(Beer) Geek to Go

I’m at the beer store.  I’m looking at the many bottles waiting to be placed in my basket.  I see an interesting bottle of a style I’ve had only a few times in my life.  The price is steep, but I’m too damn curious to pass it up.  I take it home.  Chilled and on my counter I open it and pour.  First sip- GROSS!  I just spent how much for a crappy beer?  Let me see what others think of this.  What?  I’ve had this before!?!  And I hated it then, too!  Nooo!

 

Wireless sync makes adding it to the iPod a breeze

That is an experience I’ve had a few too many times now.  This is where technology really comes in handy, and finally, I’m able to take advantage of it.  I’ve longed for a way to take a list of all the beers I’ve tried with me when I go beer hunting.  I want to make sure the above scenario doesn’t replay itself again, and I want to be reminded of the good beers that I may have forgotten about.  I tried to go old scholl and just hit the print button but caring a few pages of paper is annoying.  Not to mention I always forgot to take it with me.  I had an old Palm pilot that I tried to make a database with, but it was annoying and never really got off the ground floor.  I also never remembered to take it with me when I went beer shopping.  Enter iPod.  I always have it with me because I enjoy the tunes it plays (I picked then out, after all).  The other day I was reading some site that was talking about the Filemaker software available for Macs and it’s little cousin, Bento.  My first thought was “I wonder if there is a iPod App for Bento.”  There is (for $4.99).

I'll never be without my precious beers again

I downloaded that, bought the full up version of Bento for my computer, and database building I went.  It’s basically a spreadsheet with all my info available right at my fingertips.  Mine has the beer name, brewery, rating, style, description, serving method, location drank, and date.  Building it was easy and entering the info couldn’t be simpler.  I have drop down boxes for styles, serving method, and breweries.  Just  a quick tap and I have a description (which varies from one word answers to full on paragraphs of loving devotion).  I’d say the only annoying part is entering the nearly 1000 beer backlog into my new system.  There could be an easier way than manually entering each one, but I’m no computer geek so that’s how I’m doing it.  But it’s not so bad, I can get a good 20 or so in during a session each night and will get there pretty soon.

 

Ah, technology.  I love you so.  With my new portable database I won’t run into a beer I dislike twice ever again.

Sculpin

On draught at The Aldgate:

Three pints of awesome

The Sculpin was a nice beer to go with seeing some good friends again.  Hoppy and quite satisfying.

Beer and a book

Baird NakaMeguro Bitter Batch #14 and "Ambitious Brew" makes for a nice afternoon

If you are a history buff (like me), a beer geek (like me), an occasional book nerd (like me), or if you’re interested in the giants of American industry from the 1800s (like me) you should check out Maureen Ogle’s book “Ambitious Brew.”  I’m only about a third of the way through it but it already reads more like a novel than a lesson in history.  It’s been difficult to put it down at night and I’ve learned some mighty interesting facts about lager’s early days in young America.

On the Web: “Ambitious Brew” at Beerbooks.com

Japan meets the Midwest

Bell's (Michigan), Hoppin' Frog (Ohio), Bluegrass (Kentucky), Great Lakes (Ohio)

I love to drink local.  Why?  Many reasons, really.  First, I love supporting my neighbors and neighborhoods.  Keeping my local prosperous is goal #1 for me.  Not just in beer, but with whatever I can.  Whether it be a mom and pop corner store instead of a Walgreen’s (for my U.S. readers) or a grocery store that has ties to my community instead of a Wal-mart or some national chain that probably can’t remember how many states they operate in.  You keep your neighbors happy and they’ll keep you happy.  Second, each local has different tastes.  From the big variance of West Coast IPAs to East Coast IPAs (or West Coast to English if you want to take it a step farther).  Japan has a love affair for all things super hoppy and from the Pacific coast of the States- and I love that.  I can hardly get enough hops.  But I grew up on East Coast breweries and I’ve missed them dearly.  It was a major goal of mine to bring back some of the better Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, etc., beers to share with some buddies who haven’t had the pleasure of imbibing some Midwest products.

The first shipment came with me on the plane and I’m anxiously awaiting the rest to get here.  I bet I’m not the only one…

A few photos

I didn’t post while I was home.  I know you were worried, but all is well.  I was just having way too much fun to worry about the internets, sorry.  Drank plenty of good beer, spent a lot of quality time with the family and my good friends.  Took any opportunity to stop in my local pub for a pint or two.  Basically what you would expect from a month of vacation.  You’re going to wonder why I took so few photos, most likely.  The answer is I took hundreds of photos, many, MANY were of good times at the bar.  But most of those will never see the light of day.  I have to watch my back a little bit, right?  Besides, if you want a little taste of what each night was like you can check out Chuwy’s post of my last night in Japan before vacation.  Whoo.  That one was a doozy, but way tame compared to this past month.  I’ve missed you all and am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things around here.  I actually do have a couple things in the works, should be fun!

South Park Tavern taps. Rock!

Bell's Oberon at Chappy's. Mighty fine.

Bells' TWO HEARTED! Oh, how I missed you!

Jager in the wedding limo. Took the edge off before my speech- WAY off

Good friends at the Hofbrauhaus, Ky. Many liters that night...

The last few moments before the keys of the house I spent 22 years of my life in were turned over to the new owners. Pounding some cider for the occasion

And the remaining 500+ photos will remain in my archives forever.

It’s good to be back, hopefully I’ll see you at the bars soon!

They’re mine, all mine!

Lately it seems like all the cool kids are taking pictures of their well-stocked refrigerators and showing it to the world.  I guess this makes me a follower.

The tease:

Six packs of six

The Glory:

Many nights of drinking or one helluva good time

For the curious, that’s six each of Stone Runiation, Stone IPA, Ballast Point Big Eye, Speakeasy Big Daddy, Mendocino White Hawk IPA and Blue Heron Pale Ale.  One DFH Palo Santo Marron, Tsingtao Stout, Fujizakura Rauch, Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA, Dieu de Ciel! Peche Mortal, Coopers Pale Ale, a random bottle of Kizakura sake, and the ever lovely can of Miller Light.  Oh yea, five liters of Homebrewed Mild.  Rock.

I’m off to the States for some much needed vacation time, so that fridge will be patiently waiting for my return.  I hope to put a couple posts up while I’m back home, though.

Cheers!

Design changes

I’ve always found my blog theme to be clean, clear, and quite boring.  I liked it, but I’m a sucker for colors, and the all-white theme I had been using finally got to be too much for me.  You’ll probably see a few different themes in the next few days as I search to find one I really like and want to look at each day.  I hope you enjoy the new look- whenever I finally find it.

Great Divide in area bars

Had a nice pint of Great Divide Titan IPA last night at aThrash Zone. Highly refreshing.  Get out and get ya’ some.

Baird Fruit Beer Festival

This past Saturday I found myself back in Numazu, pulling up a stool in Baird’s Fishmarket Taproom for their annual Fruit Beer festival.  Baird makes a bunch of fruit beers that are often some of the better fruit beers out there. The highlight of the day, besides all the booze, was getting a tour of the Baird Brewery from Bryan Baird himself.

Bryan talks Baird, I drink Saison. Cheers

I always love a tour even though all breweries are essentially the same.  I think I just like being surrounded by beer in all it’s forms.  From grain bag to keg.  I had one question I was really looking forward to asking Bryan- though I must have asked about 20 overall.  I really wanted to know if Baird was going to have enough capacity to keep the beers flowing at all three Taprooms, their many pub accounts, and their fairly wide distribution of bottles. Bryan didn’t seem the least bit worried about capacity citing the fact that while their beer may be in many

A bag of Simcoe flowers. Smelled glorious

places, the amount of liquid actually sold may be a little exaggerated (by me). As an American I assume certain things about the drinking habits of people that just don’t apply to the Japanese beer drinking public.  The actual amount of beer sold by each pub is much lower than what I originally thought and after seeing their brewhouse I have to agree- they have plenty of production capacity. He did say there should be some brewing expansion in the next couple years, though, which makes sense as the number of craft beer drinkers grows (as well as the number of Taprooms).

I drank a bunch of beer, too.  My favorite had to be the Mikan IPA.  An 8% beauty of an IPA.  The Mikans play so well with the hops it was hard to tell where the fruit began and the hops stopped.  Very well balanced, though after 4 pints of it, and a few other beers, my balance was a bit off.  I wasn’t happy to have to catch such an early train to make it back to Yokosuka that night, but the four of us that headed back at the same time popped a few Baird bombers on the train and made that two hour ride fly by (I’m sure the others in our car had other thoughts on the matter, like “shut-up!”).

Filled and ready to ship

What really makes a good beer event isn’t the beer, it isn’t the food, and certainly not the music (though all of those were good), it’s the company you keep at the event. Had a great time with some great people and am looking forward to the next time I can share a couple pints with them.

Upcoming Beer Festivals/Events

Ah, Summer in Japan.  It’s hot, humid, and unrelenting.  Thankfully there are quite a few chances to venture out into that nastiness for a refreshing beer.  Some upcoming/ongoing events:

American Food Week- July 13-18, Yokohama Akarenga (Red Brick Warehouse), Free admission

Not a lot of beer, but some offereings from Stone, Green Flash, Anchor, Speakeasy, and Brooklyn Brewery.  The drawback is that it’s all in bottles and it’s all warm.  Bring a cooler,  pick up a few bottles, walk across the bridge to the park on the shore, and enjoy a warm summer’s eve. 

Baird Fishmarket Taproom Anniversary- July 18-20, Numazu, Free admission

From the press release: We will be celebrating the 9-year birthday of our Numazu Fishmarket Taproom on the three-day holiday weekend of Saturday, July 18 through Monday, July 20. Highlights of the weekend festivities include:
 
*Baird Fruit & Beer Festival
*1,500 yen all-you-can-eat beer-inspired buffet (our new chef, Michiru, has hit the ground running and this promises to be an extraordinary treat)
*Baird brewery tours twice a day (2:00 pm and 4:00 pm)
*Outdoor yaki-tori grilling below the Taproom (everyday, 3:00 – 7:00 pm)
*Saturday evening live music

Baird website

Bruxellesis Beerfest, Delirium Cafe, July 19-20th from noon to 9:30 p.m. Admission ¥2,000 or 4,000

The Delirium Cafe and Belg Aube chain, a major importer of unique Belgian beers from small producers, will be holding a Belgian beer festival this month. There are two types of tickets; the 4,000 yen ticket includes a special tasting glass and seven different beers, while 2,000 yen ticket gets you four beers in a plastic cup.
Delirium Cafe

Sankt Gallen Nomihodai, Park Hyatt Hotel- July 21-August 9, August 15-31 6 to 8 p.m. (last seating at 7 p.m.), Admission ¥2,5000

Sankt Gallen ales will be featured in an all-you-can-drink special being held at the 1st floor Deli of the Park Hyatt Hotel in Shinjuku. The 2,500 yen charge includes a “Chef’s Appetizer Plate” plus unlimited Golden Ale or Shonan Ale (made with Shonan oranges) for up to two hours. For reservations and inquiries, phone (03) 5323-3635.

Park Hyatt Tokyo Delicatessen
3-7-1-2 Nishi Shinjuku
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Great Japan Beer Festival- July 10-20, Osaka, Admission: ¥3,800 in advance,  ¥4,300 at the door

120 different beers from Japanese and international breweries.  You also get a tasting glass.  It’s always a good time.

Great Japan Beer Festival online

I’m going to hit up as many as possible, you should do the same.