' like that. I sent one pint back as soon as I saw it was at least 45% head. I would assume that this is certainly not Beer Faucets' policy, just the naivety of the new staff, who at times seem to need a little instruction <b>- again, first night for them, as well as us</b>. I'd expect things to change, even as soon as tonight. I know in Japan, bars often serve beer with large head but at times last night it was verging on ridiculous. Again, I'm sure the staff weren't aware there was a problem. As more and more people mentioned it though, things did appear to get better. I'm sure things have changed now. Dede was aware by the end of the evening and I'm 100% positive things will have improved by now.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9aADsBqcKH8x1shtXLmmB8nVybUEcfbmaaERD5GHOSuiN21kdVlHkRolNJxXqniUnpyX-DwbSL3v0Wgx_MCe3bq8o6-OJ2k66CxfzNwfDaK6vw2GqXsHvAN1NlegtHBfraq7CSdzA3YK/s1600/ready+to+go+out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9aADsBqcKH8x1shtXLmmB8nVybUEcfbmaaERD5GHOSuiN21kdVlHkRolNJxXqniUnpyX-DwbSL3v0Wgx_MCe3bq8o6-OJ2k66CxfzNwfDaK6vw2GqXsHvAN1NlegtHBfraq7CSdzA3YK/s400/ready+to+go+out.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Slight' inconsistencies again. These beers are ready to go out.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A classic example is pictured below. My friend, Emily, had this beer in her hands and I asked her how it was. She replied that she hadn't actually had any yet - this was how it arrived.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYwPHTUGzTo4t2m6BXn_oofnlFLIKdQ2Gq0AJwVuT8ay_BYNJS-reoJ9ueouxMRs4a6Qj-r8Z7VZd688NaTkz_gcdwlGD_xcPIkP4tcZaWGQztBKIhw6ZRQbUpjgv05YRLS92NIwilZgu/s1600/dude%252C+wheres+my+beer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYwPHTUGzTo4t2m6BXn_oofnlFLIKdQ2Gq0AJwVuT8ay_BYNJS-reoJ9ueouxMRs4a6Qj-r8Z7VZd688NaTkz_gcdwlGD_xcPIkP4tcZaWGQztBKIhw6ZRQbUpjgv05YRLS92NIwilZgu/s400/dude%252C+wheres+my+beer.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Dude, where's my beer?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Acceptable? Certainly not.<br />
I advise everyone to mention whilst ordering that you do not require 40% head (or a glass with 40% of your beer missing). Seriously though, ask for less head and there is a good chance you'll get that - if that's what you want. I would be VERY SURPRISED if I went back tonight and things were the same. Part of a new place's first night is work out the kinks and fix them. There were certainly a few kinks but I think the positives outweighed any negatives. The biggest positives, for me are Dede and Hori san.<br />
Both men know their stuff. I'm sure if they had more time to prepare better, they would have. At least they opened on target.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfSSNqWjxe_iK11lZxLON-C4YKLHXZoW0up-mbLavpaP4D-xUTUDuJXT2ajw8OX5wOxFUpnDgLzhd7mITksD-Fm-_jpmflSRRCmuRrrvCiAsy39byVw2rNF0ieqUFRR5IZyUcQUbix1N6/s1600/nothing+wrong+with+this+one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfSSNqWjxe_iK11lZxLON-C4YKLHXZoW0up-mbLavpaP4D-xUTUDuJXT2ajw8OX5wOxFUpnDgLzhd7mITksD-Fm-_jpmflSRRCmuRrrvCiAsy39byVw2rNF0ieqUFRR5IZyUcQUbix1N6/s400/nothing+wrong+with+this+one.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing wrong with this pint (apart from the size - 400ml).<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Then there's the really cool bar, the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">location</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">beer</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> selection, the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">beer</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> quality and I'm sure the food (if Dede's history & reputation is anything to go by.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLONEZfoHsPQ_njzG9VrFMcJ5L4cb_Jon2lCdfvEg8hdGghzIEO5VqZ9Nq9nk-U-mdjyZSl3Y68Ggd3yN8Zu5bGHxEwqGxMcE0D8fheqfSE5h7ZYZ0TxtpFb6Z8nTrT36o9dSqq-mdBbvL/s1600/pour+dede+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLONEZfoHsPQ_njzG9VrFMcJ5L4cb_Jon2lCdfvEg8hdGghzIEO5VqZ9Nq9nk-U-mdjyZSl3Y68Ggd3yN8Zu5bGHxEwqGxMcE0D8fheqfSE5h7ZYZ0TxtpFb6Z8nTrT36o9dSqq-mdBbvL/s400/pour+dede+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All pints poured or finished by Dede - lovely. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
All in all, first night niggles/difficulties aside, I feel this is going to be/is a great bar. As long as the staff get used to the system fast and learn to pour beer with consistency, I don't see many problems.<br />
Price wise, it's average for Shibuya. Seemingly pricier than Aldgate but not as pricy as Cataratas.<br />
Volume wise, their pints aren't US or UK pint sizes, but they do show the volume in ml in the menu.<br />
I had no opportunity to try or see the food but I'm confident it will be very, very good.<br />
Dede was <b>the man</b>, all night. He stayed calm and professional and did his job and then some.<br />
I'm looking forward to what this new bar can bring to the Craft Beer community.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1MyObkRxcdRu4Y69szTqGZipOX5bkv3yEkZLl4kPPBuGEJKRkQsNk_3XlG3EHbGBrsiR5q7LQfLgdovyJFu8fWJQ-UdpguqMiJpVglu3Kyu4B3yPPcx02cA3ynVZHO1aj9SbcCR-HDRt/s1600/faucets+ded+pouring+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1MyObkRxcdRu4Y69szTqGZipOX5bkv3yEkZLl4kPPBuGEJKRkQsNk_3XlG3EHbGBrsiR5q7LQfLgdovyJFu8fWJQ-UdpguqMiJpVglu3Kyu4B3yPPcx02cA3ynVZHO1aj9SbcCR-HDRt/s400/faucets+ded+pouring+shot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brand spanking new. Good beer, good food.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Verdict is still out on this bar as it's too soon to tell but it certainly has potential. With the ineviatable kinks that happen on a packed opening night sorted out (they should be), this could be a good one.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCYIV1mIUPCpOT4xtzZjvc2SygTJmsuLCeh6A7FNw3vNfvN0XVf4UDppwwHWFPtTnvHxHiB-cCcmavb6XvaWZBAzFs3t0mwtwW-drPDtSZ6l81bNL6epRHzpQBFcLikASTYNqvn7Nem-N/s1600/dede+posessed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCYIV1mIUPCpOT4xtzZjvc2SygTJmsuLCeh6A7FNw3vNfvN0XVf4UDppwwHWFPtTnvHxHiB-cCcmavb6XvaWZBAzFs3t0mwtwW-drPDtSZ6l81bNL6epRHzpQBFcLikASTYNqvn7Nem-N/s400/dede+posessed.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dede was non stop - like a man posessed. He da man!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
p.s. Some friends and I soon retired to the always reliable Aldgate (get served in less than a minute) and were not so surprised to meet quite a few there who also left Beer Faucets, not exactly over enamoured with their first impressions.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2T9DQmiJ3Py7fObimBsWEVrrXLDP-BYomUNAVQfu4RqF_O1_R5VYvxOW6sw2cpskaqc1TYJTMHXzzIvHA_hT-rimf4IYudhRDjgIhEsGYiuX1AKrIB1_FsbWnM_HtEG9Widm9pb0OJC5j/s1600/aldgate+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2T9DQmiJ3Py7fObimBsWEVrrXLDP-BYomUNAVQfu4RqF_O1_R5VYvxOW6sw2cpskaqc1TYJTMHXzzIvHA_hT-rimf4IYudhRDjgIhEsGYiuX1AKrIB1_FsbWnM_HtEG9Widm9pb0OJC5j/s400/aldgate+after.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ironically, this is where more than a few of us ended up - Good old Aldgate. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hey, it's early doors yet.</div>
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Pluses and minuses on opening night. They will only get better. Just wait and see.
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1303/A130301/13135142/dtlmap/" target="_blank">Good Beer Faucets</a>.</b></span></div>
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Check it out, if you can.</div>
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</div>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-51312858742747981772011-12-17T23:16:00.000-08:002011-12-18T21:14:25.787-08:00See you guys soon at the Good Beer Faucet's grand opening from 5!<div style="text-align: center;">
From 5pm today Good Beer Faucets will be Tokyo's newest craft beer bar. Opening in Shibuya from 5pm.</div>
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Shit! I'd better get going!!!! </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Late again!</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmLnlgf1eYjpcowRbGMbXc1jxIBDCVZDjZqVWiKSqnYBeafnXQDY1wz6owAG8eLnEaPZuVUbESBL7qs8T6QPrVgswHThYqCEUlfw0fYjFgelsz66B4wK0l9q-fw7yGdDBCqtrdJFPYSrh/s1600/the-white-rabbit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmLnlgf1eYjpcowRbGMbXc1jxIBDCVZDjZqVWiKSqnYBeafnXQDY1wz6owAG8eLnEaPZuVUbESBL7qs8T6QPrVgswHThYqCEUlfw0fYjFgelsz66B4wK0l9q-fw7yGdDBCqtrdJFPYSrh/s320/the-white-rabbit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Look out for the weird annoying Welshman with the camera and double fisting his way to hell.</div>
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Cheers!!!!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here's the location:<br />
<iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=214513976660480265683.0004b458977ab737a8351&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=35.660136,139.695384&spn=0,0&t=m&vpsrc=1&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small>View <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=214513976660480265683.0004b458977ab737a8351&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=35.660136,139.695384&spn=0,0&t=m&vpsrc=1&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">Good beer faucets</a> in a larger map</small>
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See you there!</div>
</div>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-65085040906815889502011-12-17T23:05:00.000-08:002011-12-17T23:10:27.448-08:00The Royal Scotsman - Iidabashi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I knew the old Chuwy curse would striek sooner or later. Well, the 6 minute train ride from Devilcraft in Kanda to The Royal Scotsman in Iidabashi turned into 30mins plus, as I got on the wrong damn train. Should have realised things weren't as they should be when I noticed the lady sleeping opposite.</div>
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I was on the Goldilocks limited express..</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfMdbaKWXXwGOWQE4iAWThCPiZhRqwvzWDXkOi1WPfV0l7Om_riED27ax_TYq-rtLSH2OAYm6KSKzUS3QiXoB4YDZ-raQ_CCayPno0FauzEKDE44I_rOSDVfycB6w-mOeM4jMbSCdh6Ql/s1600/_DSC0069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfMdbaKWXXwGOWQE4iAWThCPiZhRqwvzWDXkOi1WPfV0l7Om_riED27ax_TYq-rtLSH2OAYm6KSKzUS3QiXoB4YDZ-raQ_CCayPno0FauzEKDE44I_rOSDVfycB6w-mOeM4jMbSCdh6Ql/s320/_DSC0069.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone's been sleeping in MY train.</td></tr>
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Bugger. I luckily realised soon enoughand got off at Shinjuku then made my way back to</div>
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<b><a href="http://ameblo.jp/royalscotsman/" target="_blank">The Royal Scotsman</a>. </b></div>
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<b>No, not the train.</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.elvincountry.com/travel-images/30001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.elvincountry.com/travel-images/30001.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>The bar.</b></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Here are a few pics of the outside:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjjvilI9kAsg_bkEUoo7V3kPd9_1nVXlqM9xsGaawzwgi5CRO_SuzUCn4NbV6_bP7V2gjdJQNCgLmjygl65Kx6oVBsIif243M5Vat7sAb4c7DsifljqZvrGSCY0805nUwP_UjYjdJang1/s1600/out1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjjvilI9kAsg_bkEUoo7V3kPd9_1nVXlqM9xsGaawzwgi5CRO_SuzUCn4NbV6_bP7V2gjdJQNCgLmjygl65Kx6oVBsIif243M5Vat7sAb4c7DsifljqZvrGSCY0805nUwP_UjYjdJang1/s400/out1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7WPFuhPYRPF-HS6yS4q-OjRAhxro0mFKJWhbXmGHK5vUf-G0hQPbQrRmhh0wtJZgrXcH8MQuah9ry5ThU0eZ0ULwgkuT9PmUKv8oUVIyls9zQWAPDII5eqGl9tNOoqNUfNxvBJ4a0-CB/s1600/out2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7WPFuhPYRPF-HS6yS4q-OjRAhxro0mFKJWhbXmGHK5vUf-G0hQPbQrRmhh0wtJZgrXcH8MQuah9ry5ThU0eZ0ULwgkuT9PmUKv8oUVIyls9zQWAPDII5eqGl9tNOoqNUfNxvBJ4a0-CB/s400/out2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1krQLmCDD6R89K071bqOexm0pZKNCYhKL4f6krH_3eAZ-eO1j7M1uSlh9lizYIxtVZk_KcoDQI16NsJa6DYV52INUcRsLqrTpN-jnZe8UM2xcPwx9JWYeYm2s6wD6D85Nj2LE6LiCiXU/s1600/mohican.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7WPFuhPYRPF-HS6yS4q-OjRAhxro0mFKJWhbXmGHK5vUf-G0hQPbQrRmhh0wtJZgrXcH8MQuah9ry5ThU0eZ0ULwgkuT9PmUKv8oUVIyls9zQWAPDII5eqGl9tNOoqNUfNxvBJ4a0-CB/s1600/out2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><br />
As you probably guess, this is themed after a Scottish style pub. Minus the locals, of course.<br />
<a href="http://www.webtvwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/rab-c-nesbitt-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://www.webtvwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/rab-c-nesbitt-logo.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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The main dude responsible for this place is Tomo, the infamous Japanese green mohican bagpipe player and his wife Anji, along with Yuji Shimada:<br />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1krQLmCDD6R89K071bqOexm0pZKNCYhKL4f6krH_3eAZ-eO1j7M1uSlh9lizYIxtVZk_KcoDQI16NsJa6DYV52INUcRsLqrTpN-jnZe8UM2xcPwx9JWYeYm2s6wD6D85Nj2LE6LiCiXU/s200/mohican.jpg" /> You might have seen him play in one of Aoki san's Beer Festivals or in the St Patrick's parade in Tokyo. He said he always wanted to open a bar with Brewdog beer and now he & Yuji have done it.<br />
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My good friend Yuji let me know they were opening soon and invited me to come on by. I'm glad I did., I brought my drinking centurion friend, Tim Maloney with me. Turns out this might just be the best bar of the evening. Proof you don't need 70 beers (or even 40!) on tap to have a good bar. Far from it, that's possibly too many beers (what? Am I INSANE?). Here,they had just the 4 taps and that was it.<br />
Well, four craft taps plus Kirin heartland.<br />
Okay, more like 4 craft taps, plus Kirin heartland, plus 4 whiskies on cask.<br />
Sounds better, yes?<br />
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They'll be stocking Brewdog beers and last night they had Punk IPA on tap. Not bad. They also had Preston pale ale which was in decent form, not as sweet as usual.<br />
They plan to alternate the other two taps with various (I assume Japanese craft) beers.<br />
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Here's my friend Yuji Shimada at work behind the really nice bar:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnA3OgpA-VeyIDVziigsut7Qrh4WNvhPfQY_k-JMtcfZDjMuTCvK5KgbEcbbQ8j8eE7mUp33D_Ut2gFJ3oCU5ihLywrDDBotGoMGna2PeDEGcA2JoBhJVDVKp9wTc-zW7abCMunOmIyFEL/s1600/bar+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnA3OgpA-VeyIDVziigsut7Qrh4WNvhPfQY_k-JMtcfZDjMuTCvK5KgbEcbbQ8j8eE7mUp33D_Ut2gFJ3oCU5ihLywrDDBotGoMGna2PeDEGcA2JoBhJVDVKp9wTc-zW7abCMunOmIyFEL/s400/bar+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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More staff photos!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4bXlOVN30oLle28oKpncLrRaMuLKAGJGSFCbWl8iH_-jX6q0mzV5KKs3DjXf-Xz9mVzzUkv95USdQ0F6svzX4HKwGowchtr_lpHiFZF9UMqQ6d54M_QPVBnNOuFFcW35nlkdbkJ2-cA4/s1600/folks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4bXlOVN30oLle28oKpncLrRaMuLKAGJGSFCbWl8iH_-jX6q0mzV5KKs3DjXf-Xz9mVzzUkv95USdQ0F6svzX4HKwGowchtr_lpHiFZF9UMqQ6d54M_QPVBnNOuFFcW35nlkdbkJ2-cA4/s400/folks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The place will probably hold about 30 and it nicely laid out in wood and a nice long green leather bench running the far side of the bar plus various tables both seating and standing. The main highlight for me is the bar it's lovely. really adds a homely local British pub feel to it and I'm sure sitting there in the evening, relaxing with a wee dram will be a nice experience, especially in this cold weather.</div>
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Here are a few pics of the inside:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zFHi_OrACzpsHuIH0leyViFsIqLdggEW_GB0vsJ-1PTactmHeyWPMxo8ZZ-cwPf88UmA4yLbYC1GmxX_jN4xrb8gKBoi6t6n6Nk0vSkaiBai2naqlp5o76fIl5-_aX86295L2iEhp7M6/s1600/in+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zFHi_OrACzpsHuIH0leyViFsIqLdggEW_GB0vsJ-1PTactmHeyWPMxo8ZZ-cwPf88UmA4yLbYC1GmxX_jN4xrb8gKBoi6t6n6Nk0vSkaiBai2naqlp5o76fIl5-_aX86295L2iEhp7M6/s400/in+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXtrmCtx_vEzBCSVrHMDUsL77ZWtQnzN_BzTdz3VF5gAx76Ij25l4yMO02t9UyWGReEo3XrShEePLSWu4_9K1pyahldV_o7OGVuTBoKj4L6cK9aUBUUeWmJ1j-2dIeWRNuTDlnAtV4lRX/s1600/in2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXtrmCtx_vEzBCSVrHMDUsL77ZWtQnzN_BzTdz3VF5gAx76Ij25l4yMO02t9UyWGReEo3XrShEePLSWu4_9K1pyahldV_o7OGVuTBoKj4L6cK9aUBUUeWmJ1j-2dIeWRNuTDlnAtV4lRX/s400/in2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_3LBQbvHijExaxAR3vbgOPCGF5QsfscCflJ1BydfqoCtkfPM516PtJba57PUWzQ4ASdlClac_Sfv8oF3eKTk0uNqU3FtAYwT8GSL74Yi6hCVGRHgfb5NOfD61C4NoL9GhuLV69fKdHC9/s1600/in1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_3LBQbvHijExaxAR3vbgOPCGF5QsfscCflJ1BydfqoCtkfPM516PtJba57PUWzQ4ASdlClac_Sfv8oF3eKTk0uNqU3FtAYwT8GSL74Yi6hCVGRHgfb5NOfD61C4NoL9GhuLV69fKdHC9/s400/in1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Beer wise, I tried the Punk IPA and it was not bad at all. I'm not Brewdog's biggest fan. They are capable of making some great beers but at the same time, they can make some absolutely shite beers. However, when they make good beers, they are really good. I'm also no big fan of their marketing style. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycOZ2upDISbw_JAn7AcpXJDIm9b8qnVY17wWGxAlFMZeBccMaKoCTM6v0o0G8QRf2flFDcMAEoso3LxkrD5BbOloFhiYFsrRcCeab_YmZ_4DkD4dodj3pFHdrwz4hAVc9KbnkVSVT4Q/s1600/dzn_The-End-of-History-by-Brew-Dog-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycOZ2upDISbw_JAn7AcpXJDIm9b8qnVY17wWGxAlFMZeBccMaKoCTM6v0o0G8QRf2flFDcMAEoso3LxkrD5BbOloFhiYFsrRcCeab_YmZ_4DkD4dodj3pFHdrwz4hAVc9KbnkVSVT4Q/s200/dzn_The-End-of-History-by-Brew-Dog-4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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All hype and hot air, mostly.</div>
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Well, here is the Punk IPA:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhHQaxmhJ4LbyYt8iot5en04_nvjYlcXusNHEnwfDd9j9gAB6LULZfdhWnMRAU_oHQwVgYwiqIsww_k4fufKtkwsfIh54Cce5colTl-Cz4n5mQRP4YCyOGiVJsdTeK-EjvG-inKnwZ61h/s1600/punk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhHQaxmhJ4LbyYt8iot5en04_nvjYlcXusNHEnwfDd9j9gAB6LULZfdhWnMRAU_oHQwVgYwiqIsww_k4fufKtkwsfIh54Cce5colTl-Cz4n5mQRP4YCyOGiVJsdTeK-EjvG-inKnwZ61h/s400/punk.jpg" width="292" /></a></div>
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Not bad. I'd say a UK styled IPA but perhaps fashioned with American IPAs in mind. more hops than usual UK IPAs but maltier and earthier than most American IPAs. Kind of a hybrid.</div>
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Definitely suits the bar feel, this beer. </div>
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Well chosen. </div>
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This bar is not just about the beer, though. </div>
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I give you exhibit A:</div>
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I decided to try all of them (of course).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1KmkkQKb-XDcBCky1e7db4rbP6e-WUVKFEoK1bCsDOelYNw9HjsSkJZjM3btspcmC9nrFQ8E5JxcX9tBqXo6xuNNbEjatBGJmRNDqkTQQDJdGwLne_o6AahH7UDWKGq2AOSuPFEvtvcet/s1600/whisky2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1KmkkQKb-XDcBCky1e7db4rbP6e-WUVKFEoK1bCsDOelYNw9HjsSkJZjM3btspcmC9nrFQ8E5JxcX9tBqXo6xuNNbEjatBGJmRNDqkTQQDJdGwLne_o6AahH7UDWKGq2AOSuPFEvtvcet/s400/whisky2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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How were they? </div>
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Well, I'd say the Islay was my favourite. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadJmVfeP5RWSZVUDMjmYdswId2mtxrAsqDq-Kwf5hcDkQyOISVLvzQUTFRviQcZKaLDtuJxAlR-2CIvZrQu3aTtPGQ9CVVu-nefRoC0QnF_upNpmhm00dk8vMy72OEkya47nRTVWfPZWx/s1600/whisky1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadJmVfeP5RWSZVUDMjmYdswId2mtxrAsqDq-Kwf5hcDkQyOISVLvzQUTFRviQcZKaLDtuJxAlR-2CIvZrQu3aTtPGQ9CVVu-nefRoC0QnF_upNpmhm00dk8vMy72OEkya47nRTVWfPZWx/s400/whisky1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
They also had another cask of whisky, set up to the right side of the bar. Sadly, we arrived more or less as they were closing and there was no time to drink more. Sob...<br />
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Never mind, I'll be back.<br />
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There was not enough time to review the place fully. No time for food and the pub is not offically open yet. It opens on Monday. Usual hours are Tues to Sunday, closed Mondays. Short walk from Iidabashi station.<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=214513976660480265683.0004b458567a9e659f83c&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=35.700893,139.739835&spn=0,0&t=m&vpsrc=1&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small>View <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=214513976660480265683.0004b458567a9e659f83c&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=35.700893,139.739835&spn=0,0&t=m&vpsrc=1&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">The Royal Scotsman</a> in a larger map</small><br />
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I recommend this place. Nice, friendly, good staff. I assume the food menu will be good too.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Opening party on Monday!</span></b></div>
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After this, I hit The Aldgate in Shibuya for more booze. </div>
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It never ends!!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8x3q6Yl3TANPC6pdVwFvPAD3NbnouGEBSxbdvTE921LCuIkW1za846oKo1n-Lu4SWk2oV6QpCcw5SnlqEVstqKk4i6ZF7iXGQIjPXCSJ-MCOJ59f_JZ3CQjaz2sI-70Z_r90RqMYHw4s/s1600/_DSC0097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8x3q6Yl3TANPC6pdVwFvPAD3NbnouGEBSxbdvTE921LCuIkW1za846oKo1n-Lu4SWk2oV6QpCcw5SnlqEVstqKk4i6ZF7iXGQIjPXCSJ-MCOJ59f_JZ3CQjaz2sI-70Z_r90RqMYHw4s/s320/_DSC0097.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-33117732349745854732011-12-17T21:31:00.000-08:002011-12-17T23:10:57.594-08:00Maui Brewing event at Devilcraft<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iEvmlKAy0hH0cU-_3-qlmQTncqViowiS0c1oXC6jIc6ZSjN3kMovKH_FDfaL25PR-K45RxrOQkezov7Zz5_LNLy8TdDwau1q4mAKMHrCx0f38F8b3m8cMZmTQPILXkAQfgI3GwHLwh-S/s1600/maui+poster+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iEvmlKAy0hH0cU-_3-qlmQTncqViowiS0c1oXC6jIc6ZSjN3kMovKH_FDfaL25PR-K45RxrOQkezov7Zz5_LNLy8TdDwau1q4mAKMHrCx0f38F8b3m8cMZmTQPILXkAQfgI3GwHLwh-S/s400/maui+poster+shot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Last night, I popped by the excellent <a href="http://en.devilcraft.jp/" target="_blank"><b>Devilcraft</b> </a> bar in Kanda. They were having their very special <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Maui Brewing event</span></b>. </div>
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<a href="http://mauibrewingco.com/" target="_blank">Maui Brewing</a> of course hails from the Island of Maui, in gorgeous Hawaii. For last night (Saturday) and tongiht only, they are offering about 12 very special craft beers from Maui Brewing. Most, if not all of these have never been in Japan before, so this quite an opportunity to taste the best Hawaii has to offer.</div>
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Today (Sunday)'s beer list:</div>
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<table style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; background-color: #fdfaf3; border-bottom-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #fffdfb; font-family: メイリオ, 'MS Pゴシック', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: -1px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; width: 488px;"><tbody style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<tr style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td class="lu01" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 3em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">01.</span></td><td class="lu02" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 5em;"></td><td class="lu03" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Maui Island Hopped Red</span></td></tr>
<tr style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td class="lu01" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 3em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">02.</span></td><td class="lu02" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">NEW!</span></td><td class="lu03" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Maui Big Swell IPA</span></td></tr>
<tr style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td class="lu01" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 3em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">03.</span></td><td class="lu02" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 5em;"></td><td class="lu03" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Maui Black Rock Ale</span></td></tr>
<tr style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td class="lu01" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 3em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">04.</span></td><td class="lu02" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 5em;"></td><td class="lu03" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Maui CoCoNut PorteR</span></td></tr>
<tr style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td class="lu01" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 3em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">05.</span></td><td class="lu02" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 5em;"></td><td class="lu03" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Maui Imperial CoCoNut PorTeR</span></td></tr>
<tr style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td class="lu01" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 3em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">06.</span></td><td class="lu02" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 5em;"></td><td class="lu03" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Maui Shipwreck'd Stout</span></td></tr>
<tr style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td class="lu01" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 3em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">07.</span></td><td class="lu02" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 5em;"></td><td class="lu03" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Maui Smoked Hemp</span></td></tr>
<tr style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td class="lu01" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 3em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">08.</span></td><td class="lu02" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 5em;"></td><td class="lu03" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Maui Old Chinwig </span></td></tr>
<tr style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td class="lu01" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 3em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">09.</span></td><td class="lu02" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 5em;"></td><td class="lu03" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Maui Ginger Sason</span></td></tr>
<tr style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td class="lu01" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 3em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">10.</span></td><td class="lu02" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 5em;"></td><td class="lu03" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Maui Wheat Wine</span></td></tr>
<tr style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td class="lu01" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 3em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">11.</span></td><td class="lu02" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 5em;"></td><td class="lu03" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Maui Mana Wheat</span></td></tr>
<tr style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td class="lu01" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 3em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">12.</span></td><td class="lu02" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 5em;"></td><td class="lu03" style="border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(231, 231, 231); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 6px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Maui Bikini Blonde</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
After a short 2 minute walk from Kanda Station (south exit, JR), I arrived and noticed a few friendly faces already at the bar. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfygx_ST2gTieTUhewibP2_PwUAj4IZeCHbTlvAeow2KSsBI4f2S-jOhL4uo78ME_Nsx5Ia0N8EmHSNQmkv_jXIMQj9pWzzUzvChqnDXsu9YcEZaZsa31FRZxaDvfUAzzYwYwNhCwLhOQV/s1600/front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfygx_ST2gTieTUhewibP2_PwUAj4IZeCHbTlvAeow2KSsBI4f2S-jOhL4uo78ME_Nsx5Ia0N8EmHSNQmkv_jXIMQj9pWzzUzvChqnDXsu9YcEZaZsa31FRZxaDvfUAzzYwYwNhCwLhOQV/s400/front.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Some of you who regularly hit the craft bars in Tokyo and Yokohama might already recognize 'Irish' Neil on the right and that's Jesse next to him, a very good homebrewer and cool dude - he surfs <b style="text-align: center;">and</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-align: center;"> brews, so those are two most excellent qualifications!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><br />
They are ALSO holding a <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">special offer</span></b>, for this event.<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> Buy a stamp card for <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">5,000yen</span> and get <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">5 pints</span> PLUS a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">free pint glass</span> to take home</span> </b>(provided they still have some -limited to about 25 or so pint glasses per night).<br />
This is a very good offer, seeing as some of these beers are high strength and normal cost is up to 1200yen a pint.<br />
Not only that, hand in the completed card and you go into a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>raffle for more Maui prizes</b></span>. It's a no brainer, really. You can use the card for both days but I knew that was never going to happen.<br />
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My first beer for the night was the <b><a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/maui-brewing-island-hopper-red/100805/" target="_blank">Island hopper red</a></b>, an American red ale.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Rr_ejL-WxU087liffoSehtLGG3GATSyewrNv99PHtQ_eYaoVC3dxaJtNpmQOxebugDSKaJT-Da-wgn1bb8zzDXjxPXWthh9LsKYGucmSx1dVeIcFZrtcerJMh2-MkpAa-1DTBqzg66_t/s1600/island+red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Rr_ejL-WxU087liffoSehtLGG3GATSyewrNv99PHtQ_eYaoVC3dxaJtNpmQOxebugDSKaJT-Da-wgn1bb8zzDXjxPXWthh9LsKYGucmSx1dVeIcFZrtcerJMh2-MkpAa-1DTBqzg66_t/s320/island+red.jpg" width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Island hopper red.</td></tr>
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The beer looks good. a nice roasty red color with a decent thick foamy off white head.<br />
Nice aroma, good fruity American hops and a hint of caramel, Just right.<br />
Good hoppy fruity flavor, giving hints of mangoes, pineapple, pine, grapefruits & nice caramel from the crystal malts blending in with it but the body was just so light and thin. Half way through it kind of felt like I was drinking flavoured water, it was so weird. I think this is their 'style' and it could just be I'm used to beers with a bit more body to them. Not a bad pint.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">5.5-6/10</span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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My second beer for the evening was the<b> <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/maui-brewing-black-rock-black-ipa/142890/" target="_blank">Black Rock black IPA</a></b>. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCraz908FZrfv_SsK9-CwuSCz-DDUhwjvu-XGv7xhFlKEPZeFu7Dm22UPsLNjRaERCN7SwsY4_TI2Qu5MlAzoYD9afaJL0zq-p8MzLiMDnlWHIJto141do3l4YBmT7Oxv82Nl1tA7y0k7/s1600/black+rock2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCraz908FZrfv_SsK9-CwuSCz-DDUhwjvu-XGv7xhFlKEPZeFu7Dm22UPsLNjRaERCN7SwsY4_TI2Qu5MlAzoYD9afaJL0zq-p8MzLiMDnlWHIJto141do3l4YBmT7Oxv82Nl1tA7y0k7/s400/black+rock2.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Rock BIPA</td></tr>
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This Black IPA was a nice one. Nothing full on, gentle toasted flavor in there that reminded you it was a black IPA (using black or highly roasted malts to get the color and a little depth of flavor, without adding too much body to the beer) but otherwise felt like a nice hoppy pale or again a light bodied, drinkable IPA, going down. Still a bit thin bodied and light tasting but the speciality dark malts helped add a bit of character to it.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">6.5/10</span></b></div>
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Right, third up and this one was the <b><a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/maui-brewing-shipwreck-stout/104600/" target="_blank">Shipwreck Stout</a>.</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxDTqPTYbI6sXJJ2_PgpOC6lQoG1MIazFWlsIJfCT6nmHw3O-Cn34zP3ZcxrTTNmfQ1fFHsxtsem4oD2I3Em_rqSWTSVfLScPxrdTLCRosPKXJcGmlESJWUAbsCc7V36WZ2azVn9CVQT_/s1600/oatmeal+stout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxDTqPTYbI6sXJJ2_PgpOC6lQoG1MIazFWlsIJfCT6nmHw3O-Cn34zP3ZcxrTTNmfQ1fFHsxtsem4oD2I3Em_rqSWTSVfLScPxrdTLCRosPKXJcGmlESJWUAbsCc7V36WZ2azVn9CVQT_/s400/oatmeal+stout.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shipwreck oatmeal stout (with Mike, Jason & John)</td></tr>
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The stout was an oatmeal stout (I think it was labelled as one). Smelled lovely! Nice roasty aroma with cream/tan head. Decent roast flavours mixed with cocoa and dark chocolate in here. Again a bit on the thin side, body wise, going with expectations. Don't mean to be unfair to Maui as they clearly seem to be designing their beers to be like this. Perhaps they think it suits the island way more to have thin bodied beers? I picked up a hint of coconut in this one. As John mentioned, it could be from the oats or possibly maize or other grains that might be used in here. Still not a bad, if a light oatmeal stout.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">6.5-7/10</span></b></div>
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Only two spaces left on my card. Nuts. time to go large.<br />
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Next up and number four was the <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/maui-brewing-imperial-coconut-porter/141678/" target="_blank"><b>Imperial coconut Porter</b></a>.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNv2psJ1EnCeSQt4HdCffPclllocpDbsfH6j6dgaIgIa63oByvzc9y5glNF0JuzdCSWqzRjZ0iuwUVz7bS9nJ0iJscTGbk5liieh40fm0Pj4iUtUT440hITrhiDQ0Iux2nMiA6l8iZiRYc/s1600/impy+porter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNv2psJ1EnCeSQt4HdCffPclllocpDbsfH6j6dgaIgIa63oByvzc9y5glNF0JuzdCSWqzRjZ0iuwUVz7bS9nJ0iJscTGbk5liieh40fm0Pj4iUtUT440hITrhiDQ0Iux2nMiA6l8iZiRYc/s400/impy+porter.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imperial coconut porter</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
The imperial coconut porter was pretty nice. Bit of high alcohol flavours in here but thankfully less coconut than the normal coconut porter. </div>
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<i>A LOT of people love the coconut porter but I'm not such a big fan of huge flavours in my beer - I mean coconuts, bourbon, oak etc</i>.</div>
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This beer certainly has more presence and 'weight' in the body, thanks to the coconut and dark malts.</div>
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You can taste the cocoa in here. The beer uses "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">cocoa nibs, blended with the toasted coconut during the maturation process to intensify the aroma of coconut and dark chocolate</span>" and you just about notice.</div>
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Quite a nice pint and one to take your time with. Let it warm up and appreciate the aromas and flavours as they are released.</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">7/10</span></b></div>
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Damn. Just one space left.<br />
Luckily, I'd been granted a taste of Jesse's beer when I arrived and knew what it was that I wanted.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/maui-brewing-old-chinwig/114721/" target="_blank">Maui Brewing Old Chinwig</a></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQsMiFsOfTlwB3w_4qIxIHUw1PCUHHLWwJwVTez9cC9r4L1DHolKOcYn1U3Q12F9mZAXa7KwMVNlkWB_zz1tWVoVvjZB7YU3dAqBCQpKGyunFyqA1zmYb8eN1Qi5CO2fh0nERt_yh4C_d/s1600/chinwag+old+ale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQsMiFsOfTlwB3w_4qIxIHUw1PCUHHLWwJwVTez9cC9r4L1DHolKOcYn1U3Q12F9mZAXa7KwMVNlkWB_zz1tWVoVvjZB7YU3dAqBCQpKGyunFyqA1zmYb8eN1Qi5CO2fh0nERt_yh4C_d/s400/chinwag+old+ale.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: Imperial Coconut Porter, Right: Old Chinwig strong ale<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The English styled Strong ale/ winter warmer needed a long time to warm up properly but for a strong ale up in the 8% area, it was very drinkable. Again thinner than you'd expect but quite nicely put together. Try her when first served, then let her warm and you'll notice the toffee notes increasing in the flavor. Nicely made. Again a little thin but this beer doesn't seem to mind. I enoyed this one.</span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">7.5/10</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">All in all, a very well laid out event and some very nice beers. These beers are RARE and might not be available in Japan again so I certainly recommend you go to this event. Thank you, Devilcraft for organsing this. </span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Looking forward to the next event!</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">While you are in Devilcraft you <b>definitely</b> should take advantage of their kick ass pizza menu:</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoZbAa_lUU1HSuLXpchMcKGOAGK1KH02tQSyNrstTpKUpVRQ-5guvuWxg4dvopqD_EuEZ_Smjm4pyfVBOOOOSO8sjsA1PrU5kEYuHdRhqt_gXnXLZwb_rqXAkeGKW3HiYsXFdCFM6UMnT/s1600/hawaiian+pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoZbAa_lUU1HSuLXpchMcKGOAGK1KH02tQSyNrstTpKUpVRQ-5guvuWxg4dvopqD_EuEZ_Smjm4pyfVBOOOOSO8sjsA1PrU5kEYuHdRhqt_gXnXLZwb_rqXAkeGKW3HiYsXFdCFM6UMnT/s400/hawaiian+pizza.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous looking Hawaiian ham and pineapple pizza! Mmm!</td></tr>
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This is the normal Chicago style pizza. Unfortunately, my 'friend' Tim Maloney covered the otherwsie beautiful little thing in chilli powder:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88bsxeb3vHkd8NjvAH_5wIazShEFD_brITUuroRb8QxQlcvbl8ZfBtnimPKU9yTKpZdjOtZTJL2CYKNmCBWtyc70YgWal-J7ajYnq7t69uzNp2C2oCBHaDxewQp17d7bxNN3nco4y_gST/s1600/peppered+pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88bsxeb3vHkd8NjvAH_5wIazShEFD_brITUuroRb8QxQlcvbl8ZfBtnimPKU9yTKpZdjOtZTJL2CYKNmCBWtyc70YgWal-J7ajYnq7t69uzNp2C2oCBHaDxewQp17d7bxNN3nco4y_gST/s400/peppered+pizza.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you have enough chilli on there, Tim? Bloody hell!</td></tr>
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Go check out the Maui beers at <b><a href="http://en.devilcraft.jp/" target="_blank">Devilcraft </a></b>today!<br />
Kanda, South Exit. Directions <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://en.devilcraft.jp/map/" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>.</span><br />
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p.s. if you are interested in trying some production Maui beers (these may not be from the brewpub), you can find them in some craft stores, like <a href="http://sugaya-beer.com/" target="_blank">Sugaya</a> and Tanakaya or you can buy them <a href="http://goodbeer.jp/brewery/maui/product.html" target="_blank">here</a>. They aren't that cheap though.</div>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-58108227306376330202011-12-15T21:13:00.000-08:002011-12-16T00:14:56.348-08:00Few events this week/next week<div style="text-align: center;">
I'll try to update this post as I find out about more events, leading up to Christmas.</div>
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So far, off the top of my alcoholic brain damaged head...<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>FRIDAY (today!):</b></span> A few people are joinging in on a <a href="http://www.meetup.com/tokyo-beer/events/37807812/?a=md2.2p_grp&rv=md2.2p"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Tokyo Beer Meet Up</b></span></a> pub crawl in Yokohama, starting from <a href="http://www.beerdrinkinginternational.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Thrash Zone</b></span></a> at 6:30. Just bring 200yen for the organiser, Marco and come and join in and enjoy the fun. His Beer Meet Up group is fun and has regular meet ups at Craft Beer bars across Yokyo/Yokohama. Yokohama is a great place to pub crawl, too.<br />
<i>Note the new location for Thrash Zone, over the other side of the road, away from the station and close to the Lawson (just past it and to the right, walking from the station).</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">SATURDAY & SUNDAY:</span></b> <a href="http://en.devilcraft.jp/"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Devilcraft</b></span></a> will be having a very special Maui brewing event featuring of some very special Maui brewing beers (many which are coming to Japan for the first time and some are quite special indeed). This is fast becoming a very cool place to hang out at and drink a great selection of Japanese and imported craft beer in great condition. They also have kick ass Chicago style pizza. On Sat/Sun, for the Maui event, they are having a special offer each day, 5,000yen gets you 5 pints PLUS the first 24 customers get a free Maui glass. <b>Plus</b> if you finish the card, there's a chance to win prizes in a special raffle, later on. </div>
<div>
The event is from 3-11pm Sat, 12-9pm Sun and reservations are recommended (those tables might go fast but they do have a few floors!). you might see me at the bar, early(ish) on Sat.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">SUNDAY:</span></b> The grand opening of <a href="http://goodbeer.jp/news/2011/12/goodbeerfaucets.html" target="_blank"><b>Good Beer Faucets</b></a>, in Shibuya. 40 plus taps, 3 hand pumps, lots of Japanese and imported craft plus guaranteed to have great food, seeing as Dede Brim is overseeing things. See you there! Open from 5pm.<br />
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<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">MONDAY:</span> </span></b>A new craft beer pub wil open. Yes, another one! This one is the brainchild of a certain green mohican haired bagpipe player. If you've been to Aoki san's Real Ale Festivals, then you know who I mean!</div>
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686594595091643842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1krQLmCDD6R89K071bqOexm0pZKNCYhKL4f6krH_3eAZ-eO1j7M1uSlh9lizYIxtVZk_KcoDQI16NsJa6DYV52INUcRsLqrTpN-jnZe8UM2xcPwx9JWYeYm2s6wD6D85Nj2LE6LiCiXU/s200/mohican.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 152px;" /><br />
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The guy loves Brewdog and has stated that he wants to open his own bar in Japan and serve Brewdog beer - well, he's done it.</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pub.royalscotsman?sk=info">The Royal Scotsman</a></span></b> is open for business in Shunjuku from Monday. Reportedly they'll have at least 4 taps of craft (plus Guinness!), featuring Brewdog of Sctoland, Preston of Japan and others and 3 whisky kegs! Yes, the guys love whisky too. I'll check the place out early on and report back.</div>
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Opening hours are Tue - Sat:15:00-03:00 & Sun:15:00-00:00. Normally closed on Mondays.</div>
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</div>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-56898334288038884982011-12-01T22:46:00.000-08:002011-12-02T00:06:57.867-08:00Thrash Zone is Dead. Long live Thrash Zone!<div style="text-align: center;">Yes, the Thrash Zone as we knew and loved it is no more.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 197px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLbrkwP-m4JxnTsdgdB8e5yhnCKO1e4amrfbwAdKj0pnFfYkzVedBbi919Lo0zbAic3T3WgyfZcRtPGMDDynPJZ2pZ9eA7F116otSlodz6GZiO2MK0zkjeD_uCoztBWcj31ph-PtbCmGJ/s1600/crying_baby.gif" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: left;">However, <b style="text-align: left; ">despair not</b>, fellow hop head metal freak nuts bananas bonkers boozers!</div></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">There is a <b>new</b> Thrash zone.</div></div><div><br /><a href="http://www.beerdrinkinginternational.com/"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 335px;" src="http://www.geocities.jp/thrashzoneyokohama/logomain.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"></a><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47f83mAlwW7ppUmTDOsxCQHC_NcsoM7971Dge4T4E_Mf7luUCj2qg-SsRJ92fLN9FmUrPgx9kHiav0We6pL2n8lJb6X9Hlt72WUxOfR_gpGQFg2PcDxWshY_8CWYDv-vNo90RAwfgPYru/s320/Victory-Baby+thrash.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681431545781202642" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 269px; height: 320px; " /><div></div><div>It opened yesterday, <b>December 1st</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's bigger, longer, wider, harder. Satisfaction guaranteed.</div></div><div><div></div></div><div>I was surfing the web when I noticed my good friend Captain Tugwash had posted a pic of the place. </div><div>Well, then I just had to rush on down there, at 11pm and check it out myself!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here are a few pics of the place:</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The front, as you enter thru a small glass sliding door (easy to walk straight past it!)</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLuR4qH3FovZrbkFvXL8Ht9BoBs1qQqamP6CIXyPeWkAeO2SdZcOmDgG5ZS89uzHBtHgRpz3Fd5rYVTI5rJGkOp64lbqT05W38L8tcqiyhiPjotvHK_JJcVhxB8mglr8G70UK11zfFMOqr/s1600/inside+1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLuR4qH3FovZrbkFvXL8Ht9BoBs1qQqamP6CIXyPeWkAeO2SdZcOmDgG5ZS89uzHBtHgRpz3Fd5rYVTI5rJGkOp64lbqT05W38L8tcqiyhiPjotvHK_JJcVhxB8mglr8G70UK11zfFMOqr/s400/inside+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681432196435156194" /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYY_bdq_hMxZsmlSNDC-rc41mO43EyLdwyDrHUA60RLDE5rHX0peJiOd0CbvItazLdHGNPXbEtNvhU_yWNPYzK9gUKoIvMsRsq4XZ_Y_Ur3nfRaEvLlqNWGsIeLHhPlZQR87CU-ojv4gnH/s400/inside2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681432191815700306" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 223px; " /><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSDu8wf-XQi1z2aZIwnHDO6g_yZB17YCTuyTN7X-4aestcw8XL-8ZbBz_yAZkphmKJ_OU7_7Rh1Z11sE9_1RhuMRS1VavIb4nubJqLlo2BiWaSvvpwUWi_z6SrPi61UbVJXjKDQpzhI-S/s400/koichi+san.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681432205372765762" /></a>As you can tell, the place is a lot bigger. Two t three times bigger. It's also wider, meaning you can go from front to back of the bar easy(er!).<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></div><div>He has 7 taps right now, with the option and space to add a lot more later on. The place is still undergoing construction and will just get better but right now, with the smell of fresh paint, big screen TVs resting on the floor, just a few taps and a load of happy metal freaking craft beer drinking lunatics, it's already started off in a great way. </div><div>Be prepared for a whole new Thrash Zone that still retains the essence of the old but brings in the extra oomph of the new!</div><div>It certainly offers something different from the other craft beer bars. Loud music, energetic regulars and always a warm welcome. This could be another classic craft beer bar. </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I think this pic matches the atmosphere in there:</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtVAA5qnYZ2XW823rlyxOJg7QwVhBaNY21tj0M3hwIMNGnS7x-xZjXEmIxwNbib-lNPn9Sp3faS1P633DWljN3cPiQzuPU9fETE7sKG0rZ7CufbVziFb6NSCLzbehyphenhyphenleeG4aoxBKPexzH/s1600/atmospher.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 273px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtVAA5qnYZ2XW823rlyxOJg7QwVhBaNY21tj0M3hwIMNGnS7x-xZjXEmIxwNbib-lNPn9Sp3faS1P633DWljN3cPiQzuPU9fETE7sKG0rZ7CufbVziFb6NSCLzbehyphenhyphenleeG4aoxBKPexzH/s400/atmospher.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681435490440850226" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Gotta luv it.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;">The beer qulaity is very, very good.</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_NRwZI2ig3AmqtNGaxyX57BXUjW9Sp8i8AL7c3BjbJXXVOq83RPxT8aCDqHsMzXpuhBPLWxjv0UWp19kk1leTp4qzuayFhX7ej7ZI7UJfQS-5I1eHeTMCosRu-dxs7UH4Y_z-rK06Y5b/s1600/yeah2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_NRwZI2ig3AmqtNGaxyX57BXUjW9Sp8i8AL7c3BjbJXXVOq83RPxT8aCDqHsMzXpuhBPLWxjv0UWp19kk1leTp4qzuayFhX7ej7ZI7UJfQS-5I1eHeTMCosRu-dxs7UH4Y_z-rK06Y5b/s400/yeah2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681436442819443346" /></a>Very friendly place. Don't be put off by the Thrash metal connections, everyone is friendly here.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt10SHo9eCOX0-C4CkNo3SPgt1JWZIx_T-ump0jpuvL4jcvd80WdiC1rnjEBGFf8xu7zyE-OeVs5O-AVywlFwEVZWHH8nyqM_bams7OJtJar9VLahK6Wn4hwPI_-g8cD9jWpipFq79kWGx/s1600/yeah.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt10SHo9eCOX0-C4CkNo3SPgt1JWZIx_T-ump0jpuvL4jcvd80WdiC1rnjEBGFf8xu7zyE-OeVs5O-AVywlFwEVZWHH8nyqM_bams7OJtJar9VLahK6Wn4hwPI_-g8cD9jWpipFq79kWGx/s400/yeah.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681436308321600882" /></a>Their main bar is a great long front bar. It goes on like one of those long bars that feature in Western movies. I just want to slide my pint down to the end...<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-q-TDhxy_jdxECKUhkTMJOUf4ZSsyK8ONT7NR-oexYUfzLbdjwP_5ocW4GEq1Nrix6ji1_MSe0FoFdQFDohQpVdayVSaUAH0e9k6amchlqpQf2NR6qmz0thnzOQrSAkG3pfvsaOzS8ku7/s400/long+bar.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681436883590921810" /><div style="text-align: center;">Koichi san does a great job as usual in pouring the perfect pint.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2qFj3PLufe_Gb8GwO3-ebmsDNDRRhl49fm5fyHMxO6RiKhkY2a4L_sW6IxSSTqjPuhnORm5dPf_R7dImkP2pOCOh6iZtstcWnCYvOL1TQ5iMEx0yAyUGOLMFil9W5hOvtK0iQn90JwgF/s1600/taps.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2qFj3PLufe_Gb8GwO3-ebmsDNDRRhl49fm5fyHMxO6RiKhkY2a4L_sW6IxSSTqjPuhnORm5dPf_R7dImkP2pOCOh6iZtstcWnCYvOL1TQ5iMEx0yAyUGOLMFil9W5hOvtK0iQn90JwgF/s400/taps.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681436887560269138" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Here is an example of the Thrash Zone pint. Almost no head. Filled to the brim. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvBMBRinNHidDgdxmZVdyjf7YvEiMR_zWCBDnssIPzINLJSfpkvNviYoY90r-55ekSXHAZuDaToHAC2k2uQhvguVDHG6guetNbgFcG5jXVsYVqsumJOCw5Ue2b2aRJtQJ5FcQfKxdl_Co/s400/thrash+pour.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681436893571777298" />Fantastic.</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QcVnRzSDFwqn46vwQTzIPG1NaQMDRpT306xcgnelVQ3EOgKU_4ElLYl8zdTjCyHNKpidH9hJeNm9sgGHFwUQoCWEL67TGi4x_TRLYfsn63vJ0PkHSBSgy0EYLg57Mk8X5ijzx4q42nwW/s1600/back+bar.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QcVnRzSDFwqn46vwQTzIPG1NaQMDRpT306xcgnelVQ3EOgKU_4ElLYl8zdTjCyHNKpidH9hJeNm9sgGHFwUQoCWEL67TGi4x_TRLYfsn63vJ0PkHSBSgy0EYLg57Mk8X5ijzx4q42nwW/s400/back+bar.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681436877539515986" /></a>The bar also bends around to the right, at the far end. This offers up more bar space and leads to the toilets. Great bar.<br /><br />Definitely recommended. They are still adding to the beer and it is nowhere near finished but go there and grab a pint and savour the atmosphere. </div><div>Map is here, on the website.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://www.beerdrinkinginternational.com/">Thrash Zone</a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span">Click on the link at the centre of the box.</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>It's located right opposite the Lawsons, the other side from the main road. Look for the first floor glass sliding door and the small Thrash zone sign.<br /><br /></div><div>Sorry, that's all the info for now. Late for boozing! Will write more when I have time. Rock on!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh436ElK3kO7qIVxocQMkom2E-mjyKIY2aHHStIloqZ2hpQt4rdLiV60rIFGunzC501KiivmPqzZG3WBKdUXz9Ja9FFYkDDMMifH7GSliOBaIY-4Pa6fFfli_W21QHcOP0PatSnJD0q6XV8/s1600/chuwy.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 279px; height: 391px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh436ElK3kO7qIVxocQMkom2E-mjyKIY2aHHStIloqZ2hpQt4rdLiV60rIFGunzC501KiivmPqzZG3WBKdUXz9Ja9FFYkDDMMifH7GSliOBaIY-4Pa6fFfli_W21QHcOP0PatSnJD0q6XV8/s400/chuwy.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681438914927191842" /></a>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-67032978094653123192011-11-13T19:14:00.001-08:002011-11-13T19:15:42.522-08:00New posts on the way!!Got lots to do. <div>Hope to post more stuff about events, beers I'm tasting at home, Beers I'm making at home and lots of other... ...stuff.</div><div>Will be getting off my ever fatter arse and will start posting soon.</div>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-71740289109602198092011-03-17T15:37:00.000-07:002011-03-17T15:45:18.867-07:00It's been a while..againMany of you may know about the terrible devastation the earthquake and tsunami put on Northern Japan recently. The after effects are on going. People are without food or shelter.<br />The nuclear situation is also ongoing.<br /><br />Many people have left Tokyo in fear of possible radiation and constant after shocks.<br /><br />Me, I'll be leaving Tokyo soon, but for a different reason.<br />Beer.<br />Lots and lots of beer.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LOTS </span>of beer.<br /><br />It's actually got me concerned.<br /><br />I'm leaving Japan in about 9 hours.<br />I'll first fly to Seattle.<br />1 day there. I'm aiming at hitting most of the best bars and breweries, if I can!<br />Then it's train to Portland and meeting up with Red, a friend who visits Japan regularly and likes his booze himself!<br />We'll be hitting most of the best spots on Portland!<br />Then it's fly to San Francisco and hit the Craft Brewers' conference!<br />I got in!<br />As a member of the press!!<br />I'll be covering the conference on behalf of the Japan Beer times.<br />I just gotta make sure I pay attention and not get shitfaced - too much.<br />I'll be hopefully attending the more technical lectures on brewing and brewing techniques.<br />I'll do my best to take some good pics and do a decent write up fo the conference.<br /><br />This is a last chance shout out to you guys to give me any questions you'd like to ask anyone at the conference.<br />I'm hoping I'll meet Charlie Parmesan or Jamil the ZanyChef.<br /><br />Looking forward to some kick ass beer and some really interesting people.<br />I'll be back in about 2 weeks.<br />Okay, gimme your questions!<br />I 'll try my best to get them answered.Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-30067924979596412152011-01-13T19:47:00.000-08:002011-01-13T22:17:55.566-08:00Sneak preview of Chuck's meat!<div style="text-align: center;">'Chuck', the BBQ pitmaster and manager of the new <a href="http://bairdbeer.com/en/blog_bashamichi/"><b>Yokohama Bashamichi Taproom</b></a>, gave me permission to put up a pic of his meat.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Without further delicious ado, here is <b>Chuck's meat</b> in all it's succulent, mouthwatering glory:</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4mpnpa9Qx1EhTb3JPKbZ0xXoYWsigowISTfoFQWFtFf12QjuKljUt4l4JisGjypdY1LGeQcZp2VsCePm90AZLDanz_ySjcZp7VG6takBgnQr0K14noxeeReQwHBO6hhhJcb00jBdJ83J/s400/Chucks+meat_1.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561883575429786210" /><div>I'm betting, come the grand opening of the new Taproom on Saturday (12pm-12am), there will be many a hungry fellow just dying to get Chuck's moist, succulent meat down their throats, accompanied by his special secret sweet & spicy hot sauce - just don't get any in your eyes.</div><div><br /></div><div>I tried Chuck's meat and yes, it is very, <b>very</b> nice.</div><div>I love that sauce. I think there will be three special homemade sauces. for me, this one is my favourite. Sweet, spicy, warming.</div><div><br /></div><div>As for the beer side of things, well, the kegs are in place and I've seen them and all I'll say is that the line up is looking good.</div><div>There should be a style and a beer for everyone's tastes.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you don't know where it is, here is the google map I posted in my last post (it also includes the best craft choices in the Yokohama city area:</div><div><iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.co.jp/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&brcurrent=3,0x60185c6e6db102ff:0x5db4e82b559fa853,1&msa=0&msid=214513976660480265683.00049963927e49a7591a2&ll=35.453899,139.624454&spn=0.024261,0.036478&z=14&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small>View <a href="http://maps.google.co.jp/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&brcurrent=3,0x60185c6e6db102ff:0x5db4e82b559fa853,1&msa=0&msid=214513976660480265683.00049963927e49a7591a2&ll=35.453899,139.624454&spn=0.024261,0.036478&z=14&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">Yokohama area craft beer (best of)</a> in a larger map</small></div><div><br /></div><div><i>In case some are wondering, based on my facebook, twitter and now these last 2 posts, no, this is NOT a paid for Baird advertisement or commercial.</i></div><div><i>It <b>IS</b> however, the ravings of a craft beer nut, who is <b>really excited</b> about this new bar.</i></div><div><i><b>REALLY EXCITED</b>.</i></div><div><i>Maybe see you there this Saturday, 15th Jan. We can discuss any insanity over a 1.8L Chuwy pint (comes with a convenient handle on the side!).</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>p.s. don't forget also on 15th (7-10pm),<a href="http://greenyokohama.com/"> Charcoal grill and bar Green</a> will have it's 2nd anniversary. 2,000yen gets you a drink plus a special food box. 500yen drinks thereafter.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>p.p.s. some people plan on staying the whole weekend and taking in the Yokohama sights - great idea. There is lots to see (and drink!) in Yokohama! <a href="http://www.infomapjapan.com/sight_Yokohama.phtml"><b>Check out these ideas</b></a>. The Red Brick Wharehouse (Akarenga is a short walk away, as is Minato Mirai - though some would prefer to take the MM line. Chinatown also not far off, as is Yamashita Park, where you can see the hikawa Maru, a lovely Altantic ocean liner that is docked there.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>There is a hostel porto nearby that is cheap, nearby. 2,500yen beds. List of them <a href="http://www.hostelworld.com/findabed.php/ChosenCity.Yokohama/ChosenCountry.Japan">here</a>.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>p.p.p.s. <a href="http://www.manyo.co.jp/mm21/yu/">Here's a nice onsen</a> that isn't far off (Minato Mirai area). The water is imported from Atami but it does look quite nice. It's open from 10 to 9am the following day, so I suppose to you sleep there!</i></div>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-90354758398686881592011-01-08T23:01:00.000-08:002011-01-09T19:09:25.102-08:00Best beers in Yokohama mapSome of you may know that the new <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://bairdbeer.com/en/blog_bashamichi/">Baird Bashamichi Taproom</a> is opening soon (Jan 15th, from 12!). This is gonna be a real pit BBQ craft beer bar/restaurant. featuring authentic pit BBQ, cooked in one monster pit BBQ oven! Lots of Baird craft beer will be on tap plus possibly 3 special beers for the opening. Possibility of guest beers, too (will confirm that once I know).<br />There's a lot of buzz about this new bar and a lot of friends are coming into Yokohama on this day to check it out.<br />However, a lot of people have asked me where it is!!<br />Well, recently the Baird website has given a map showing the location but that map isn't really perfect for non Japanese speakers - it's all in Japanese (I have a feeling it could be the back of the business card?).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMgNjYYj-GZZQgNo8BZBQSDuKtCKhrNDj3uPnC3gow4R1MjxZW9tjy-J5Wv1VFQdWeVXTjX4Sn-yO-URr7ddXtnAPGFxYVhmtIcWyQhK2RxYsTRr6Yn3xswhyS4lOZLjr6c21U1_rXJd3/s1600/bashamichi+basic+japanese+map.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMgNjYYj-GZZQgNo8BZBQSDuKtCKhrNDj3uPnC3gow4R1MjxZW9tjy-J5Wv1VFQdWeVXTjX4Sn-yO-URr7ddXtnAPGFxYVhmtIcWyQhK2RxYsTRr6Yn3xswhyS4lOZLjr6c21U1_rXJd3/s400/bashamichi+basic+japanese+map.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560081896634517954" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">I made a google map showing the exact location of the Taproom (it's in the old Mainichi Shinbun building).<br /></div>I then went on to show the location of the nearby Pivovar Yokohama bar, as it's a great option and very close by.<br />I then went on to include the best bars in Yokohama, as why not? Yokohama is fast becoming one of the best cities to drink craft beer in. Yes, Tokyo has more bars, but higher prices too and more congestion.<br />Yokohama is more spread out and the Bashamichi area is close to Minato Mirai, the Red Brick Wharehouse (not whorehouse, so I gotta watch my typos there!), China Town, etc.<br /><br />Well, here's the google map:<br /><iframe marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.co.jp/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&brcurrent=3,0x60185c6e6db102ff:0x5db4e82b559fa853,0&msa=0&msid=214513976660480265683.00049963927e49a7591a2&ll=35.456946,139.621686&spn=0.02447,0.036478&z=14&output=embed" width="425" frameborder="0" height="350" scrolling="no"></iframe><br /><small>View <a href="http://maps.google.co.jp/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&brcurrent=3,0x60185c6e6db102ff:0x5db4e82b559fa853,0&msa=0&msid=214513976660480265683.00049963927e49a7591a2&ll=35.456946,139.621686&spn=0.02447,0.036478&z=14&source=embed" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); text-align: left;">Yokohama rea craft beer (best of)</a> in a larger map</small><br /><br />The new Taproom has it's opening party on the 15th, from 12.<br />It's gonna be packed and it should be a lot of fun.<br />Maybe see you there!!!!<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;">\(>_<)/- doh!!</span> </span><span style="font-style: italic;">I've since found out that there is a google maps link on the Baird brewers' English blog -<span style="font-weight: bold;"> I missed it!</span></span>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-39538850172520439482010-12-04T21:32:00.000-08:002010-12-04T21:39:21.230-08:00Long time, no posts. Hope to start up again soon.Off to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Maltan</span> today.<br />3rd anniversary. Great event.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >THE <span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >BEST</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> BEER BAR EVENT</span> is on again. <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br />Maltan's 3rd anniversary</span><span style="font-style: italic;">. 5th December, 4-7:30pm</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> It's mental. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">3,600</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">all you can drink</span><span style="font-style: italic;">. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br />Bring your own glass</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> and food. Serve yourself. Once the barrel is gone, it's gone. Last year, I woke up next morning, covered in vomit, heavily hungover- in Gunma - fantastic!!!!<br />Read about it <a href="http://drinkbrains.blogspot.com/2009/12/maltan-3rd-and-wtf-happened-that-night.html">here</a>.<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> The beer list includes:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Minoh imperial stout, handpump (very good)</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Hidatakayama red bock</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Onidentetsu pale ale</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Shiroyama cassis lambic (girl's drink)</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Fujisakura rauchbaock (good)</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Fujisakura weizen (good)</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Nagahama ale (good but very unique yeast flavor)</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Minami Shinshu apple hop</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Augus blanche</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Oh!La!Ho! IPA</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Iwate Kura barley wine (oak aged, real ale)</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Coedo</span></span> plus maybe more.<br /><br />Check out <a href="http://drinkbrains.blogspot.com/2009/12/maltan-3rd-and-wtf-happened-that-night.html">my old link</a> for more info.<br />Maybe see some of you there.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXqj1N_e7xGN2ZqJ7IBtCv9pUhyHTjwhT3YhWesF6Ju24S0tcqNE4lD4Ef9hiwagtcLP9Q9kUMBuJYnitNwAgF7redjChV07mOYdEb4Y2fTLalZ15avkG4YuL_AH2SFbSxP-ghC8RPO35/s400/DSCF9871.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXqj1N_e7xGN2ZqJ7IBtCv9pUhyHTjwhT3YhWesF6Ju24S0tcqNE4lD4Ef9hiwagtcLP9Q9kUMBuJYnitNwAgF7redjChV07mOYdEb4Y2fTLalZ15avkG4YuL_AH2SFbSxP-ghC8RPO35/s400/DSCF9871.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-77996651904510798712010-09-19T23:35:00.000-07:002010-09-20T00:08:36.570-07:00Too drunk to remember muchYokohama beer fest was a <span style="font-weight: bold;">blast</span>.<br />I wanted to go back today but woke up too late and got Sat and Mondays opening times mixed up. At 3pm, I figured I still had 2 hours or so drinking time left then realised the thing closed at 4 on Monday. Doh!!!<br />Should've woken up earlier.<br />Gonna look for a list of winners and post it online.<br />Don't remember much as I was a bit tipsy.<br />Met soooooooo many poeple, olod fends and new ones.<br />Here's a pic from the start.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3oNgRiXEmWnma7gPq0gJfYEnHbisaZr2G2F_y22kCEeCu7nBktPM2p-myG0NPBeA3agJLSlPLqviBmU4shxqZ7hw5zr5y_E6EaytVSJQ_wHIwdiq0ZoIsvsdDIkOuzRJ_PleAvw4ztmaN/s1600/ushi.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3oNgRiXEmWnma7gPq0gJfYEnHbisaZr2G2F_y22kCEeCu7nBktPM2p-myG0NPBeA3agJLSlPLqviBmU4shxqZ7hw5zr5y_E6EaytVSJQ_wHIwdiq0ZoIsvsdDIkOuzRJ_PleAvw4ztmaN/s400/ushi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518885866242810210" border="0" /></a>This guy is either a cow or a tiger. One half of the famous UshiTora craft bar in Shimokitawa. Great guy. I always get confused as to which guy is the cow (Ushi) and which guy is the tiger (Tora)!<br /><br />I do remember Yokohama got gold for their weizen, Nihonkai Ishikawa silver for their pilsner.<br /><br />I also managed to pick up silver medal for the most annoying person in the festival!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVb6m9Bv_nzlVqBsp1JtqgtblYePXi4BPK-5fKZaDRjvHbK6z4NzHnM2-3vEBrLz_QJC49BbgSVUuby66rjh6MMQAYl7dRLZln6lZKGDnGoVTDunkU-kCRKP-3GJIHhvsSeHZXdkoslFc/s1600/chuwy+silver.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVb6m9Bv_nzlVqBsp1JtqgtblYePXi4BPK-5fKZaDRjvHbK6z4NzHnM2-3vEBrLz_QJC49BbgSVUuby66rjh6MMQAYl7dRLZln6lZKGDnGoVTDunkU-kCRKP-3GJIHhvsSeHZXdkoslFc/s400/chuwy+silver.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518881927659949634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"Woohoo!!!!"</span><br /></div><br />Someone else must have got silver for something because I'm wearing their medal!<br />I just don't remember who...too smashed.<br /><br />After the festival, a few people headed to the Nakameguro Taproom to meet up with the New Zealand brewers from <span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="http://www.tuatarabrewing.co.nz/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuatara brewing</span></a></span>. Had a great evening drinking, tasting and chatting with them (tasting their beers, not <span style="font-weight: bold;">THEM</span>).<br /><br />This is one of the brews I remembered as being very good:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNY_aG5ppfnmihRtGF5JO4y17aZD3ClNWpM1gnOdqqs9K5QIFxxE1hOC2zY6G9NcPa8eSMN8DFROQr21xdoF7msu5ZTl9Bn1YCckZaL1rh0w1_H1kMBgMs7x8bbqU-Qc1bCfLuRyCnHgjx/s1600/nz+hopwire.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNY_aG5ppfnmihRtGF5JO4y17aZD3ClNWpM1gnOdqqs9K5QIFxxE1hOC2zY6G9NcPa8eSMN8DFROQr21xdoF7msu5ZTl9Bn1YCckZaL1rh0w1_H1kMBgMs7x8bbqU-Qc1bCfLuRyCnHgjx/s400/nz+hopwire.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518885859895249954" border="0" /></a>Here's a pic of a few of the guys from last night:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCq5N0E_sGE2yERX8o-nYZDHB2qRDmf8mzZKTj4g6e77T81ls0sRuncUVLy_HxCTmsb72yoer9LjVpzDfR9QahUDzzv1Yyb04SsdnnIaQXV0CCZdfTNb-aJ2LXNkW01NPIpHHcShqPLys/s1600/beer+guys.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCq5N0E_sGE2yERX8o-nYZDHB2qRDmf8mzZKTj4g6e77T81ls0sRuncUVLy_HxCTmsb72yoer9LjVpzDfR9QahUDzzv1Yyb04SsdnnIaQXV0CCZdfTNb-aJ2LXNkW01NPIpHHcShqPLys/s400/beer+guys.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518885856577628770" border="0" /></a>L-R: Ry Beville of <a href="http://japanbeertimes.com/">Japan Beer Times</a>, possibly the business guy/investor/brewer from one of the New Zealand breweries <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >(sorry, I talked to you but I was very very plastered and can't remember!)</span>, Phred Kauffman (importer of Rogue, Mikkeller and many other fine beers as well as owner of <a href="http://www.ezo-beer.com/eng/mugishutei.htm">Mugishutei</a> craft bar in Sapporo), Dominic Kelly (manager of <a href="http://hashigozake.co.nz/">Hashigozake</a> in Wellington, New Zealand and representative of the New Zealand brewers.<br />A good crowd turned up to taste and give feedback on the New Zealand beers.<br />The first time for them to come over here.<br />Look out for these beers in the near future!Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-69125707471861774522010-09-14T07:10:00.000-07:002010-09-14T07:41:24.189-07:00It's been too long.Been off the blog for far too long.<br /><br />Working my 'normal' job, doing other jobs, updating boozelist (even that hasn't been every day).<br /><br />I managed to get in a short vacation, up in Hokkaido and northern Japan.<br />9 days, 12 breweries, many more bars, <span style="font-weight: bold;">LOTS</span> of beer.<br />Hopefully some pics, tales and info on Northern Japan's wonderful array of booze in an upcoming post.<br />Need to post about sooooo much.<br /><br />Quick reminder for this weekend, the annual <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Great Japan Beer Festival</span> is kicking off Sat, Sun & Monday.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Advance tickets for <span style="font-weight: bold;">4100yen</span> or pay on the day for <span style="font-weight: bold;">4500yen.</span><br />From <span style="font-weight: bold;">2-6pm</span> Saturday,<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1-5pm</span> Sunday and<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">12-4pm</span> Monday.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The PDF flyer is available <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.beertaster.org/gjbf/beerFes2010.pdf">here</a>.<br />It's probably the best of the festivals.<br />Hopefully beer quality will be good this year.<br />Expect a <span style="font-weight: bold;">LOT</span> of people.<a href="http://www.beertaster.org/gjbf/date4.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="http://www.beertaster.org/gjbf/date4.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>The list of participating Japanese breweries is <a href="http://www.beertaster.org/gjbf/beer_yokohama/2010j.htm">here</a> (in Japanese!).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Of these, I recommend trying Gotenba Kogen's weizen rauch, minami Shinshu oktoberfest, Hakone pilsner, Tazawako kolsch (best in Japan) & 8yr aged rauch<br />(might be getting too old now), Kuninocho marihana brown, Shiga Kogen Indian summer<br />saisson, Yamabushi saison1 & IPA harvest brew, Chateau Kamiya helles, Nihonkai pilsner, North Island coriander black (might be a bit strong), everything by Swan Lake, Harvestmoon schwarz, Minoh stout & DIPA.<br /></div><br />There are a lot of imported beers going to be available too. <a href="http://www.beertaster.org/gjbf/beer_yokohama/2010w.htm">Here</a> is a list of those.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />On top of this, there will be some special beers brought over from New Zealand, for tasting.<br /><br />It looks like another good beer festival.<br /><br />If you are going, why not take advantage of the great bars and breweries Yokohama has to offer?<br />Not far away is <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://ameblo.jp/shinyabeer/">Pivovar Yokohama</a>, the wonderful Czech styled small bar/brewpub, in the building housing the Yokohama Beer brewery. Recommended beers include the Anaconda wheat and the Scorpion Deathlock DIPA, if they have it.<br />Not far away but not so easy to get to is the cracking Czech bar, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.pivo-ya.com/">Pivo</a>. On tap are Urquel, Bernard and a Bernard cerny dark lager as well as a semi dark Urquel master. Best value Urquel and best quality in Japan. The food is good, too.<br />Not too far away, near Kannai is the famous and impeccable <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://craftbeerbar.seesaa.net/">Craft Beer Bar</a>. A small bar but with about 10 Japanese craft beers on tap including usually Minoh, Shiga Kogen, Fujisakura, Swanlake, Baeren, North Island, Baird and others. Nearby is the British bar, <a href="http://006e58c.netsolhost.com/home.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">3 lions</span></a>, with several craft beers on tap as well as some great home made food!<br />don't forget a newcomer to the craft scene, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://greenyokohama.com/blog/">Bar Green Charcoal & Grill</a>, on Motomachi street. They serve a few craft beers (now Isekadoya, Baird and Yokohama beer) was well as some crackingly fine food.<br /><br />Heading back to Yokohama Station and we can find the excellent<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.beerdrinkinginternational.com/">Thrash Zone</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>(serving a few Japanese craft beers as well about half a dozen fantastic US imports at unbeatable prices and quality pours - 1 of my favourite bars) and <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.yokohama-cheers.com/">Yokohama Cheers</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>(was Belgian themed but is now embracing several Japanese craft beers and European beers).<br /><br />Yessir, Yokohama has lots to offer, beer wise!<br /></div></div>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-74572101227464073462010-04-15T06:37:00.000-07:002010-04-15T07:15:32.236-07:00Beer in Japan iphone app new and improved!Yep. He's gone and done it again.<br /><br />Mr.<a href="http://beerinjapan.com/bij/"><span style="font-size:180%;">BeerinJapan</span></a> has added a few more bars to his very useful and if you are new to Japan or don't-know-where-you-can-find-good-craft-beer <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">necessary</span></span> app for the iphone/ipod touch.<br /><br />Download the app from itunes:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/beer-in-japan-tokyos-best/id354106659?mt=8">Beer in Japan iphone app</a>.</span></span><br /><br /></div>He's added listings for bars in the Yokohama area and even added info on one of the best beer stores in Japan, Tanakaya.<br />Included are very useful maps and info on opening times, atmosphere of the bar and overall quality of establishment. He also includes some helpful advice as well as special offers available to users of his application.<br />It really is a good application and it just gets better.<br />He is adding more and more bars to it.<br />One plus with this is that once you have downloaded the app, you don't necessarily need to be on-line to use it. You have access to info, phone numbers, maps, everything. Perfect for those without Japanese i-phones (visitors to Japan) and those with an ipod touch and have no access to wifi.<br />I myself have been to all the bars and more but even I have a use for this app as I sometimes forget a phone number or occasionally get lost (more like most of the time!).<br />I have used the app to get to the Cat & Cask pub in time for the ozenoyukidoke IPA event. I used it to find the Craft Beer Bar (a notoriously difficult place to find!).<br />I can even use the app to get 300yen off an order of food at the Aldgate (saves printing out the coupon of the Aldgate's website!)<br /><br />Here are a few sneak preview shots from the updated version (out very soon!):<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Main page:<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRRytitZRxzYwahL3w1JR65LMvJSx3rfSDMdTSqpOCe7JS4JJClD7BcA980-Ly2mYQNkQE5_WMaxqOC9m_bE30vcG_JMtz0x1BOSi_uDt9QmnBK5EBolV6CX6O3-Ut-vjgbXSm_UXPWdW/s1600/photo.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRRytitZRxzYwahL3w1JR65LMvJSx3rfSDMdTSqpOCe7JS4JJClD7BcA980-Ly2mYQNkQE5_WMaxqOC9m_bE30vcG_JMtz0x1BOSi_uDt9QmnBK5EBolV6CX6O3-Ut-vjgbXSm_UXPWdW/s400/photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460361847441607410" border="0" /></a>Tokyo selection (includes Tanakaya):<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbAwqHWJe43CpnGvTizcy9f1XokVScHfKWtVjD5x7mwqy1WGwKmn4qVqwwo3C7i1ShoCem1rTqG7uO7VpmycqbpTZeHgRuJFVoIbOJ0tBHsHUfI5SfbkyB4SXEogfCLGtOqCbF0Wp26v9/s1600/photo+2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbAwqHWJe43CpnGvTizcy9f1XokVScHfKWtVjD5x7mwqy1WGwKmn4qVqwwo3C7i1ShoCem1rTqG7uO7VpmycqbpTZeHgRuJFVoIbOJ0tBHsHUfI5SfbkyB4SXEogfCLGtOqCbF0Wp26v9/s400/photo+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460361849845968418" border="0" /></a>Yokohama selection (as far as Fujisawa):<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLoPrx0hYMTngWw2SG_NU-ViFvFu9h0XYbKOt54fhW_-nvlM-oUUYNZW7N9kOe8VCqaV-OSJLYtQA4pMjwC4Doaf9KkXZOI8JuhB0RjQQCGHVUE0046L-GYlyEtG9UpWiGCsdg0Qlh9iL/s1600/photo+3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLoPrx0hYMTngWw2SG_NU-ViFvFu9h0XYbKOt54fhW_-nvlM-oUUYNZW7N9kOe8VCqaV-OSJLYtQA4pMjwC4Doaf9KkXZOI8JuhB0RjQQCGHVUE0046L-GYlyEtG9UpWiGCsdg0Qlh9iL/s400/photo+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460361859609894850" border="0" /></a>As an example, Craft Beer Bar:<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbPiZPoHLeksc28Qq1spyA5MVMHt0goMP6T14H5IpdV0Nm1f0UhHUpFiVFnxWK-kofmdVsPSfwy5CAVBwjmlN3TFo09bxPIfoM0Rl-55bsH2QzPNGdgCYbkxyu-H_9eEZepj4ZiZD173r/s1600/photo+4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbPiZPoHLeksc28Qq1spyA5MVMHt0goMP6T14H5IpdV0Nm1f0UhHUpFiVFnxWK-kofmdVsPSfwy5CAVBwjmlN3TFo09bxPIfoM0Rl-55bsH2QzPNGdgCYbkxyu-H_9eEZepj4ZiZD173r/s400/photo+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460361869350991474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KPLH-UbwSfsm6l2m-p3hm8j4EVSgxqE6V-52nGI1rL1PWRWE4p0CA42UMnlUR_GyRQ24Cokp7Rnm8r8URRo8aBYYNpb4wH2jLLNwwGdRdfzgKJsypxv2YnuTIcJ_A5Ezs-ux9TwqVFMm/s1600/photo+5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KPLH-UbwSfsm6l2m-p3hm8j4EVSgxqE6V-52nGI1rL1PWRWE4p0CA42UMnlUR_GyRQ24Cokp7Rnm8r8URRo8aBYYNpb4wH2jLLNwwGdRdfzgKJsypxv2YnuTIcJ_A5Ezs-ux9TwqVFMm/s400/photo+5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460361874640875778" border="0" /></a>Lists an off-line map you can use as well as the google maps online equivalent. Phone number & website at one easy touch of the screen.<br />Useful to have.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Recommended.<br /></div><br />Check it out.<br />If you are coming to Japan, I recommend downloading it, for the maps and coupons alone, if not for the contacts, reviews and ideas for other bars.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I get nothing from recommending this app to you guys. It's just my personal recommendation.</span></span><br /><br />p.s. if you are headed to Tokyo/Yokohama, be sure to let I or Mr.BeerinJapan know - we'll try and hook up for a pint!Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-63004214471492128332010-04-14T19:22:00.001-07:002010-04-15T07:06:31.276-07:00DH (Kentucky's finest)<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />Bourbon barrel aged - bottle matured.<br /></span></div><br />Quite something else.<br /><br />This is not a beer I'm talking about.<br />It's a person.<br /><br />Well, more than a person, this guy has become a man legend -a <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">megend</span>.<br /><br />Quite an achievement in such a short time over here.<br />Within a few years he has touched the hearts of many.<br />All who have met him have bore witness to his strength of character and purity of heart.<br />He is as honest as they come and one of the kindest, nicest man I've ever had the fortune to have met.<br /><br />He is leaving soon. Tomorrow, in fact. Leaving to return to his homeland of Kentucky.<br />He will be missed.<br /><br />For those who have never met him, they feel as if they have, just by reading his words on the very well known and widely read <a style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" href="http://www.jibeer.com/">Good Beer and Country Boys</a> blog.<br />He blogged about beer, about life, about almost anything.<br />It was always interesting, enjoyable and highly entertaining.<br /><br />The only thing better than reading his wonderful accounts of life & beer was meeting the man himself.<br />I first had the privilege of doing that in Tokyo (think it was at the Bier de Garde beer festival, or was it in Bulldog?), then again & again & again in Numazu, at the Baird fishmarket Taproom.<br />DH makes no secret of his love of Baird Beer and everything Bryan and the team stands for.<br />He also makes no secret of his enjoyment of one particular brew - Angry Boy Brown ale.<br /><br />I'm pretty sure that just his words alone encouraged many a drinker (myself among them) to order a pint of Angry Boy, just to try and experience the sheer joy that DH expressed in his online accounts.<br /><br />He has been and I hope will continue to be an ambassador for beer, to those new to craft beer and to those already well versed in it's innumerable pleasures.<br /><br />DH, dude, it was a pleasure to have met you and it's an honor and a privilege to consider you as my friend.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">p.s. you can post the cheque to the following address...</span></span><br /><br />Here are just a few pics of the man himself:<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(I'll post more when I find them)</span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwj2VhrS3E5vh7Wzpw0LzKOUPfD0JKNfuc-tMbZ2bcdtnt8rjFKsNJAOmHy1J2lbMq9PlEBCB1Iohi6Urs9x565lisHXdN_sk0uR9Lk2tW3w6_VBdKym9viMHxC1SnD67vfz37ivFqCYaV/s1600/gang2.jpg"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnb7OaQSSbfNA0g87CcolGMUcKmRbi7iDRLJMKSqzEL6cwt7zOXbGTe5NA99eIsKhYqNeZdyOofP2lXhB3J1aZlz0eSV-HAUgLWn0t1RvESieIS5SZMPG1Bb2V0ZHXiexnPsqqc0SRWMxA/s1600/double+order.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnb7OaQSSbfNA0g87CcolGMUcKmRbi7iDRLJMKSqzEL6cwt7zOXbGTe5NA99eIsKhYqNeZdyOofP2lXhB3J1aZlz0eSV-HAUgLWn0t1RvESieIS5SZMPG1Bb2V0ZHXiexnPsqqc0SRWMxA/s400/double+order.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460346545625324354" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU02UZZFycpcdKmyqBkO_oeFgZunpqZz0VJ7vjmif5C84adDpxnPsvR-j_9EP7VeUcFiNUKPZ5gFGmnFgqwXM5ORWJExJDZHuaTTzTXI-BAPXtaG344-JrY6S3Y1hlkAhZa6WKkREBDisq/s1600/iphomr+test+thingy+861.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU02UZZFycpcdKmyqBkO_oeFgZunpqZz0VJ7vjmif5C84adDpxnPsvR-j_9EP7VeUcFiNUKPZ5gFGmnFgqwXM5ORWJExJDZHuaTTzTXI-BAPXtaG344-JrY6S3Y1hlkAhZa6WKkREBDisq/s400/iphomr+test+thingy+861.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460346851899611410" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6ARkKHwrtndJ_kLIzrJ0aiWVDgLErVw3DL_7QhpcBH52zvrm5Gt_aBoMrilwYvvo4m9kz6nKbpeoheqzld9BlahLQPHX9BkDqJfQ8DVrUpPJ8pntNyU11tiul_PcV2BsCBBoNE1aXLwr/s1600/19649_1257706014181_1575563768_670566_2432529_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6ARkKHwrtndJ_kLIzrJ0aiWVDgLErVw3DL_7QhpcBH52zvrm5Gt_aBoMrilwYvvo4m9kz6nKbpeoheqzld9BlahLQPHX9BkDqJfQ8DVrUpPJ8pntNyU11tiul_PcV2BsCBBoNE1aXLwr/s400/19649_1257706014181_1575563768_670566_2432529_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460346219668384386" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZ8EG2V5kFDmpSqTG27feekH2BYgCPTCIEsh1J-OK9cVsRMvDug0gtjEkSYn7r2SGibUDyfmNp0GamTqaE2h8plb8tfbja2xVDRkkKXwlNz1fUTQc88VVui7nE-2vy1FcrykdjznFvN_u/s1600/19649_1257705974180_1575563768_670565_6418462_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZ8EG2V5kFDmpSqTG27feekH2BYgCPTCIEsh1J-OK9cVsRMvDug0gtjEkSYn7r2SGibUDyfmNp0GamTqaE2h8plb8tfbja2xVDRkkKXwlNz1fUTQc88VVui7nE-2vy1FcrykdjznFvN_u/s400/19649_1257705974180_1575563768_670565_6418462_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460346200328990114" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwj2VhrS3E5vh7Wzpw0LzKOUPfD0JKNfuc-tMbZ2bcdtnt8rjFKsNJAOmHy1J2lbMq9PlEBCB1Iohi6Urs9x565lisHXdN_sk0uR9Lk2tW3w6_VBdKym9viMHxC1SnD67vfz37ivFqCYaV/s1600/gang2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwj2VhrS3E5vh7Wzpw0LzKOUPfD0JKNfuc-tMbZ2bcdtnt8rjFKsNJAOmHy1J2lbMq9PlEBCB1Iohi6Urs9x565lisHXdN_sk0uR9Lk2tW3w6_VBdKym9viMHxC1SnD67vfz37ivFqCYaV/s400/gang2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460346844498898626" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRoSwET3PjnJMgIf4BaRDzQRg_RYXKMZYOOSIC_2ENN8IJ3rosK8vnbAmwBPG8r_LrI_5zVTR9SqOK6Fitc-Kg1JVX6sB7JYP8r5DU0itOfJOFjxMj7Xrq8D7_6CdAMOAiodwpfiuJu7P/s1600/white+teeth.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRoSwET3PjnJMgIf4BaRDzQRg_RYXKMZYOOSIC_2ENN8IJ3rosK8vnbAmwBPG8r_LrI_5zVTR9SqOK6Fitc-Kg1JVX6sB7JYP8r5DU0itOfJOFjxMj7Xrq8D7_6CdAMOAiodwpfiuJu7P/s400/white+teeth.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460347511499630274" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1ipiojNy12bx8l790LY-92okA5q8otEhfb5af18Xs-bh29lHHncjTdHmVP7rFR-2X0kmVts13qpKqdqnz_WAlThzYtQiFX3Xe-t70zMEBoiqVotmbyXiQ7B3LFHvFK7f_xmOc65YrlW9/s1600/3+girls.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1ipiojNy12bx8l790LY-92okA5q8otEhfb5af18Xs-bh29lHHncjTdHmVP7rFR-2X0kmVts13qpKqdqnz_WAlThzYtQiFX3Xe-t70zMEBoiqVotmbyXiQ7B3LFHvFK7f_xmOc65YrlW9/s400/3+girls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460346194093986834" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSB4nsUDVzCleKuvtp9h4BEzwaCppGJDtd0kFJ0hAzlWmrFpeUSrrEujEd8ZWMhPeKHRv5w0hraHa-rZkXsj12rstKDYtHruOLjTQwYmqSnF8gllNjo1XZjr8czgK699uDFRS9HAfkPAv/s1600/not+steak.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSB4nsUDVzCleKuvtp9h4BEzwaCppGJDtd0kFJ0hAzlWmrFpeUSrrEujEd8ZWMhPeKHRv5w0hraHa-rZkXsj12rstKDYtHruOLjTQwYmqSnF8gllNjo1XZjr8czgK699uDFRS9HAfkPAv/s400/not+steak.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460349252965017298" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtiSmRm4Ogm4jw1POKIjMrBFW9bj2O8PW5-hqZ1rNwdmuvrwuwzDqqHFCcU8rWacBshsobWwzCkZLHpti01Jfj5m4l2em4BhN75kZhlhK7alaA5MctA0x5mvEifAxtmp91Pyv1z_oZ9kK8/s1600/DSCF2624.jpg"><img style="display: block; 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margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYo8Q_ywB-fDk6bpUsyoVvCvE6rxvIS7WfaNYoTTUQim6dIdacvHuyiUfvfOfjjRF5nNkCoPS3jLOdeA9y-e4AKaGdePlhx5X1WpNYNNFGLJ-HNlhcPShTKzLZ924bejgU2pmXhm7jP2XZ/s400/DSCF2595.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460346548743098690" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_BZeMqAzplI6RlSUiq9s_1q_utyDXe88GY9a4b6cs6hUa_1T8bwdh1Cjjbzv16LZ5Ek2azhdNUHb6oYA4cSamhxUwKao_vpg1QmWB4vW1juC0b-4c2VrrsYHyOzdwtrfEvO7JH2Vl7lO/s1600/DSCF2630.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_BZeMqAzplI6RlSUiq9s_1q_utyDXe88GY9a4b6cs6hUa_1T8bwdh1Cjjbzv16LZ5Ek2azhdNUHb6oYA4cSamhxUwKao_vpg1QmWB4vW1juC0b-4c2VrrsYHyOzdwtrfEvO7JH2Vl7lO/s400/DSCF2630.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460346818115811650" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnb7OaQSSbfNA0g87CcolGMUcKmRbi7iDRLJMKSqzEL6cwt7zOXbGTe5NA99eIsKhYqNeZdyOofP2lXhB3J1aZlz0eSV-HAUgLWn0t1RvESieIS5SZMPG1Bb2V0ZHXiexnPsqqc0SRWMxA/s1600/double+order.jpg"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgt7tU_e1Ep3gpg1ecQ-PQO7mDN1KgVsjUwfrtF3M7mkZAd54ujdDsTAknAuQ0zoX_KoFZR_C0W6EkbEnAQYzsM_T6zgzThvLZuKRpGIwD1C4obFSAFaJOE7kwDSFClckeh_2LDNxqnBtu/s1600/beer+gone.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgt7tU_e1Ep3gpg1ecQ-PQO7mDN1KgVsjUwfrtF3M7mkZAd54ujdDsTAknAuQ0zoX_KoFZR_C0W6EkbEnAQYzsM_T6zgzThvLZuKRpGIwD1C4obFSAFaJOE7kwDSFClckeh_2LDNxqnBtu/s400/beer+gone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460346224365189138" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNqqflp2yHNUjeXnxKXt4O976VrEvOAEjRyB1ckD2zbNmHpfLK86FNehr3LYULlUTBKH7o6RSVOzxPcJdOnl6qM7RbgY2GPWOpFxK1gn906mET7Ecn1CxlKZn_p3V1xFXTk_cqFS9ufja/s1600/broken.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNqqflp2yHNUjeXnxKXt4O976VrEvOAEjRyB1ckD2zbNmHpfLK86FNehr3LYULlUTBKH7o6RSVOzxPcJdOnl6qM7RbgY2GPWOpFxK1gn906mET7Ecn1CxlKZn_p3V1xFXTk_cqFS9ufja/s400/broken.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460346534413962338" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0ZCYJCWOLjmAQvKTiIrzLKZmJ9cT_YZdX22ZAvxPV5I-eKs3oWRl6-etLZ5nDANtq4o7JCSgA57ev4u3iXNUAqD2GW7hjIbyh9bBKKNIOcSZ5hAylHwGLhaH2iSQmpqkXc2jJDgRnEQy/s1600/threesome.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0ZCYJCWOLjmAQvKTiIrzLKZmJ9cT_YZdX22ZAvxPV5I-eKs3oWRl6-etLZ5nDANtq4o7JCSgA57ev4u3iXNUAqD2GW7hjIbyh9bBKKNIOcSZ5hAylHwGLhaH2iSQmpqkXc2jJDgRnEQy/s400/threesome.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460347502360342210" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2R7-kKkVORz2p8P8NIZOF56oDR4DqhmwhR49WxGGlFdGI4vqDbrh0Ir86tlfBYfmVisOAK-5DfdNnffXXxU7Dnh75qb15wsFqQX9xcQKwmUkPjCAD2jl3aUtUrUOGVoubogBvcxNEvLmh/s1600/angry+boy+gone.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2R7-kKkVORz2p8P8NIZOF56oDR4DqhmwhR49WxGGlFdGI4vqDbrh0Ir86tlfBYfmVisOAK-5DfdNnffXXxU7Dnh75qb15wsFqQX9xcQKwmUkPjCAD2jl3aUtUrUOGVoubogBvcxNEvLmh/s400/angry+boy+gone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460346207648164834" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgSvPVX1I2i5CWck3cYC7_wXkwLRe6bEhVE0y5r85ktrQc8h4bda-c3nq6_OSnPE7VSLFRnEp7vHUymV2DmAJ1kyNxpoXFMK2-jbzUmd2uAnQ0-fWNkGZhKNTyMw6JmHm72-E04bboGP9/s1600/DSCF2636.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgSvPVX1I2i5CWck3cYC7_wXkwLRe6bEhVE0y5r85ktrQc8h4bda-c3nq6_OSnPE7VSLFRnEp7vHUymV2DmAJ1kyNxpoXFMK2-jbzUmd2uAnQ0-fWNkGZhKNTyMw6JmHm72-E04bboGP9/s400/DSCF2636.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460346826915789106" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmEJS1M8pIdfTsp4VcS3wxZodrrj29ZffmED3XD9sPelnYEOxS6eG-qfkGFuXtG10cQVBW5fHUYEEOTq2NV5vm6VdpEOlRGHcHI7F58DIfoQG-J6qr_tf3nXAHlJXRIGUlAdIlGXHNDCA/s1600/Mr&Mrs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmEJS1M8pIdfTsp4VcS3wxZodrrj29ZffmED3XD9sPelnYEOxS6eG-qfkGFuXtG10cQVBW5fHUYEEOTq2NV5vm6VdpEOlRGHcHI7F58DIfoQG-J6qr_tf3nXAHlJXRIGUlAdIlGXHNDCA/s400/Mr&Mrs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460347516750657794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The new adventure awaits...</span></span><br /></div>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-89647899891942466912010-03-16T08:24:00.000-07:002010-03-17T00:40:48.527-07:00I'm not boozing weissen - it's serious research.Trust me. I'm a scientist.<br />Well, I used to be, anyway.<br /><br />Some of you (i.e. the one person apart from my mother who possibly reads this blog) may know that I am now starting to brew my own beer.<br /><br />Good lord, is there no stopping me?<br />Now, I will be able to get comfortably numb in my own living room.<br /><br />Well, I'm thinking of brewing a weissen tomorrow.<br /><br />Now, to be sure exactly what kind of flavor profiles I want and to fully understand the complexities that make up a good weissen, I have decided to perform some mature and responsible research in the form of a serious scientific experiment, involving the delicate deconstruction of the workings of 4 weissens that I just happen to have chilling in my fridge.<br /><br />It's just pure coincidence that, by undertaking this arduos experimental undertaking, in the name of science, I will probably end up getting well and truly smashed.<br /><br />I am prepared for such an eventuality.<br />The bed is but metres away.<br /><br />Tonight's contenders will be (based on what was in my fridge):<br /><ul style="font-weight: bold;"><li>Franziskaner hefe weissen</li><li>Weltenberger hefeweissen</li><li>Fujisakura hefeweisen</li><li>Gotenba Kogen hefe weissen</li></ul>Looking good.<br />2 very nice German specimens, together with a pair of perhaps Japan's best weissens.<br />How will they fare, under the analytical analysis of a boozing boozer?<br />When I started drinking quality beer, wheat beers were my favourite style.<br />I would search them down in Japan and abroad.<br />I've been to Munich about 5 times, always after the fantastic Bavarian hefeweissens and also the lovely helles.<br />My favourite weissen bier has to be Schneider.<br />Man, that stuff is good.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">In Japan, you can get it in the bottle at Baden Baden beer bar under the train tracks near Yurakucho for 950yen for 500ml. Best price I know of in Tokyo for a bar. It's sometimes on sale in Tanakaya beer store in Mejiro (best beer store in Japan)</span></span>.<br />Unfortunately, I don't have any in my fridge (boo hoo!) but the 4 I <span style="font-weight: bold;">DO</span> have are very good examples of the style - or are they?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We shall see...<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Contender number one: <span style="font-size:180%;"><br />Gotenba Kogen weissen</span></span>.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgw-as8eIdhcUKySoxi1pBv63sRpX0G1wwJX6gApY_BTx4m39iBdOIQxc_6BWGVgvY92AReZzDdy3VIuNFmIBu9fyXlOiXNZ9TkSkP3M4ew9HGalQnxK6unPCoyRESEixRTP1JOhWbXJbW/s1600-h/gotenbaK_1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 234px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgw-as8eIdhcUKySoxi1pBv63sRpX0G1wwJX6gApY_BTx4m39iBdOIQxc_6BWGVgvY92AReZzDdy3VIuNFmIBu9fyXlOiXNZ9TkSkP3M4ew9HGalQnxK6unPCoyRESEixRTP1JOhWbXJbW/s400/gotenbaK_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449498465984432658" border="0" /></a></div>First impression was "wow, light color!".<br />Gentle, subtle amount of yeast in the bottle.<br />Slightly dry taste, though the banana and clove aroma so much the signature smell of a good hefeweizen is there.<br />Just a tiny bit bitter and dry tasting, this one.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >5.5/10</span>.<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Not that bad but sorry, not that good.<br /></div></div><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >(To be fair, the bottle was best before last October!)<br />I recommend popping by the <a href="http://www.gotembakogenresort.jp/restaurant.html">Gotenba brewery restaurant </a>near Fujioka station and taking advantage of their 3grand all u can drink and eat offer. It's a good one. You get at least 4 beers on tap: Weissen plus her sisters, the pils, schwarz and the seasonal cousin from out of town.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkGs9NShOyZXc3iy20Q6cFjjNrezE1gEtpBfF6KpPWda6n0eCSnItjidkeoOHTv64kub3oC6tYtVqU5y6X2MwDKDNstNpDYYWbkpQ7hFkQhhkm1Ujg6c9WiM6flfxylQpD8TwJE-WvYmR/s1600-h/gotenba.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkGs9NShOyZXc3iy20Q6cFjjNrezE1gEtpBfF6KpPWda6n0eCSnItjidkeoOHTv64kub3oC6tYtVqU5y6X2MwDKDNstNpDYYWbkpQ7hFkQhhkm1Ujg6c9WiM6flfxylQpD8TwJE-WvYmR/s400/gotenba.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449495314338474114" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">Contender number two:<br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Fujisakura weissen</span>.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1eycaIIfbTCiP-pBouqXGk19EzrJ_3IHuTSw6i2l7fEnSkAb9Rp5-BWgjX7s1wekS7vjqV9LmaIFKZOgUTFw3c6xF02zv6lXJUo9b3DlxjDpo4qOrebkAX4fBC-4Zzj4ZuCq7ATJ74g8U/s1600-h/fujiskunked_1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1eycaIIfbTCiP-pBouqXGk19EzrJ_3IHuTSw6i2l7fEnSkAb9Rp5-BWgjX7s1wekS7vjqV9LmaIFKZOgUTFw3c6xF02zv6lXJUo9b3DlxjDpo4qOrebkAX4fBC-4Zzj4ZuCq7ATJ74g8U/s400/fujiskunked_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449498458492640706" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Music stops).<br /></div>What... ...the booze is going on?<br />This is NOT a hefeweizen.<br />Well, not any more, anyway.<br />To be fair, this beer was best before June, LAST YEAR.<br />Oops.<br /><br />This is what it should look like:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRwl93LAeUvADdlV0Pl_kinhs8q5xTuEsjmiTW0tRX0vLbMbEtYs36_myztMniy6oIofHPtiiU7Uh-dfqhCw3QHmDXJwrDOV663h8UnZ6EJdmf2CNIyZ2PNM8u8dZ-aA6yh79DL-ka96N/s400/fujiweiss.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRwl93LAeUvADdlV0Pl_kinhs8q5xTuEsjmiTW0tRX0vLbMbEtYs36_myztMniy6oIofHPtiiU7Uh-dfqhCw3QHmDXJwrDOV663h8UnZ6EJdmf2CNIyZ2PNM8u8dZ-aA6yh79DL-ka96N/s400/fujiweiss.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>I took this at the lovely <a href="http://www.fuji-net.co.jp/SYLVANS/">Sylvan's Fujisakura brewery/restaurant</a>, on the gentle slopes of Mt.Fuji, near Kawaguchiko.<br /><br />Well, slightly different, this one.<br />perhaps I got he black sheep of the 'weisse' family?<br /><br />I decided that, as a scientist, I should go and give it a sip.<br />Urgh.<br />Skunked!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >Disqualified.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Sx_f3iwVEfp5zmtE2RsaU9U2-tOEnGk5r9QANDtN2OkvgL4n3IQDmlwO4FOZhhT98FZkXeAtot1cUwJdZr1OwKhbEcp9X1C0C4RXjV_RzeTq72dlxA8gefoypUHKZa968wZyyN-GE-aO/s1600-h/sumsing+rrong.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Sx_f3iwVEfp5zmtE2RsaU9U2-tOEnGk5r9QANDtN2OkvgL4n3IQDmlwO4FOZhhT98FZkXeAtot1cUwJdZr1OwKhbEcp9X1C0C4RXjV_RzeTq72dlxA8gefoypUHKZa968wZyyN-GE-aO/s400/sumsing+rrong.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449495307424825906" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nuts.<br /></div>I knew I should have drank this a long, long time ago.<br />This is what happens when you put off that special moment, whether it be drinking the nice beer in your fridge or telling that foxy lady across the bar that you just want to rip her clothes off and handle her handles (hey, she's not bad for an 80year old). Sometimes, in the right situation, it's actually okay to say these things. Just not right now.<br /><br />So take it from me, guys, or girls (my mind is drifting now), don't think. Just do it.<br />Enjoy the moment.<br />Savor the flavor, the taste, the aroma.<br />Then, as you spend the next 2 to 5 in minimum security for sexual harassment, you'll have at least two wonderful mammaries to look back on and enjoy.<br /><br />Someone's starting to show signs of C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>5</sub>OH adjusted behaviour... ...or are they?<br /><br />Nuts.<br />This is not time to stop and think! I need another beer - fast!!!!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Contender number friggin' three:</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Pansiskaner hefeweissen</span>.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSkDDgjGGZGA6BVx_QrsM5cGRZZvCnVghU0wiZaFfdYLMhXIIqeVPsohzVN9ymd00fLP1MYuMPIFSd57-l4TqkLVnKPmPdwVlJZzBT12TBObkhvw64a9VJ9NlmhmSZzVX1ZNK4MEXXzG4/s1600-h/fransis_1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 245px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSkDDgjGGZGA6BVx_QrsM5cGRZZvCnVghU0wiZaFfdYLMhXIIqeVPsohzVN9ymd00fLP1MYuMPIFSd57-l4TqkLVnKPmPdwVlJZzBT12TBObkhvw64a9VJ9NlmhmSZzVX1ZNK4MEXXzG4/s400/fransis_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449498453805341762" border="0" /></a>Wow. Nice.<br /></div>I know I can always count on this lovely baby from Munich to shine.<br />It's a great hefeweizen.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">You can get this baby on tap in Japan, courtesy of <a href="http://www.zato.co.jp/main.html">Zato Trading</a>. These are the guys that hold the annual Oktoberfests in Tokyo, Yokohama, Sendai and Fukuoka (I think).<br />They are also responsible for the hefty price. Perhaps due to this, a few bars that used to have it on tap or in bottle no longer do.<br />Zato does however have a number of restaurants that serve Franziskaner hefeweiss, hefeweiss dunkel, Spaaten helles, premium bock and the lovely 7.2% Spaaten Otimator dopplebock</span>.<br /><br />Well, this one wasn't skunked.<br />Although it was best before June 09, just like the Fujisakura.<br />Both bottles had spent the whole time in the same fridge, therefore at the same temperature.<br />BIG difference in how they turned out!<br /><br />I'd like to show the head brewer of Fujisakura, Miyashita san, the photo of the skunked weissen. It'd be interesting to hear his thoughts on what happened.<br />I can't complain though, as it was clearly a long way past it's best before date.<br />no hate on Fujisakura.<br />I love those guys.<br />I go there about 5 or 6 times a year.<br />Good people, nice fried potatoes (cheapest thing on the menu!), decent beer.<br />ALWAYS get sh*tfaced hammered and leave the place smiling.<br />Nothing at all to do with beer farts.<br /><br />Back to the Frannie.<br />She's handled herself well, despite her advanced age (oh lord, my mind is drifting again - sometimes it's a curse, having this imagination). Even though she's well past her prime, she still smells pretty good and tastes not half as bad as I'd imagine (gags).<br />Decent amount of yeast in her, seemingly without infection (where am I going with this?).<br />She gives really impressive head, considering her advanced age (hopefully that is the first and the last time I'll be typing that sentence).<br />Solid, creamy, long lasting.<br />Her body colour is nice and her body feels sufficiently silky and body weight is medium to a tiny bit thin.<br />There is a certain astringency that I put down to the old age - she has that 'old age' taste ( I certainly hope you don't know what I think you think I mean).<br />All things considered, this old girl didn't fare too badly, considering.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">6.5/10</span></span><br /></div>Not the best she's been and obviously past her prime, but I'd give here a go again, if that's all there was.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAKYn_CgH7zVAINQ-fIOHNVG0i88Vv7VDIbygJRX3JmLjuC65DrImL1hmuDh9anWI9KI3nL7_qiD2ZTNtndnofZyaTzdpo7curMWJPjO0pDQFIan-a74j5AE0wcCt_zQQ83ukHY9olfkD/s1600-h/legless.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 234px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAKYn_CgH7zVAINQ-fIOHNVG0i88Vv7VDIbygJRX3JmLjuC65DrImL1hmuDh9anWI9KI3nL7_qiD2ZTNtndnofZyaTzdpo7curMWJPjO0pDQFIan-a74j5AE0wcCt_zQQ83ukHY9olfkD/s400/legless.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449495635692184626" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Contender number -hic!" - four:</span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Weltenberger - not cheeseburger - hefeweissen</span></span>.<br /></div>Well, what could possibly go wrong this time?<br />can't wait to find out...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIV20cuIULnKgCtnfEJUIXPNBJch1LGItGze2ygAsofXHHPQTzFpCx9gj_nq6l2iuGMQZo9gopN8-H7A-6adWFVoKOkIi6Pc94BuNFI3BR92-3HAFuqtYTwzqNHPczqhPXJgJBohyphenhyphenj3SX/s1600-h/weltenberger_1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 232px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIV20cuIULnKgCtnfEJUIXPNBJch1LGItGze2ygAsofXHHPQTzFpCx9gj_nq6l2iuGMQZo9gopN8-H7A-6adWFVoKOkIi6Pc94BuNFI3BR92-3HAFuqtYTwzqNHPczqhPXJgJBohyphenhyphenj3SX/s400/weltenberger_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449498469952519250" border="0" /></a>Diacytyl?<br />Got a pronounced buttery taste. Weird. It's not as I remember this beer.<br />Just 490yen at my local-ish supermarket, this is usually a great deal.<br />Brewed on the banks of a river in Germany since 1050, Weltenberger makes some nice beers.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.limesradwandern.michael-eckrich.de/images/2001_Weltenburger.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 280px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.limesradwandern.michael-eckrich.de/images/2001_Weltenburger.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>However, this bottle was a disappointment. Perhaps it wasn't transported very well. Perhaps I'm not in full control of my taste buds.<br />Hmm...<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">5/10</span></span>.<br /></div>Bit sweeter than usual. Is it me? Tastes a tad weird. Or am I?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNHOSkUpCjGU8CNdW49zd8IUi2PUX1rxt1PsbgHwHhWq0VTj7RBnmQrp_5qje4I8gsBJ0SW4k6sbfoqmc0pnX3Z8Gy1fY747Ptowr1gx06vO3G9asYRps3yqs-m3dGZshBiKbeA9sD8fa/s1600-h/sweet.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 220px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNHOSkUpCjGU8CNdW49zd8IUi2PUX1rxt1PsbgHwHhWq0VTj7RBnmQrp_5qje4I8gsBJ0SW4k6sbfoqmc0pnX3Z8Gy1fY747Ptowr1gx06vO3G9asYRps3yqs-m3dGZshBiKbeA9sD8fa/s400/sweet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449495646309457474" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Today's champion on a paultry <span style="font-weight: bold;">6.5/10</span> is the <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frannie kanner</span>!</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBGVjJoZ61Z6Cvse-4KcBFYgsDpu_vnPmaU4IqPHtmTBotwqTW8UtTYvv1ZSe63JfACV6ku1WjaBXVkCMBEXB7jLDDPHl90RPu62G2bxZoFEnTzbrdiVfQ3pHSd9HCqyLrom6l6Pr6FlI/s1600-h/bottom.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 199px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBGVjJoZ61Z6Cvse-4KcBFYgsDpu_vnPmaU4IqPHtmTBotwqTW8UtTYvv1ZSe63JfACV6ku1WjaBXVkCMBEXB7jLDDPHl90RPu62G2bxZoFEnTzbrdiVfQ3pHSd9HCqyLrom6l6Pr6FlI/s400/bottom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449495301180987202" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Man, I kinda bumbed out on luck with these beers.<br />Two of them were clearly aged. One was not as good as I remembered. The other was drier than I remembered. A good point to remember about weissen is that fresh is best.<br />Once you get your hands on a lovely sweet German, flip the top off her and get your lips round her, fast!<br />You never know when suddenly she becomes too old to enjoy to the max!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidU4uR50ffhDA8Jh7hme0kZM1q408u6JDAjMx_ONFz2sc33pM2gNegK_eRDWn_EotvumH2209qw8MemfZoug014Kx6tKVDco6Md_KaKjvvdG2WZAs4HwoLTp-SQjwi9J3B34x6sy49uZz/s1600-h/mouth.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 362px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidU4uR50ffhDA8Jh7hme0kZM1q408u6JDAjMx_ONFz2sc33pM2gNegK_eRDWn_EotvumH2209qw8MemfZoug014Kx6tKVDco6Md_KaKjvvdG2WZAs4HwoLTp-SQjwi9J3B34x6sy49uZz/s400/mouth.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449495316515188642" border="0" /></a>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-46261522087532182812010-02-10T03:10:00.000-08:002010-02-10T04:00:25.868-08:00The Home for Hopheads.<div style="text-align: center;">What happens to all those beer experts who try one too many hoppy beers?<br /><br />They end up in the <span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Home for Hop Heads</span></span>.<br /></div><br />This place is a haven of sanctuary for all and any hop heads who have just burnt themselves out on hops. Believe me, it happens. Far more than people would like to admit.<br />These once proud men who drank by the UK pint, of anything that was brewed in this wide, wide world, no matter what the IBU was - they drank it.<br />And now they are paying the ultimate price.<br />They have become drooling, incoherent hop heads.<br /><br />You may have noticed the apparent absence of the legends among foreign beer experts such as Mr.Scarrel, Mr.Choggins or Mr.Hambers <span style="font-style: italic;">(names altered to protect their identities)</span>?<br />Well, perhaps they all succumbed to the hop or ended up at the Home for Hop Heads and that was were they spent their last hoppy moments in this wonderful world. Drooling after hops.<br /><br />The latest batch of residents can bear witness to the awesome power of the hop.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kids, pay attention: too much of the hop and this is what you will become.</span><br /></div><br />I was granted rare permission to visit the reclusive <span style="font-weight: bold;">Home for the Hopheads</span>.<br />I was searched at the entrance for hidden hops and had to swear that I hadn't drank any hoppy brews for at least 48 hours previously (apparently, then can smell it).<br />Security was high. for good reason.<br />The last resident to 'escape' left the premises, disguised as a sailor and was last seen on the train to Yokosuka. Since then they have beefed up security precautions.<br /><br />I am told it can take up to 6 months to rehabilitate hop heads back into the normal world of the pale ales and brown porters. Some never come back.<br /><br />Here, in the Home for Hop Heads, I managed to get a brief glimpse of a few of these once great men, as they paraded about like drooling vegetables.<br />They are expertly cared for by the professionally trained Home for Hop Heads staff.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Just take a look at this poor bugger:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7igDVxUfYBhHKo_DBJnMXdhDkh0OgRbfYs_LTvKJ0Jn6vHgbfNQE8iDkYeUUzHHhFinVSAe2n7mVDNkZczj19AjPpofnXYes5cmoz7N2FptnQmTIOzKULWATipu0lBN1691eVuvQi0OEg/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7igDVxUfYBhHKo_DBJnMXdhDkh0OgRbfYs_LTvKJ0Jn6vHgbfNQE8iDkYeUUzHHhFinVSAe2n7mVDNkZczj19AjPpofnXYes5cmoz7N2FptnQmTIOzKULWATipu0lBN1691eVuvQi0OEg/s400/1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436575823459875090" border="0" /></a>He used to be a veritable encyclopaedia of information on almost any brewery or brewer in Japan. Now look at him.<br /></div>I'm afraid it was just a case of one too many hoppy pints and now he doesn't even know who he is any more.<br />He had to be weened off the hops over a period of several months. Here he is, being spoon fed by the wonderfully patient staff.<br />It almost pains me to think about how such a well informed man could recduce himself to being spoon fed liquid soup, just to survive.<br /><br />I joined a few of the recovering hopheads during their tea time break. I tried to interview this fellow but it was like talking to a raving lunatic.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYtX_zRjOnLQhU8c1iMELUqPRElRfe5nAtbWTm4S2xQeuemwTZYOF3JqT-C-lxvcpdHVdwQ6nBzK0cdzLI7h5yMFIZgK2C9xsaYtSVogohmCwACFsVouFkH1a94v1VJnF7SjOeRK5k11x/s1600-h/3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYtX_zRjOnLQhU8c1iMELUqPRElRfe5nAtbWTm4S2xQeuemwTZYOF3JqT-C-lxvcpdHVdwQ6nBzK0cdzLI7h5yMFIZgK2C9xsaYtSVogohmCwACFsVouFkH1a94v1VJnF7SjOeRK5k11x/s400/3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436575815632980258" border="0" /></a>I couldn't make out anything he was saying. He kept muttering things like <span style="font-style: italic;">"Ay kannae ge nae aibeeeyeeeews!" </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">"gizza wee dram o aipeeeeyaaaay, yer sazzzarnakel yeh!", "och, ah miss maaaah chinook, so ah doooooo!". </span>Total gibberish. The staff later informed me that this one was well into the advanced stages of Hopheadism.<br /><br />The experts here try to use normal life routines and procedures to jaunt their memories and hopefully bring them back out of Hop Headism and into the real world once more.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Here the staff are trying to have a Christmas party:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzhg1ZEIeQWB_c95IX8VQe9QME6xxommS6NEAvPUx6Yvszo-CdGb7FkHbu9owER0IhFn1yOOOFSM_xH8zigzqSDRQbETPIE2gDOHytxKc5HzU_6fBB4o9Rnhoij2UOZ9_A6Bdvps0VvdC/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzhg1ZEIeQWB_c95IX8VQe9QME6xxommS6NEAvPUx6Yvszo-CdGb7FkHbu9owER0IhFn1yOOOFSM_xH8zigzqSDRQbETPIE2gDOHytxKc5HzU_6fBB4o9Rnhoij2UOZ9_A6Bdvps0VvdC/s400/2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436575806521721698" border="0" /></a>I don't think the poor Hophead above even knows what his name is <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(he kept muttering "I'm Chuwy..no, I'm Chris..no, It's Chuwy...or...Chris?...")</span></span>, let alone that it is Christmas.<br /></div>He looks too far gone. Better for everyones sakes if they just take him out the back and shoot him.<br /><br />They have had some limited success in the <span style="font-weight: bold;">'outings for Hop Heads'</span> programme.<br />This sponsored program takes hop heads that are deeemed low security risks on little day trips, so stimulating their mental systems and hopefully snapping them out of their hop like trances.<br />Here <span style="font-style: italic;">little Jimmy HopHead</span> (for the sake of anonymity) is still beaming, after returning from a day trip to Disneyland:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbQ5qhqiq-uhx9gljajZ1zXQk0_NUMhX5oweB1NCrcRlcgSQw_1ccSQjtYBPUyVHrbKWzuE1pH09sWj1egSe1rtE3tmiZyGQ3gW6D39zwJf6hWdE_XDh8KBc6TMh0E2h1km9q_yaQ4-Nv/s1600-h/hophead+dude.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbQ5qhqiq-uhx9gljajZ1zXQk0_NUMhX5oweB1NCrcRlcgSQw_1ccSQjtYBPUyVHrbKWzuE1pH09sWj1egSe1rtE3tmiZyGQ3gW6D39zwJf6hWdE_XDh8KBc6TMh0E2h1km9q_yaQ4-Nv/s400/hophead+dude.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436575802727590386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Update: Unfortunately, staff later discovered his ear-to-ear smile was due to the bottle of Harvestmoon IPA he had somehow smuggled out of Mickey Mouse's Magical Kingdom.</span><br /></div><br />So there you have it, a never before seen glimpse into the limbo that is life after hops.<br />Once you hop, you can't stop.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Kids, be careful how you handle those hops.<br />Don't become a hop head.<br />It'll be the <span style="font-weight: bold;">ruination</span> of you.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJDTvCWZNiBlVeQV0tW5idSSh5IVm17NrzBnQy6p193OcJynd4ncHmj13Pqe7Rn5RSK7cghjarz4Xlyn4UHAWDGYPQ20decqqmCdA8jAdpWSE-UcrnacMrmGCA21iDCU25UXj-MHvH4-b/s1600-h/hop+head.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJDTvCWZNiBlVeQV0tW5idSSh5IVm17NrzBnQy6p193OcJynd4ncHmj13Pqe7Rn5RSK7cghjarz4Xlyn4UHAWDGYPQ20decqqmCdA8jAdpWSE-UcrnacMrmGCA21iDCU25UXj-MHvH4-b/s200/hop+head.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436580712173194130" border="0" /></a></div>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-77513280684038342552010-01-07T18:06:00.000-08:002010-01-07T19:17:14.314-08:00Czech this out - PUB CRAWL!A friend of mine, <span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper"><a class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink" href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1560525076">Jiří Kotýnek is in town.</a><br />Jiri is Czech. He is a brewer.<br />He brews for the <a href="http://www.nihonkai-club.com/">Nihon Kai lub</a> in Ishikawa.<br />He likes beer.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sjwgoi1pG5KBo5sxnNhseGOQIr6y0aRcOn1xoyFAt5O4FGHfW4rd7awyt0M6ITI-yms7sreCWEqFQUFbQDqeTLSiWTbY_uWjOjjoULwabDG8cgEzrKrT2t_AZcdig_Nrzqz6Ipjd-UOw/s1600-h/Jiri+drinks.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 339px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sjwgoi1pG5KBo5sxnNhseGOQIr6y0aRcOn1xoyFAt5O4FGHfW4rd7awyt0M6ITI-yms7sreCWEqFQUFbQDqeTLSiWTbY_uWjOjjoULwabDG8cgEzrKrT2t_AZcdig_Nrzqz6Ipjd-UOw/s400/Jiri+drinks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424192396834981298" border="0" /></a><span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper">He asked me to take him to some interesting bars and have some good beer.<br />I do like a challenge!<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper"><span style="font-size:180%;">PUB CRAWL!!!!</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qCS38-lco_3AW7kFq6KkcVUEHbI97VLcoz00sNRw3qcltTLlhHcM3Q9d856PoGY1L0K2LJVw9ncfiEU8Yr7rITQtMPBJE7Z2tMcXorerYtlDAzA0cWe2qJSw6Uf802EOqMLzvTxUrAA5/s1600-h/up4it.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qCS38-lco_3AW7kFq6KkcVUEHbI97VLcoz00sNRw3qcltTLlhHcM3Q9d856PoGY1L0K2LJVw9ncfiEU8Yr7rITQtMPBJE7Z2tMcXorerYtlDAzA0cWe2qJSw6Uf802EOqMLzvTxUrAA5/s400/up4it.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424196887417205458" border="0" /></a>He gets off work today at 1:30. Then it's on!<br /></div><span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper">I'm hoping to have already started, in the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://bairdbeer.com/en/taproom/nakameguro-taproom">Nakameguro Taproom</a>.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjse7fC6waKw1ELMvjpM0ChvWPTzmmac9Og7FHzdhwtNXwF8rhh-_1NusPgbPc3-IE_Vt8sxWcZSrlq8VxxgCVGZ9oS8bsHeM2UF0W0SZTJbtBGJtBUC9XyrhTyU8iVFkszDva8KTojjPWP/s1600-h/staff.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjse7fC6waKw1ELMvjpM0ChvWPTzmmac9Og7FHzdhwtNXwF8rhh-_1NusPgbPc3-IE_Vt8sxWcZSrlq8VxxgCVGZ9oS8bsHeM2UF0W0SZTJbtBGJtBUC9XyrhTyU8iVFkszDva8KTojjPWP/s400/staff.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424195967784700578" border="0" /></a><span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper">I'll be drinking Baird beer and probably 2 of the 4 beers Nagano Trading have on at that place.<br />I'll be trying the <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/arrogant-bastard-ale/1315/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stone Arrogant Bastard</span></a> and the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/ballast-point-big-eye-ipa/2508/">Ballast Point big eye IPA</a>.<br />Lovely beers!<br /><br />I’m hoping Jiri can meet me there and we can have a few warm up drinks.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSdczUSa2EhwyqTeeMh0GWwP3q5ZKNW73YYhkTF1F3ejH6BpeUpWaMjRXUOLASrq8YyYaL2c-RBNix4OZgAhUPNxEyP-bkQXrki_QaTzRDBusEVQmYduwqoYY2_YUPd42gkgoJM-s0Vf6/s1600-h/42151967.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSdczUSa2EhwyqTeeMh0GWwP3q5ZKNW73YYhkTF1F3ejH6BpeUpWaMjRXUOLASrq8YyYaL2c-RBNix4OZgAhUPNxEyP-bkQXrki_QaTzRDBusEVQmYduwqoYY2_YUPd42gkgoJM-s0Vf6/s400/42151967.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424195970744490642" border="0" /></a><span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper">Then we go to Yokohama and <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://ameblo.jp/shinyabeer/">Pivovar Yokohama</a>, where we hope to meet the chief brewer, Suzuki san. Suzuki san worked breifly in Prague at the famous brewpub Ur fleku and met Jiri, so it should be a nice reunion - with lots of beer!<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper">I want to try the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Apache Scream IPA</span>!</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNz_DzP2r5Lzai8aooFi_5fLlOTPLssK4937Nmz-hUaHefw3HdX6dqoeYxxe9oGBuPyA_oTfLh1iv6bzwRYeYBGKHm5w2PMQEnFgFw5htKQTeozB9FaErLozucteGuO7xVU4Ce96r3VTr/s1600-h/Apache.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirNz_DzP2r5Lzai8aooFi_5fLlOTPLssK4937Nmz-hUaHefw3HdX6dqoeYxxe9oGBuPyA_oTfLh1iv6bzwRYeYBGKHm5w2PMQEnFgFw5htKQTeozB9FaErLozucteGuO7xVU4Ce96r3VTr/s200/Apache.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424202052310925090" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper">Then we go to the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.beerdrinkinginternational.com/">Thrash Zone</a>, to meet Tim Maloney and maybe one or two others (Chuck?).</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxsuVZOB124tLVGu23Y8pSn46ez6f8geF_rq3G-KEfcf3ycwOUzg5PpskMHBh8Rb5Dfw4XR8vihQ_HjlwnH3SI7hFFIRuH4Iyb-OX8AwaktKV9ALSV6NtHHLbO2XQMctDpL_V2wc4FPHn/s1600-h/thrash.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 187px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxsuVZOB124tLVGu23Y8pSn46ez6f8geF_rq3G-KEfcf3ycwOUzg5PpskMHBh8Rb5Dfw4XR8vihQ_HjlwnH3SI7hFFIRuH4Iyb-OX8AwaktKV9ALSV6NtHHLbO2XQMctDpL_V2wc4FPHn/s200/thrash.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424202686284439794" border="0" /></a><span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper">I'll also try a Big EYE IPA there and compare it with the Taproom quality.<br />I'll also recommend Jiri try a Nagahama ale and maybe Shinano, as well as Minoh beers.<br /><br />Then it's off on the Toyoko line to Shibuya and maybe a brief food stop</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEYTt_8k91pTgRZbgevxp7KV1vS9vACMk8AG5Smin3Ht5whRGGuStvuWusaPFBGGIm_ReB99crWzVi7qEn3Eg_U2dHRI6F4K-HQ43-ndDWSoyPwJJUqQoa1smV336-P9Z-pOiNX7Xr1pF/s1600-h/burger.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 244px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEYTt_8k91pTgRZbgevxp7KV1vS9vACMk8AG5Smin3Ht5whRGGuStvuWusaPFBGGIm_ReB99crWzVi7qEn3Eg_U2dHRI6F4K-HQ43-ndDWSoyPwJJUqQoa1smV336-P9Z-pOiNX7Xr1pF/s400/burger.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424197618421035266" border="0" /></a><span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper">then to the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.the-aldgate.com/">Aldgate</a>, where we are hoping to meet up with a few home brewing friends who may want to meet Jiri and 'pump him' for information.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TL3N5bgJEdwrWC43gkDBmRsw-p7_DS2nzNCMCN2aji_bB4Ao3QitKr_-Ap4GmNQ1LG_sPgqC0N89kGNRXh4qBu8vWh9WvtCSVsTn6lhB_cFfpKaPg2WrIBR5SAecBSxuVAcnKGs-d7Cj/s1600-h/aldgate.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TL3N5bgJEdwrWC43gkDBmRsw-p7_DS2nzNCMCN2aji_bB4Ao3QitKr_-Ap4GmNQ1LG_sPgqC0N89kGNRXh4qBu8vWh9WvtCSVsTn6lhB_cFfpKaPg2WrIBR5SAecBSxuVAcnKGs-d7Cj/s200/aldgate.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424198138398534498" border="0" /></a><span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper">After a few beers there, we rush to Towers and Bulldog and Nagano Sake miura if we have time.<br />If not, we go straight to<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://www.40beersontap.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Popeyes</span></a>, and the last bar of the day.<br />It's a tiny bar, with just SEVENTY beers on tap.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtodLUKNza0BHYGrjjszvpeVP-8ly4zbQzDMQVaOsbgbnUBa1Jrs6716dle4_RSfpZd0corRTerQ-qLay2xZ4huOzfS8R6-pqDm_UKgPOhRu82-Qm9OB19zNfT5qL21lvfOqLsBeaYUE/s320/popeyes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtodLUKNza0BHYGrjjszvpeVP-8ly4zbQzDMQVaOsbgbnUBa1Jrs6716dle4_RSfpZd0corRTerQ-qLay2xZ4huOzfS8R6-pqDm_UKgPOhRu82-Qm9OB19zNfT5qL21lvfOqLsBeaYUE/s320/popeyes.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper">It's gotta end at Popeyes.<br />Not sure if I can manage all 70 beers, but I'm gonna try and see how far I go.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8Q5JvgWovzjBeZ-LdwGbC_AfQJexnFKPu4WX-mqALRh4aShF7LQLO7qFC6tEZ5DopsmoXwEGHwEi3mKdpHZDXmyphCykZPwfbrcaNUjX1oOMgAMyqVV2heDYHjEMlt-YzM4ik6qmH1k_/s1600-h/baby+beer.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8Q5JvgWovzjBeZ-LdwGbC_AfQJexnFKPu4WX-mqALRh4aShF7LQLO7qFC6tEZ5DopsmoXwEGHwEi3mKdpHZDXmyphCykZPwfbrcaNUjX1oOMgAMyqVV2heDYHjEMlt-YzM4ik6qmH1k_/s400/baby+beer.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424192393964720338" border="0" /></a><span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper">Once you get there, you're not going anywhere else.<br /><br /></span><span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper">Hoping we can last the night.<br />If you feel like coming out, why don't you join us?</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhedJ_3iY6aNmCBQGPfV124UZUmBKo5NCiNk8b_07cm1npb0gyHiUs3I3PBHT8IhvmotkNN65pX-fniX6QbtKKxsBMdpCU4i-wbod30HtDNtLfUSMDY6ORYv6OE9S0RcH3VM8ejZnmy6YTZ/s1600-h/pub+crawl+challenge.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 338px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhedJ_3iY6aNmCBQGPfV124UZUmBKo5NCiNk8b_07cm1npb0gyHiUs3I3PBHT8IhvmotkNN65pX-fniX6QbtKKxsBMdpCU4i-wbod30HtDNtLfUSMDY6ORYv6OE9S0RcH3VM8ejZnmy6YTZ/s400/pub+crawl+challenge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424192412853077138" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Come on, it's </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >Friday!</span><br /><br />Just take care not to drink too much, or you never know how the evening may turn out.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSSUgYFK8nXyfUBty7cW7b9a3jLrST7DuFjzwHpPBHj-nDP-XHwbR8dTuAXYy0w5WTebVWkn-1171ph1NRXPLe5iDcFSue1IdQW9Xz9j-UiaJ8LRC1Gds9qTuPHylR4zrrFFJuco8mRkl/s1600-h/drunk.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 387px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSSUgYFK8nXyfUBty7cW7b9a3jLrST7DuFjzwHpPBHj-nDP-XHwbR8dTuAXYy0w5WTebVWkn-1171ph1NRXPLe5iDcFSue1IdQW9Xz9j-UiaJ8LRC1Gds9qTuPHylR4zrrFFJuco8mRkl/s400/drunk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424192409251699042" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJ1vBTILdIYRsqnxNR0noBMfRfj6RiK8Bj5u9dn3_5ltcEzDKFRr6zPCHHGZZ2YYXkJgnyJXpyYGZtbLLWRnBCamGOdcr5m21ND2RrBarS_eK9a7HikaB4Uqcmw9Q2cYpJSAnVgTQrgSZ/s1600-h/Dont_get_drunk.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 343px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJ1vBTILdIYRsqnxNR0noBMfRfj6RiK8Bj5u9dn3_5ltcEzDKFRr6zPCHHGZZ2YYXkJgnyJXpyYGZtbLLWRnBCamGOdcr5m21ND2RrBarS_eK9a7HikaB4Uqcmw9Q2cYpJSAnVgTQrgSZ/s400/Dont_get_drunk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424192404000126034" border="0" /></a></div><span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper"></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span bindpoint="authorLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_AuthorLink_Wrapper">Wahatever you do, have a great weekend. </span><br /></div>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-59792547698344874012010-01-01T22:40:00.000-08:002010-01-01T22:51:49.499-08:00Happy New Year!!!! Grrrr!!!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMzrl0c0OrxEUSYPj_KBdDFFmeXamJTbzlgi9_vSJOTzEOx-WSb8JP0DWz-cMUuUMBJiPqliVxatBX23cYbbzMlulUNWfXX4fQukg8rVYHdciBOTkioC5Tl6dXN5ThW9Kq7E7oLVutrSM/s1600-h/400_F_6401880_bTQRuGiKqXO5pSwgLFp9R07masDZMtDo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 337px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMzrl0c0OrxEUSYPj_KBdDFFmeXamJTbzlgi9_vSJOTzEOx-WSb8JP0DWz-cMUuUMBJiPqliVxatBX23cYbbzMlulUNWfXX4fQukg8rVYHdciBOTkioC5Tl6dXN5ThW9Kq7E7oLVutrSM/s400/400_F_6401880_bTQRuGiKqXO5pSwgLFp9R07masDZMtDo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422029733623893634" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AK47SuO_vU5qB9OY_ek6APHJJu8VjlCBx8W7cNI8IaY7s99k9B1qOuTA4Twbbip9y_LSoYYfpYfKYQT163xaaPsWWXndDPGk75nQcDEfzhK0g1vImsOaq2UaLejSTg2fIKkgA-wGIfTS/s1600-h/tigerDM0309_468x478.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 392px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AK47SuO_vU5qB9OY_ek6APHJJu8VjlCBx8W7cNI8IaY7s99k9B1qOuTA4Twbbip9y_LSoYYfpYfKYQT163xaaPsWWXndDPGk75nQcDEfzhK0g1vImsOaq2UaLejSTg2fIKkgA-wGIfTS/s400/tigerDM0309_468x478.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422029738257141154" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl1Lgic38Dl4Z0yRZy7_wH3G3qsxNhIx824YLJQidCcYWP9bKAhI5hhWSfU8_uJh9oDlnBNMrGHhUNWNZjd0f46NeUZVWXdSnT5rRwevWeGwkaFOimzGlGxEClgLTanXDVoPRQYbSFPEfp/s1600-h/HappyNewYear.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl1Lgic38Dl4Z0yRZy7_wH3G3qsxNhIx824YLJQidCcYWP9bKAhI5hhWSfU8_uJh9oDlnBNMrGHhUNWNZjd0f46NeUZVWXdSnT5rRwevWeGwkaFOimzGlGxEClgLTanXDVoPRQYbSFPEfp/s400/HappyNewYear.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422029729419806018" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">New, year, new decade.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The year of the <span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">TIGER</span></span>!</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4efvSX2pDNeENFuLLkqjMsPM9gvBK2vwiGbcUz58vtwzbnvIOH8RiQdrWmTQ9a7HynHrXBudo3pBE55uQxyLzL0-OwVhy9SgFMUqgQNCmVw8hs0cxu7RYQE14-aQ2ERzVl9sPP-CwPvz/s1600-h/tiger2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4efvSX2pDNeENFuLLkqjMsPM9gvBK2vwiGbcUz58vtwzbnvIOH8RiQdrWmTQ9a7HynHrXBudo3pBE55uQxyLzL0-OwVhy9SgFMUqgQNCmVw8hs0cxu7RYQE14-aQ2ERzVl9sPP-CwPvz/s400/tiger2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422029749169948338" border="0" /></a>I hope you all have a great 2010.<br />I'm off to the <a href="http://craftbeerbar.seesaa.net/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Craft Beer Bar</span></a>, in Kannai, one of the few remaining bars to be open during this time.<br /><br />They have a great line up of quality Japanese craft beer:<span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Minoh English bitter (hand pump)</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Baird Teikoku IPA</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Fujisakura weissen</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Shiga Kogen pale ale</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Swan Lake Belgian IPA</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Swan Lake IPA</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Iwate Kura pale ale (handpump</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >, latest batch)<br />Hakusekikan doux marriage<br />Baeren schwarz<br />Harvestmoon New Year pilsner</span><br /><br />The perfect way to usher in the New Year!<br />If you fancy it, pop down and join me for a few!<br /><br />Just be careful not to drink too much, or you may find yourself waking up next to a big fat pig.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjX32lnGiGwmgG2WYGSMeHpCvE0CLrTFnimgB9By9gJaMTdqfH1g_GjpRXlZHq4k_hrMhyphenhyphenVfNhjdI3mIKJLWjgGEtRZL9cjj9KJl8stL0AGfny1MeZond5pv7U4kgVMthVF3qt3RVsmCBK/s1600-h/tiger+pig.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 347px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjX32lnGiGwmgG2WYGSMeHpCvE0CLrTFnimgB9By9gJaMTdqfH1g_GjpRXlZHq4k_hrMhyphenhyphenVfNhjdI3mIKJLWjgGEtRZL9cjj9KJl8stL0AGfny1MeZond5pv7U4kgVMthVF3qt3RVsmCBK/s400/tiger+pig.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422031127921868946" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickOd1zuRdXNNYE-J_vOvnbs_kYJk7wNA7tF8qETxyTcxZBX5YnFqTcGYxIRqoOgjJCs1V40pKPU71BPTlHgT4fUO1VK07K1vLAaxLF1-CYC7emhzvtaElUaVl0FXE-mo64TkUGJujXWl_/s1600-h/tiger+pig.jpg"><br /></a></div>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-71206592310995938482009-12-20T23:04:00.000-08:002009-12-21T01:13:01.549-08:00Here's to my birthday and the end of the world!<div style="text-align: center;"><br />Happy New Year!<br /><br /></div>Yes, I said '<span style="font-weight: bold;">Happy New Year</span>'.<br />Well, today is Winter Solstice, after all.<br />The darkest day of the year. When darkness ruled the earth and a crazy, barely human, mostly beastly being came into this world - <span style="font-weight: bold;">me!</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKsx45Fkb-VAAC0qT-peL1cDt4qu6-DKwBwLGrcKXN1WM3eyQ_6sdzwNtQDL2QXcuagq1tyaceZQwL6f2h-lBSLtRLbztnXa7Pxak9hvMqEeBoQTsineMdOKOsh_CV1oKYUWB-zewpWiO/s1600-h/huw.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 165px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKsx45Fkb-VAAC0qT-peL1cDt4qu6-DKwBwLGrcKXN1WM3eyQ_6sdzwNtQDL2QXcuagq1tyaceZQwL6f2h-lBSLtRLbztnXa7Pxak9hvMqEeBoQTsineMdOKOsh_CV1oKYUWB-zewpWiO/s320/huw.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417585589049034162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"Grrrr!"</span><br /><br /></div>From now, winter is in retreat and the spring is coming.<br />This is really the end of the year/start of the next.<br />The day which was meant for Christmas, to coincide/take over from the pagan festival at that time.<br />Also, just 3 years left, until the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_phenomenon">end of the world</a>!<br /><br />What more reasons do you need, to reach for a brew?<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Me, I'm helping myself to a nice birthday Sculpin IPA and celebrating in all it's wonderfully hoppy madness!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSibLncsSPvjr5JDkQpeKPPWf-HZkcFhV0meBprfd94Z3Drqwz7g-KDWpPhW9j9z4ShU8rR3MJaLOuehio2F_GQYeypZNJdpmwAxo9ubZqBAMfgusMeOcxfHKEXduIm5_P7eeKFfJc8rZ/s1600-h/sculpin+christmas_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSibLncsSPvjr5JDkQpeKPPWf-HZkcFhV0meBprfd94Z3Drqwz7g-KDWpPhW9j9z4ShU8rR3MJaLOuehio2F_GQYeypZNJdpmwAxo9ubZqBAMfgusMeOcxfHKEXduIm5_P7eeKFfJc8rZ/s400/sculpin+christmas_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417613794423238258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >Cheers!</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">"We're all gonna die!"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zo6dipWza63tbUBxknD9gKffd1Mqlw8WKyHqNT5Fg-DrHv0Yiw9Bzd-hACk7RmLh8_kWfB9aTZfcwCYa44qtGpDRKC60oehasIvGUWk1oHu5TlWrAd42vhD9b0FFMG1cO30dUADnX43U/s1600-h/122-doomsday2012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 301px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zo6dipWza63tbUBxknD9gKffd1Mqlw8WKyHqNT5Fg-DrHv0Yiw9Bzd-hACk7RmLh8_kWfB9aTZfcwCYa44qtGpDRKC60oehasIvGUWk1oHu5TlWrAd42vhD9b0FFMG1cO30dUADnX43U/s320/122-doomsday2012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417586685836218546" border="0" /></a></div>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643956479685645166.post-25477255783845883372009-12-20T04:42:00.000-08:002009-12-20T09:06:48.431-08:00'tis the season to pimp your IPA: A Yuzu challengeToday is the 21st December, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice">Winter Solstice</a>, Darkest Day of the year, Chuwy's Birthday. It's also the time of the year that Japanese put a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuzu">yuzu</a> in their bathwater.<br />Yuzu is kind of a strange Japanese citrus fruit that's very lemony, grapefruity, zesty, zingy and looks like this:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNPvV-SNMwQBVxrI6R6dkmczmu4h1nfoPIJxR-MIzy0-iJvE1aVYB8gsJldI3TXuREYhTRUo3MVExnkKnQbiNOY8gYwJfDxbxSID27MzLWucm821kgS2z0D09YBbuXEly_IMBtOcdMAf8/s1600-h/180px-Yuzufruit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 271px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNPvV-SNMwQBVxrI6R6dkmczmu4h1nfoPIJxR-MIzy0-iJvE1aVYB8gsJldI3TXuREYhTRUo3MVExnkKnQbiNOY8gYwJfDxbxSID27MzLWucm821kgS2z0D09YBbuXEly_IMBtOcdMAf8/s320/180px-Yuzufruit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417361884797650546" border="0" /></a>Well, I do like yuzu and remember drinking a yuzu ale, made by Harvest Moon and finding it very nice.<br />Another time, whilst I was drinking (and being very drunk) Suruga Bay DIPA in the Numazu Taproom, I happened upon some strange fruit. It was a little like yuzu, so I squeezed some into my beer. Wow! It really gave the beer a fresh zing.<br /><br />I thought why not try dry hopping beer with yuzu?<br /><br />People do dry hop with fruit, so I decided to do a small, simple, controlled experiment, using my balls.<br /><br />I had 3 glasses. I used my <span style="font-weight: bold;">IPintheA</span> as a control beer.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-dVt8TRob9pf_oaqiPdS0EIaTKPNFHZ573VUp8S8uEZuLfuyxOc0rQ-BKwhWI55DdT_yXyN50h2_jWkNeywbOVSyr0SSF0T9i1OWYwLk50hOnr0sjLJPPvFRxw2C2tjn1B1eXDYi1w9g/s1600-h/3+contenders_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 227px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-dVt8TRob9pf_oaqiPdS0EIaTKPNFHZ573VUp8S8uEZuLfuyxOc0rQ-BKwhWI55DdT_yXyN50h2_jWkNeywbOVSyr0SSF0T9i1OWYwLk50hOnr0sjLJPPvFRxw2C2tjn1B1eXDYi1w9g/s320/3+contenders_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417298211403720722" border="0" /></a>Glass 1 had nothing in it, so was just the beer.<br />The next glass help a mesh filter that had the yuzu flesh and some squeezed juice in the glass.<br />The third glass held one of my little balls, with yuzu peel cut up very small, inside.<br />I tried not to get any white pith in there, as the pith is bitter.<br /><br /><br />I then poured equal amounts into the 3 glasses.<br />The results may not be surprising.<br /><br />The first glass tasted normal (as 'normal' as Chuwy's beer can taste).<br />The second glass with the flesh and juice was very aromatic but overwhelmingly bitter and sour tasting, from the juice and pith and flesh. This may be why Japanese mostly use the zest, for cooking and flavouring.<br />The third glass was nicely aromatic and just a tad to bitter.<br />I was hoping for a fresh zingy taste but just got bitterness, primarily.<br />One thing I did try next was to take my ball and dip it gently and briefly into my IPintheA.<br />The aroma was subtle but present.<br />The flavour bitter but not overly so.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkruksXcJgAr1a1P50RXMhKU9pMNieRAJ5AxXLwF9T-EWiDhIqQIligAej_9SbPmkHaLCVa14-PHpIJirCDOWrD5zUPk2LvNhN3d3aPBQeDO33TuxXr-i2XaHYHzuMX5HqPyQn-lYD6ifa/s1600-h/verdict2_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkruksXcJgAr1a1P50RXMhKU9pMNieRAJ5AxXLwF9T-EWiDhIqQIligAej_9SbPmkHaLCVa14-PHpIJirCDOWrD5zUPk2LvNhN3d3aPBQeDO33TuxXr-i2XaHYHzuMX5HqPyQn-lYD6ifa/s320/verdict2_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417298222300555618" border="0" /></a>The zest was still smelling fantastic and zingy fresh, hours later after being taken out of the beer.<br />I think the best thing to do would be to dry hop a beer using just the zest and with as little white pith as possible. Then leave that gently soak for a few days, for the zesty zing to soak into the beer.<br />I didn't have a few days, so this experiment was quite limited.<br />Hey, you never know until you try, right?<br /><br />Has anyone out there tried this, in one of their home brews?<br />I may try it out soon, seeing as this is the season for it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">It's the season of renewal, it's the season for yuzu.<br />Why not try it yourself?<br />I'm sure <span style="font-weight: bold;">YULE</span> like it!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6umQj4-bLK2jZxPbh26WsCku8wDeWIzQn1nVDy1fsTwv0Lu3WOBve0TlGQsMbzzCG0wJmULeS-QxgtDf2mOwCI8ouPmXUjR-9FASHe5gqScDLN_aVRLkSWi2XHU48xwgxwEwu0YN-d11/s1600-h/yule_image1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6umQj4-bLK2jZxPbh26WsCku8wDeWIzQn1nVDy1fsTwv0Lu3WOBve0TlGQsMbzzCG0wJmULeS-QxgtDf2mOwCI8ouPmXUjR-9FASHe5gqScDLN_aVRLkSWi2XHU48xwgxwEwu0YN-d11/s320/yule_image1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417365678687262994" border="0" /></a></div>Ivor Biggunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006837084544398438noreply@blogger.com0