Tag Archives: wabi sabi

Nov 1 2012

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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Jul 14 2012

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.

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