Jump to content

Japanese Beer Arrives For Otakon!


Recommended Posts

This just in to my e-mail box a few minutes ago from Max's Taphouse in Fells Point:

"Baird Brewing Company

This Tuesday we are featuring some brand new beers from Japan. We will be featuring from the Baird Brewery in Numazu, Japan:

Rising Sun Pale Ale 5.0% ABV [alcohol by volume]- American West Coast Style [Pale Ale]

Red Rose Amber 5.4% ABV- Inspired by the steam beer style [Anchor Steam, for example]

Angry Boy Brown 6.2% ABV- Bigger, bolder and Hoppier than most [brown ales]

Kurofune Porter 6 0% ABV- Classic dark English Style

These will be served by the bottle.

http://www.bairdbeer.com/home.html"

Now, the Tuesday Night Beer Social is a weekly gathering of beer geeks (who do with beer what otaku do with anime). These beers will be available not just on Tuesday night; they received a healthy shipment and should have some on hand throughout the weekend. This bar also has some beers from another noted Japanese craft brewery, Hitachino Nest, on hand as well, possibly on draft for the weekend if he can find the kegs he has on hand in their huge cellars.

I called the beer manager and asked if this brewery's shipment to their bar was timed for Otakon. "You got it!" he replied.

And just to make it plain: This is the real location of the bar that you might have seen a couple years ago during Otakon over where that California Tortilla is now, catty-corner from the Pratt Street entrance of the BCC. They're down on the square in Fells Point, a long haul aways from the BCC--but maybe some of you want to head there on Thursday night or Sunday afternoon/evening. The Water Taxi drops you off in Fells Point a block away from Max's. And if you're a beer geek already, this location is to beer geekery what Otakon is to otaku, with 75 craft beer taps and 500-some bottled beers, and has a nationally-known reutation as one of the best beer bars out there.

www.maxs.com is their website.

Before anyone asks, as is Maryland law the bar does not sell beer to go, so you can't go there to buy a case for your room party. The only places likely to have this beer on hand for retail sale are Wells Liquor on York Road at the city/county line and State Line Liquors in Elkton, Md. (convenient to I-95 at the Delaware/Md. border).

Reviews of the beers are likely tomorrow on my beer blog, www.beerinbaltimore.blogspot.com .

Full disclosure: I have no financial interest in either Baird's, Hitachino, the distributors, or any of the bar/retail establishments except as a regular customer of the latter.

Cheers!

Link to post
Share on other sites
Asahi beats the hell out of Sapporo, and it's truly "a beer for all seasons". As far as this town goes though, it's kinda hard to find and I've only seen about half of the sushi/asian joints actually carry it... and I've NEVER seen it on draft.

As for Max's, the only problem with their huge selection is that half of the stuff has been there for months, so you might want to stick to more common/new/special brews they carry in bottles. And pay with cash... unless you want to have them charge whatever they feel like for a tip on your credit card.

Link to post
Share on other sites

i've never had japanese beer before [or sake].... i tend to like sweet drinks. the only beer i like is that belgium beer, 'blue moon'.

is japanese beer sweet like blue moon or bitter and stronge?

and Flying Scotsman - in yoru first post, did you copy/paste the email you received or did you write that? if you didnt write that i am kinda amazed by how baltimore businesses are gearing up for us!

Link to post
Share on other sites
::applause::

You sound very knowledgeable. Is there a place in the downtown con area that has Asahi on tap?

^_^

Why would I direct you to the Japanese version of Bud Dry when there are beers out there with FLAVOR? :P (Actually, Japan is also big on "black beer"--stout and black lager--but little of that makes it here from Japan.)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Two updates:

A correction on retail sales: They WILL sell individual bottles to go, but they charge "bar" prices, ain't cheap.

They ALSO have a VERY limited supply of three beers jointly brewed by Rogue of Oregon and a Japanese brewery, with bottles silk-painted in Japanese and some English (mostly Japanese). There's the Buckwheat Ale, the Red Fox Ale, and another one whose name escapes me. These beers are no longer available through normal distribution or the brewery, and are thus collectible. I'll post a photo on my blog:

www.beerinbaltimore.blogspot.com

Link to post
Share on other sites
Ya want something cheap and flavorless to wash down crabs or get drunk on? Natty Boh (or, more properly, National Bohemian) is the local swill.

Actually, no, it isn't. It's now owned by Pabst (which bought out Stroh's, which bought out Heileman, which bought out Carling, which bought out National in 1973....), hasn't been brewed locally since the Halethorpe brewery was shut down in 2000, and what shows up here now gets brewed in Texas.

But, hey, don't let me tell you your favorite "local" beer is a myth. :)

Now, if any of you want truly LOCAL stuff, there's the Wharf Rat brewpub across the street, The Brewer's Art up at 1106 N. Charles St., the Dog Pub brewpub on Cross St. in Federal Hill, and Clipper City's beers all over town........ and if you want to count the suburban Red Brick Station brewpub in White Marsh, or Wild Goose in Frederick, or Flying Dog (based in Denver but all their beer is brewed at the Wild Goose brewery in Frederick)..........

Link to post
Share on other sites
Uhh no duh it's not local. I'm pretty sure everyone who's alive in Baltimore is aware of that. Even the old Natty Boh Tower wasn't actually a Natty Boh building to begin with.

Would you perchance be referring to the tall building in Highlandtown (southeast Baltimore) that has that big red "Mr. Boh" atop it, winking to us every 45 seconds at night?

Well, as a matter of fact, if that's what you mean by the "Natty Boh Tower"...........

............ That WAS INDEED the National Brewing Co. brewing building. In other words, that WAS INDEED where Natty Boh was brewed decades ago.

Now, do you have any further questions or smart-aleck comments for the professional beer writer and historian? ^_^

Link to post
Share on other sites

That's awesome. I love living in Fells....

anyhow, Ale Mary's, a cool pub in Fells, has had Hitachino Nest on tap for a while, I love it! When I ordered, i'd always order, "I'll have the Anime beer, please!" I loved the owl logo....

Link to post
Share on other sites
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.