Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Brown Beer Fest, 14-15 April, The List in English

Big tip of the hat to my friend, Tod, who translated most of the Japanese descriptions. We had fun with some of them, and used executive licence on more than one occasion. So, the list is below. If you want some more intro and the Japanese, it is here and the original festival announcement is here:

EASY-DRINKING SESSION BEERS

1. John Smith Extra Smooth Bitter, 3.8%.
World's no. 1 selling English ale with creamy head, bitter mouthfeel, and fruity aftertaste.

2. Kilkenny Irish Red Ale, 4.4%
Kilkenny is named after the town in the suburbs of Dublin in Ireland in which it was originally made, in a church no less.

3. Bass Pale Ale, 5.1%
Characteristically thick yet refreshing flavor from top fermentation, fine head, and abundance of rich, spicy aroma and flavors. (This is Bass we are talking about, right? Ed.)

4. Hideji Beer Smoking Mole Ale, 4.2%
Portrayed as a jolly mole puffing on a fat cigar, this ale has a rich taste and aroma. Made with fresh hops and malt, the flavor and aroma mellow after a month of conditioning. (methinks somebody’s been reading Wind in the Willows, Ed.)

5. Iwate Kura Red Ale, 5%
A deep reddish-brown Scotch ale. With a distinctive slight sweetness, this is a lightly bitter beer that goes down easily.

6. Baird Beer's The Professor Munchner Dunkel, 4.9%
This classic dark lager is brewed in the tradition of Munich Dunkel lager beers and is inspired by a Professor of German history who loves passionately the city of Munich. Brewed with German Munich, Pilsner, Vienna, Carared and Melanoidan malts.

7. Baeren Bitter, 4.5%
A florid hop aroma, easygoing mouthfeel and refreshing aftertaste make this an authentic English beer. The only light ale brewed in Baeren (i.e., Baeren, Morioka, Ed.).

8. Sanktgallen Pale Ale

A refreshing beer with a strong hop flavor. A product of the American craft beer boom, American pale ales are a new style enjoyed by beer enthusiasts around the world. Their hallmark is the use of potent American hops and strong bitterness.

9. Hakusekikan Pale Ale, 5
A beermaker's beer, with an attendant bitterness. The blend of malts gives this beer a spicy body and a judicious bitterness to whet the appetite.

10. Ishikawa Pale Ale, 5%

A top-fermenting beer with a distinctive fruity aroma.

11. Shonan Beer Altbier, 5%

Altbier is a dark-colored style that originates in Düsseldorf. Evocative of a Shonan sunset, this top-fermented beer has a fruity aroma and light taste. It makes a great accompaniment to a meal.

12. Aizu Beer Amber Ale, 4.5%
This amber ale features a restrained hop bitterness, a malt sweetness and a refreshing aftertaste.


MID STRENGTH, FULLER-FLAVORED BEERS

13. Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier Dunkel, 5.3%
From the famous state-owned Bavarian brewery. Although it is the longest continuously-operating brewery in the world, the equipment is state of the art. This beer is a darker, maltier version of the typically fruity Weizen style.

14. Shigakougen IPA, 6%
With forthright hop aroma and bitterness, this beer has a flavorful impact that makes it a perfect match for spicy foods. Highly distinctive and habit-forming.

15. Leffe Brune, 6.5%
Roast malt gives this beer its deep brown color. It is full-bodied with a delicate fruity aroma.

16. Fujizakura Rauchbier, 5.5%
Rauchbier, or "smoked beer," is the local specialty of Bamberg, Germany. The malt is smoked during kilning to give this beer its distinctive flavor and aroma.

17. Nest Beer Japanese Classic Ale, 6%

An IPA fermented in cedar barrels for export to the United States, this beer is modeled on the first Japanese beer, brewed in 1853.

18. Liefmans Oud Bruin (Belgian Brown Ale), 6%
Fermented in open vats with a yeast strain passed down from the Rodenbach brewery.

19. Ozeno Yukidoke Brown Wiezen, 5
This elegant brown beer made from roasted wheat malt and dark barley malt has a rich, mellow flavor and a smoky aroma of spices.

20. Minami Shinshu IPA, 6
Made at the Komagatake brewery with the snowmelts of the Japan Alps. The generous use of aromatic hops lends it a refreshing bitterness.

21. Echigo IPA
A markedly bitter beer made with large amounts of hops.

22. Ishikawa Munich Dark Lager, 5%
Blackish brown in color, this is a bottom-fermenting (lager type) beer of rich flavor.

23. Swan Lake Brown Ale, 5%
A pleasant, refreshing beer with mellow malt notes and citrus highlights from its American hops.

24. Aizu Beer Beethoven Marzen, 6%
In late 2004 the Aizu Symphony Orchestra celebrated the tenth anniversary of the local Fugado Hall with a rendition of Beethoven's Ninth, and the Minami Aizu Brewery celebrated that performance with this Marzen, a Viennese dark lager. Originally a limited edition beer, it proved so popular it was added to the regular product line.

STRONG, ROBUST BEERS FOR THE FIRESIDE

25. Minoh Double IPA, 9%
A seasonal beer of limited availability. Offering more than a bitter flavor, this double IPA should be savored at length for its depth and aroma.

26. Fujizakura Doppelbock, 8%
Made with twice as much malt as regular beers and given a long lagering, this full-bodied Doppelbock has a good balance of sweetness, bitterness and fragrance.

27. Nest Beer Belgian Dark Strong, 8%
This high-alcohol XH (extra high) beer is matured two months in oak barrels.

28. Queue de Charrue Bruin (Belgian Red Ale), 5.4%
A Belgian red ale produced at the Verhaeghe brewery, this beer is fermented for a little under one year in the best oak barrels to lend it a distinctive light sourness and grape-like sweetness.

29. St.Bernardus Abt 12, 10%
The Sixtus Abbey beers from Belgium were until 1992 brewed under license from the Trappist monastery St. Sixtus, brewer of Westvleteren Abt, which is considered the best beer in the world. The beers formerly brewed under license are now sold simply as St. Bernados, and this Abt 12 version has dark chocolate and aniseed flavors with mild roastiness in superb balance.

30. Rogue Dead Guy Ale, 6.5%
Silver medalist at the 2005 World Beer Championships, this superb example of a German Maibock is made with Rogue's own PacMan yeast and has a bitterness level of 40 IBUs. (Editorial Note: IBUs: means international bittering units. Most mass lagers have IBUs of 11 to 14, 25 is considered hoppy, 40 is somewhat bitter, but some IPAs and other bitter beers come in at 60+, while extreme beers can be 80+.)

Monday, April 9, 2007

Brown Beer List

As I mentioned a couple of posts back, the Black Lion in Meguro is having a brown beer festival this coming weekend, the 14th and 15th April. I'll be helping out on the afternoon of the 15th for a few hours. Below is a full list of the 30 beers that will be available over the two days, descriptions in Japanese. The beers have been grouped by organizer Tomo into suggested first beers, second beers, or third beers -- like you're only going to have three?! I have offered in brackets an alternative way of thinking of the beers .

The festival runs from 12 noon each day until 3 am the next day. (Plenty of time to pace yourself through all 30 beers!) Beer is available by the pint or half pint. Note that advance purchase tickets will be available at a slight discount (see earlier post for details).

First beers of a session (lighter, easy drinking session beers)
1.ジョンスミスビター /John Smith Extra Smooth Bitter /3.8%
イギリスを代表する世界売上No.1エール滑らかな泡とビターな舌触りとフルーティーな後味が魅力。

2.キルケニーアイリシュレッドエール /Kilkenny Irish Red Ale/ 4.4%
キルケニーとは、アイルランドのダブリンの郊外にある町の名前で、その町の教会で造られていたビールです。

3.バスペールエール/Bass Pale Ale/5.1%
上面発酵独特のコクとキレ、繊細な泡たち、香ばしい深い香り。その豊かな味わいと風味をお楽しみ下さい。

4.ひでじスモーキングエール/Hideji Beer Smoking Mole Ale/4.2%
葉巻をくわえた陽気な葉巻をくわえた陽気なもぐらがイメージのコクと香りのエール。造りたてはフレッシュホップとモルトの香り、1ヶ月後には芳醇さを味わえる変化するエール。

5.世嬉の一レッドエール/Sekinoichi Red Ale/5%
スコットランドタイプのビールです。深みのある赤褐色が特徴のビールです。ほのかな甘味が特徴。にがみは少なめで飲みやすいビールです。

6.ベアードビール「ザ・プロフェッサー」ミュンヘンデュンケル/Baird Beer's The Professor Munich Dunkel/4.9%
ザ・プロフェッサー ミュンヘンデュンケルは、ドイツ産のミュンヘン、ピルスナー、ウィーン、キャラード等のモルトを使用し醸造した。

7.ベアレンビター/Baeren Bitter/4.5%
華やかなホップの香り、軽やかな口当たりと後口に来る爽やかな苦味、本場イギリスの味わいをお楽しみいただけます。ベアレン唯一のライト・エール

8.サンクトガーレンペールエール/Sanktgallen Pale Ale
強いホップフレーバーと香りの爽やかなビール。 アメリカンペールエールは、アメリカのクラフトビールブームの中で生まれ、世界中のビールファンに支持されている新しいスタイルで、強力なアメリカンホップのキャラクターと強い苦味が特徴です。

9.博石館ペールエール/Hakusekikan Pale Ale/5%
苦味を効かせたビール通のためのビール。麦芽のブレンドによって醸される香ばしいコクと風味に加えほどよく効いた苦みが食欲をかき立ててくれます

10.多摩の恵ペールエール/Ishikawa Pale Ale/5%
フルーティーな香りが特徴の上面発酵ビール

11.湘南ビールアルト/Shonan Beer Altbier/5%
ドイツのデュッセルドルフで発展した濃色ビール。湘南の夕陽をイメージした上面発酵ビールでフルーティーな香り、ライトな飲み口で食中酒としてもおすすめです。

12.会津麦酒アンバーエール/Aizu Beer Amber Ale/4.5%
琥珀色をしたアンバーエール。ホップの苦みを抑え、モルトの甘みと後口の味わいをすっきりと出しています。特に女性に大人気です。

Second beers of a session (mid strength, fuller-flavored beers)
13.ヴァイエンシュテファンヘフェウ゛ァイスドゥンケル/Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier Dunkel/5.3%
ドイツ南部にあるバイエルン州政府に属しており、現存する最も古いビール製造社でありながら最新の設備を所有しております。

14.志賀高原インディアンペールエール/Shigakougen IPA/6%
ホップの香りと苦みが強めの、インパクトのある味わいは、スパイシーな料理等との相性も良好。個性がありながらも癖になる味わいです。

15.レフブラウン/Leffe Brune/6.5%
焙煎したモルトを使用しているため深い茶色をしています。フルボディーでほのかにフルーツの香りが漂います。

16.富士桜高原麦酒ラオホ/Fujizakura Rauchbier/5.5%
ドイツのバンベルグ特産のビールです。ラオホとは“薫煙”という意味です。麦芽を乾燥させるときにスモークしますので、独特の香りと味を楽しめます。

17.ネストジャパニーズ・クラシック・エール/Nest Beer Japanese Classic Ale/6%
1853年に醸造された日本最初のビールをイメージして造った、アメリカ輸出用の杉樽熟成IPAです。

18.リーフマンス・オード・ブラウン(ベルジャンブラウンエール)/Liefmans Oud Bruin (Belgian Brown Ale)/6%
ローデンバッハ醸造所から譲り受けた酵母を培養し、開放式の発酵釜にて醸造される

19.オゼノユキドケブラウンバイツェン/Ozeno Yukidoke Brown Wiezen/5%
小麦麦芽と焙煎した濃色大麦麦芽を使った気品あるブラウン色のビール。まろやかでコクのある味とローストの香ばしい香りをお楽しみください。

20.南信州インディアンペールエール/Minami Shinshu IPA/6%
アルプスの雪解け水から生まれました。駒ケ岳醸造所で醸造される仲間たちですアロマホップを豊富に使用しすっきりした苦味が特徴 

21.エチゴインディアンペールエール/Echigo IPA
大量のホップを使用した苦味の強いビール

22.多摩の恵ミュンヘナーダーク/Ishikawa Munich Dark Lager/5%
黒褐色でコクのある下面発酵ビール

23.スワンレイクブラウンエール/Swan Lake Brown Ale/5%
芳醇なモルトの風味が感じられ、アメリカンホップによる柑橘系の香りと爽やかな苦味が心地の良い飲料感を演出します。

24.会津麦酒ベートベン/Aizu Beer Beethoven Marzen/6%
会 津風雅堂開館10周年を記念して2004年11月に開催された会津市民交響楽団の第九演奏会を祝して醸造されたウィン風ダークラガー(メルツェン)。当初 は限定醸造品でしたが、あまりに評判が良いのでラインナップに加えました。フルーティーな香味とホップがもたらす喉越しの良さが特徴で、何杯でもするする と飲めてしまいます。アルコール分はやや高めですが、酔い心地、酔い覚めとも大変すっきりと爽やかです。

Third beers of a session (strong, robust beers for the fireside)
25.箕面ダブルIPA/Minoh Double IPA/ 9%
期間限定醸造のシーズナルビールです。DOUBLE IPAはただ苦いだけではなく、深みと香りも楽しんでいただける自信作です。じっくり味わってください。

26.富士桜高原麦酒桜ボック/Fujizakura Doppelbock/8%
通常のビールの約2倍の麦芽を使用し、長期熟成させたこのビールは、ドイツではドッペルボック(ダブルボック)と呼ばれ、甘み・苦味・香りのバランスがとれたフルボディーのビールです。

27.ネストベ゛ルジャン・ダーク・ストロング/Nest Beer Belgian Dark Strong/8%
長期熟成用高アルコールタイプのXH(エキストラ・ハイ)を、オーク樽で2ヶ月間熟成させました

28.クー・デ・シャルル・ブラウン(ベルジャンレッドビール)/Queue de Charrue Bruin (Belgian Red Ale)/5.4%
ヴェルハーゲ醸造所にて醸造されるベルジャン・レッドビールの最高傑作オーク樽にて1年弱発酵をさせ、独特の酸味と葡萄のような甘みを持つ。

29.セント・ベルナルデュス アブト/St.Bernardus Abbott/10%
世 界一のビールとして知られる「ウエストフレテレン アブト」を醸造する「セント・シクステュス修道院」よりライセンスを与えられ、ベルギー初の修道院ビール「セント・シクステュス」が醸造された。その中で も「アブト」は修道院長を意味し、最高級品。契約の終了した今でも世界一の味わいは受け継がれ、ウエストフレテレンにはない樽生も存在する。要は世界一う まい?

30.ローグデッドガイエール/Rogue Dead Guy Ale/6.5%
2005年ワールドビールチャンピオン シップ銀賞の逸品、ドイツスタイルの最良のボックタイプでこの醸造所独自の“PacMan”という酵母を使用、IBU(ホップによる苦味)は30ありま す。 (Note: I would suggest this belongs in the "second beer" category.)

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Me three!

Stephen Beaumont gives the copy cat syndrome of Irish/British bars a spray. Couldn't agree more. It is exactly the same here in Japan. Bar managers tend to be an unimaginative lot not especially interested in promoting local craft beer. They don't know much about it, it requires too much hard work, the margins are lower and/or over-the-counter prices are higher, and they are worried about wasting valuable tap space on a potentially slow-moving product. Much easier and safer to go with the Guinness, Kilkenny, Bass triumvarate.

But times have changed and are changing still. Of course, like anywhere, there are dedicated craft beer bars like Popeye, Ushi-Tora, and Kura Kura all doing their bit for Japanese craft beer. But it is the neighbourhood and big chain English/Irish pubs that really need to have a good hard think about themselves. As Stan Heironymous mentions in his response to Stephen's post, places that offer something a bit interesting and surpising are the ones who will differentiate themselves and attract those customers who are looking for that something more.

One minor problem here in Japan is the up and down quality of the craft beer breweries. You really do need to be careful and discerning about what you select to put on offer. Despite there being probably hundreds of small breweries, you could count on a butcher's hand the number that have a reputation for reliably producing remarkable beer. So it is certainly a bit of a tough old job for the average bar manager to sort through the chaff to find something worthy of showcasing as a "beer de jour". And aside from the bar's considerations, it will also be counterproductive to the craft beer industry if crap "ji-biiru" from one of the many clueless operators is set up as a representative of what craft beer is all about.

Nevertheless, in this competitive market, I predict that more pubs are going to see the light and start offering more and more unusual or guest beers. Yona Yona has gradually penetrated the market and even comes in a hand pumped format at a number of places. A couple of places have even entered into arrangements with breweries to offer a house ale. These are promising signs of a desire to differentiate.

Homebrew Hanami

Hanami ostensibly means "flower viewing" in Japanese. But it really means waiting for all the sakura to bloom so that all and sundry can pour into the parks with the perfect excuse to eat and drink to excess and behave abominably.

BEERS organised a hanami in Yoyogi Park for the second year in a row. Last year a few of us brought a few bottles of homebrew. Somehow this year it turned into a bit of an extravaganza with five 11-L party kegs of beer that was as good as any you'd find in any brewpub. There was a superbly crafted ordinary bitter and biere de garde by anonymous brew guru #1, a Hefeweizen and a Helles lager by anonymous up and coming all-grain brew guru #2, and a low carbonated APA by yours truly and my trusty brewing partner, the anonymous man in the psychodelic T-shirt. That's me with my APA in the photo (cute gloves huh?). I don't know how Hymie the android got admitted, but being a robot he probably didn't drink much. It was a very fun, very cool event (in more ways than one) drinking some great home-made craft beer. I'm already looking forward to next year!

And a big shout out to Rei-chan for the photo!