David and Walker are drinking a different beer each day* for an entire year, 365 beers in all, starting August 5th, 2010. We're writing about our daily regime to share the experiences and delicious discoveries with our friends and mild acquaintances to inspire YOU to bring previously unknown beers to your lips. (*limit one new beer per day consumed before midnight, no catch up days allowed)
I have about 45 minutes before I run to the airport and fly to Utah to meet the 'rents for a weekend getaway in Park City. David is at the X-Games and so I'm on my own for the beer, giving me the opportunity to pull something I've EAGERLY anticipated having, a very unique collaboration between Stone and two Japanese breweries, Ishii and Baird. Check out the video here
I love the craft brewing community for many reasons, but I especially love collaborations. This collaboration is particularly special, as Stone wanted to reach out to Japanese breweries to make a beer that relays the Japanese people are not alone and that people are thinking about them. This beer's proceeds will go to the Tsunami and Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund. It's dry hopped with Green Tea and the alcohol is the same magnitude as the earthquake, 9.2%, to correlate with the tremor. The whole situation is heartwarming is creating an uncomfortable amount of empathy within me. I already heard some really amazing news about my future today, which I will reveal a week from today on our one year beer-versary, and all this 'helping people' crap is really getting to me. Come on Walker! I need to find a telephone booth stat!
Besides the humanity, I'm just excited to try interesting beers and this is right for my wheelhouse.
There is a complex earthiness from tea, much more than I would think from dry hopping. As mentioned in the video above, the IPA-ness is a departure from your typical American IPA and it's more herbal than citrusy. While the herbal hop flavor is different than what I expect from a Stone beer, the body has the trademark of a Stone IPA. Overall, the bitterness is complex but also a quite astringent. This is a hop lovers brew for sure. I'm eating leftover spicy chicken mole and the bitterness is pairing well with the spice. I really appreciate this beer, even if I don't rank it as an All-Star. ARMAGEDDON rating.
Hide yo kids, hide yo wife because CARMAGEDDON IS UPON US!
Stupid names like the above are apparently what happens after the city closes down the busiest section of freeway in America for an entire weekend to replace a bridge. Other cities be warned. However much I hate that name, it's surprisingly catchy and it's far easier to say than the 405 is being closed down and everyone is losing their minds.
I'm anticipating either an insane amount of traffic or nothing at all to happen. Regardless, I'm using the opportunity to replace my broken beach cruiser with a mountain bike that will tear up the streets and trails. My first test drive will be a 14 mile round trip ride tomorrow. I'm stoked!
Today's beer is brought to you by the good people of Rogue and it's the final beer in our 7 day septathlon of Rogue Brewery beers. That's a ton of their signature Pac-Man yeast! This entry is part of Rogue's signature line and Chef Morimoto - award winning chef, Iron Chef and all around badass - helped design it. It's made with Soba, which I thought was a type of noodle. Carmageddon may end Los Angeles, but on the bright side I'm still an idiot. Phew. This is Soba -
Soba (also known as buckwheat)
is not a type of wheat but a member of the rhubarb family
and has been a longtime staple of Japanese cuisine because
of its nutritional value.
They say it isn't a wheat, but it certainly pours hazy like one. How will rhubarb's confused cousin taste?
Morimoto Soba has a very clean profile with a unique and subtle sweetness from the Soba but is otherwise a very simple beer. It's a beer that one might expect from Japan - interesting and professional. Quite polite as well. ARMAGEDDON rating
Watched BLACK SWAN thanks to Melissa. It was disturbing, intensely thrilling and beautiful. Incredibly powerful, the film turned an idyllic Sunday evening into a haunting affair.
So I heated up the Quelque Chose for David, which I've already counted as a beer but really wanted to have it during the holidays. It's a Sour Brown Ale with cherries that's really unique and quite sweet. Here's my entry about it: http://www.beereveryday.com/2010/08/christmas-time-in-august.html
I caught up with one of the beer David brought from Japan, the Asahi Clear.
Something is lost in the translation because this isn't "clear" in the same manner as Clear Pepsi or Clear Tab, which I was hoping for. However, I was pleased to find that it's different than the Asahi Super Dry that I frequent in sushi restaurants.
I enjoyed this a perfectly drinkable beer. Dry, crisp, and hokay. David bought this at a store called 'Family Mart'. 'Nuff said. Drink to party, ARMAGEDDON rating.
Suntory not only makes whiskey, as depicted in the above clip, but also beer. Picked up by David from Japan at their version of an AM/PM and it pretty much calls for party times. Rich Malt is different than our cheap beer; it's heavy and creamy like a Coors with an edge like Natty Light. It's an international equivalent of a party beer. THE ISLAND rating.
In my research for the Bill Murray clip, I found an actual Suntory whiskey commercial with Sean Connery which is hilarious:
I promise that for every Japanese beer we drink, I will search high and low for an awkward commercial video with a well known actor. You're welcome readers.
