Beer #5 - W/C 30 March 2015
BREWERY //
“Balance. Character. Complexity.”
In 2001 Bryan and Sayuri Baird opened the smallest licensed brewery in Japan with their 30 Litre brewhouse in the fish market of the coastal city of Numazu. Having studied at brewing school in California, the Bairds planned to bring completely new styles of craft beer, or ji-biiru, to Japan. Creating beers using the soft Numazu water and embracing the Japanese value placed upon harmony and craft means that Baird beers represent the best of American and Japanese brewing.
TASTING NOTES //
It is mid 80’s California and Phil Moeller was in the process of brewing a winter Barley Wine with a friend. When they accidentally poured far too much wheat into the mash they expected it to be ruined. They fermented the beer anyway and tried a sample which turned out to be delicious. A new beer style was born. A Wheat Wine is similar to Barley Wine in that character is rich, hearty and complex but it is lighter and more quaffable thanks to the large amount of wheat.
At a time when so many breweries focus on heavily hopped beers, it is refreshing to drink a beer which deviates from a strong hop profile and tastes so different to anything else. West Coast Wheat Wine is a full bodied, strong beer with bready, caramel flavours. A high amount of fruity esters and Belgian candy flavours are also present. This young style has elements of British Barley Wines, Belgian Tripels and German Wheatbeers with a thoroughly American result (by way of Japan).
BREWERY // Baird Beer
BEER // West Coast Wheat Wine
STYLE // Wheat Wine
ORIGIN // Numazu, Japan
ABV // 10%
BITTERNESS UNITS. IBU // 80
MALT // Floor-malted Marris Otter & Pilsen, Wheat
UNMALTED GRAIN // Japanese Wheat
HOPS // US Warrior, Citra, Galena, Centennial
YEAST // House Scottish Ale Strain
TEMPERATURE // Just below room temperature. Around 18C
FOOD MATCH // Smoked Trout. Caramel. Goat Cheese. Mangoes.
GLASS // Goblet or Chalice.