Beer - #366 - Baird - Suruga Bay Imperial IPA

Second of two - Baird - Suruga Bay Imperial IPA

Brewed by Baird Brewing Co. in the style of an  Imperial/Double IPA and they do that in  Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan

Again the odd sized 360 ml bottle, which has a 90 IBU rated beer, (which is smack in the middle of the 80-100 number for DIPA,) and a 7.8 ABV beer, being all up a   2.2 standard drink units worth, and also for the belt concious has 225 calories in it.

 This extraordinarily complex yet balanced Double IPA is dry-hopped twice with whole flower cones and then krausened at packaging. The hop character (bitterness, flavor, aroma) is profound – vast and impactful like our local Suruga Bay is deep and magnificent.

 The first key to a great Double IPA is dryness of character despite the high original gravity. This is accomplished, foremost, through high attenuation by the yeast during

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fermentation. We aim for an apparent attenuation around 85% which yields relative dryness and alcohol strength. The second key is a fantastic and powerful hop aroma. This we achieve by dry hopping Suruga Bay Imperial IPA with several varieties of pungently strong American hops. We conduct this dry hopping not once but twice, in two separate tanks. Then, at packaging, to ensue a vigorous secondary fermentation and natural carbonation, we krauesen Suruga Bay with a percentage of peak fermentation beer from a different batch. Suruga Bay Imperial IPA is a wickedly compelling flavor experience. Its hop character is as rich as Japan’s Suruga Bay is deep (it is Japan’s deepest bay and Baird Brewing is located on its inner shore). The greatness of Suruga Bay Imperial IPA resides in a supreme drinkability that pervades in spite of the potency.

Baird Beer is unfiltered and thus yeast sediment gathers at the bottom of the bottle. We recommend pouring Baird Beer gently, leaving most of the yeast sediment in the bottle. 

So what's the odds that I'll just get in and pour the whole thing in one go?

Lot hoppier and yeastier on opening, ton of hiss....

Pours a lot paler than I though, more yellow golden than darker.  despite a head seems flat in the glass. Might be my fault though. Always is.

Lots of the hop aroma in the glass.

Aa cracking amount of hop bitterness and I get lemon and other citrus things, and it then tends to a dry finish.  That's nice.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 a of its things from the thing.

It's not brash or sharp, it has a nice bitterness and a lovely sweet carry, and a finish to dry. But it's not spectacular or demanding of a place in the top tier. the IPA and DIPA market are awash with good beers from good brewers, This would be nice to drink out if it was a choice, and it'd be a choice well made, but I might not take it home with me after.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Yes I am.


2. Would I have another? I mightn't though


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I don't think this is cuts the mustard as a companion heer,

Challenged I'm listening to @Peace and the Plutonian Noise Symphony - This is the track - No Stars In The City. Google them, you can pay what you like for the Album. It's trippy.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8Hj9Fw4FMk&w=560&h=315]

IMPERIAL/DOUBLE IPA

Imperial IPA, Double IPA or DIPA is a strong, often sweet, intensely hoppy version of the traditional India Pale Ale. Bitterness units range upward of 100 IBUs and alcohol begins at 7.5% but is more commonly in the 8.5-10% range. The flavour profile is intense all-round. Unlike barley wines, the balance is heavily towards the hops, with crystal and other malts providing support.

Beer - #365 - Baird - Teikoku IPA

Baird, I had one ages ago, so I thought I'd go again... First of two - Baird Teikoku IPA. 

Brewed by Baird Brewing Co. in the style of an  India Pale Ale (IPA) and they do that in  Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan

6.5% ABV, 1.8 standard drinks in this bottle which is 360 ml  (an odd size), 180 calories of things.  55 IBU things - which is low from an IPA that usually kick in around 60.

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This brew bursts with hop character while still achieving a sublime balance due to a firm, robust malt backbone. It is a cross between an English-style and American-style India Pale Ale that is full-bodied and refreshing all at once.

Baird Beer is unfiltered and thus yeast sediment gathers at the bottom of the bottle. We recommend pouring Baird Beer gently, leaving most of the yeast sediment in the bottle. 

Glad I found that last about of info, nothing worse than floaters in your beer.

Bready yeasty aroma on opening, but a bunch of really sweet  too.

Remember that bit about not pouring it all. Forgot that. Of course. All in. 

Crisp chestnut brown pour with a decent head. Aroma changed but for the better.

Very carbonated on the tongue, is carbonation my new thing?

The flavour is a bit confusing, I'm not sure I recognise this as an IPA. Stand by.

Odd is what.

This isn't unpleasant, it's just a run of the mill, average her, but it's not disappointing.  Of course no way of knowing what the expiry date is, given my limited Japanese.

I have a suspicion that this may be past it's best though as the flavour profile seems to have left. I could be wrong, I often am.

But it's nicely sweet and mellow, with a bitterness that is in line with the low IBU indicated. So then I think that this is just a nice mellow beer that stands on it's own.  And that's a good thing.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7 a of its things from the thing. I thought this was very drinkable and not at all unpleasant. I'd readily have these in the fridge as a go to beer for me to enjoy, price being of course the reason not to.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Sort of, it's a challenge because it's not bitter and


2. Would I have another? I don't think so, but possibly yes.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? No. It'd be a source of arguments and frowning.

Challenged I'm listening to @Peace and the Plutonian Noise Symphony - This is the track - No Stars In The City. Google them, you can pay what you like for the Album. It's trippy.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8Hj9Fw4FMk&w=560&h=315]

INDIA PALE ALE & IPA

India Pale Ale gets its name and unique style from British brewers who were making beer for export to India. This style has an intense hop flavor which was used to preserve the beer for the long voyage. India Pale Ale has a golden to copper color with a medium maltiness and body. The aroma is moderate to very strong. IPAs work especially well at cutting the heat of chili, vindaloo or Sichuan cuisine.

Beer - #87 - Baird Beer - Kurofune Porter

Ok, back on track I hope, Baird Kurofune Porter, Brewed by the Baird Brewing Co. in the style of a Porter and this is all the way from Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan, in it's 330ml bottle of 6%ABV thing.

Kurofune (means "Black Ships") was the word the Japanese used to describe the American gunboats that came to open Japan to western trade. Kurofone Porter is sleek and forceful, but leaves a winning bittersweet taste of chocolate and coffee on the tongue. "Do not resist the superior might; cunningly acquiesce, and embrace." Kampai!

I remember that I fell in a bit of lust with the Baird Beer – Baird Wabi Sabi IPA a while ago, I have fond memories of Baird being a bit special.

And I am on a Porter adventure, one that I'm not getting the hang of, Porter either eludes me or it's not all that and bag of crisps. I do like the romanticism of a Japanese beer however and the delivery of these makes you look at the label for meaning.

and we're back in the room......  The immediate aroma is a bitter... it's dark dark, it's heady, there are a bunch of hops and malts.

The immediate taste isn't of chocolate but then it's there at the back, the front taste is of a fruit like a  plum or damson but not, I wonder what fruit that is? The wonderful way the chocolate carries through though, that's a nice thing. So a light sweet dark and multi-layer beer.

I find though that for all I thought that this was bit thin, a bit of "oh here comes the chocolate" taste, and that made it less of a thing. These guys are trying though and this seems to be very close to an "it" that you think you are looking for in a beer.

The pdubyah-o-meter can only get 7 from 10 arbitrary things, which makes this just about on a par as a beer, the place where you're neither challenged or insulted, not enlightened or made to feel a bit  silly.

Sadly though, Nothing to see here, move along....

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Beer - #37 - Baird Beer - Baird Wabi Sabi IPA

Baird Brewing Company is a family-run craft brewery and pub business headquartered in Numazu, Japan.  The Baird Beer I have then is In the Style of an India Pale Ale (IPA), and it is from Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan.

Baird Wabi Sabi IPA. What's with that -  Baird Beer  is unfiltered and the addition of whole leaf green tea to Wabi-Sabi IPA has contributed a very strong particle sediment. Apparently.

It's a 6% ABV in a big 633ml bottle beer.

It's very pale, golden, hazy/cloudy and fizzy. it carries a small head, more of soda than beer. It's very hoppy/yeasty in aroma.

And it tastes like a traditional IPA, more in the american style or pale ale I'd suggest. And there is a bit of melange of flavor on the tongue. The taste carries long.

You can taste the tea!, unless I believe everything I read.

It's odd and yet not unwelcome. There is more of a smile than a frown in this. I'm sure the burp was natural and not because of the beer, honest. I'm quite chuffed with this selection, although I wish I'd taken heed of the sediment warning that I myself cut and paste in to this review. Still it won't harm me. And no, the burps seem to come as an undocumented feature. The head, you'll be pleased to know carries too. It looks like a beer, tastes like a beer, and by jolly it's a top effort!

Arbitrarily then this is about an 8.5 from 10 arbitrary things on the arbitrary pdubyah-o-meter. It wouldn't be out of place amongst some of the craft brews that are appearing in New Zealand and gives more than their fair share a decent run for the money, I like this beer.

「すごい！きれい！  as they say. And the Liquorland people in Forest Hill you rock too.

Related articles

• What Your Favorite Type Of Beer Says About You To A Date (howaboutwe.com)


• Bryan Baird's Newsletter (2012/04/30): May is Hop Madness Month; Two New Hoppy Seasonal Releases (shizuokagourmet.com)


• Review: Deviant Dales Pale Ale (boston.com)


• Beer Review: Threadless IPA [Finch's Beer Company] (twscritic.com)


• Who put that tea in my beer? (distaffsight.wordpress.com)