Summer ends and in that brief period before the winter cold sets in, there are, as you probably know, all the seasonal beers of autumn well worth tasting. Pumpkin ale is the most famous. Pumpkin is of course most closely associated with Halloween and is harvested in autumn. The fruit can be sliced as is,…

“Today’s forecast calls for highs around 29C (84F), 70% humidity and the discomfort index at 80. Let’s make the most of it, however we can!” It all starts with the young weather girl on the morning news, cheerfully announcing another filthy hot summer day. I was born in the Tohoku (the northeast) region and am…

Finally, it’s the season to enjoy drinking beer out in the open air! Fresh air makes beer tastier. There were many winter days this year, but perhaps having a cold day is not too bad because we don’t have to care too much about keeping beers cool if we leave the cooling bag at home.…

Winter is dry, cold and, for someone like me with the chills, a rather trying season. I’m not at all a fan of the cold. But that doesn’t mean I hate winter—I’m actually a little partial to it. I suspect my romance with winter probably has something to do with coming in from the cold…