Category: Uncategorized
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Gora Brewery and Grill, Hakone, Japan
When traveling across Japan I normally make it a point to stop at the local breweries. My trip to Hakone was no different and I found myself at Gora Brewing Co. This little brewery is tucked into this mountain community about four hours south-east of Tokyo. Although quite small it boast four awards from the…
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Fred Eckhardt’s Birthday
If you have read my previous post or have read much on beer and brewing you have probably already heard of Michale Jackson the beer writer. Before I read this book I thought that Mr. Jackson was the only major beer writer in the nineteen eighty’s and early ninety’s. While Jackson focused on writing about…
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Star Wars Day; Kirishima Beer, Stout, Kirishima Shuzo Co.
This week is Golden Week in Japan. This is a series of holidays that all fall within a weeks time. They are Showa Day, Constitutional Memorial Day, Greenery Day, and Children’s Day. Because of the close proximity of these holidays this is the big travel and holiday time for many in the country. Today, May…
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Asahi, The Rich, Asahi Brewery
It’s been over a week since the last post. The family took a last second staycation to a resort to the north end of Okinawa. While up there we found a beer that we have not seen elsewhere in Japan. Asahi is one of the largest breweries in Japan but is normally recognized as the…
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Orion, Okinawa’s Craft The Draft.
In 1957 Sosei Gushiken started a brewery on the island of Okinawa to develop industry on the island in the post-war Japan. Originally the company brewed a German lager beer but changed to an American lager to better compete for business. For years the beer was a uniquely Okinawian beer. Popularity spread with US military…
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Flaviar Taste Tester: Brandy
Beer is primarily made with malted grain and liquor is that brewers beer put through a still to separate alcohol from the rest of the liquid. Brandy on the other hand begins as grapes which are fermented into wine. This wine is run through a still as well to create brandy. During Trans-Atlantic trade wine…
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The Premium Malt’s, Premium Pilsner, Suntory
From the information page on Suntory website, “Suntory Group is a global leader in consumer packaged goods, producing and distributing a uniquely diverse portfolio of beverages, premium spirits, beer and wine, and wellness products throughout the world.” In plain speak I would say that Suntory produces a wide varieties of beverages that span from Japanese…
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Robert Burns Night, Lagavulin 11 Year, Nick Offerman Edition
On this day 263 years ago Robert Burns was born in Scotland. He would go on to put to word what many Scots thought of their homeland and be remembered as the poet of Scotland. As the diaspora has spread across the globe they have taken this day to celebrate the man and their heritage.…
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Beer & Book Review: Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer, Maureen Ogle, 2006
The news of Monster Energy Drink buying CANarchy has fanned once again the craft beer purist complaint that another brewery has sold out to the man and gone against its core foundation. This same argument has been made when Bell Brewery was sold to Lion a subsidiary of Kirin Brewing and Goose Island was sold…
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Honey Liqueur
While exploring our new local bottle shop I stumbled down the nips isle. These bottles, also called shooters, airplane, mini-bar, or travel-sized bottles, contain 1.7oz (50ml) to 3.4oz (100ml) of alcohol. This is just enough alcohol to mix a drink and is a great way to try out something new. Looking through the shelves I…
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Twelve Drummers Drumming. Fukizakura Heights Beer, Rauch
Traditionally the Yule log was burned through the Christmas season. It seems only fitting that we end with this holiday tradition. On the last day of Christmas the Yule log would be completely burnt and this season would come to an end. To mark this occasion we finish with a distinctly unique style of beer. …
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Eleven Pipers Piping. Sierra Nevada Brewing, Barrel Aged Narwal
Ken Grossman the founder of Sierra Nevada began his brewery in 1980. In a time where small breweries were few and far between Ken took an unique approach to build his brew house. Taking up-cycled dairy equipment he developed a pale ale beer that was much bitter than any of the light lagers that existed…
Luke Pernotto 