BB Fest

Outdoor barbecue and beer sounds like a great way to celebrate the arrival of warm weather. A ten-day festival combining the two sounds even better. Who doesnā€™t want an exponentially expanded selection of delicious food and drinks? Now add live music, dance performances and other entertainment, and you have a festive community gathering absolutely worthy…

Camp Baird

Most people know the essential items for successful camping: a tent, first-aid kit, sleeping bag, pillow, rain cover, maybe a Swiss army knife. Definitely beer. Camping and beer are classics. Each elevates the experience of the other. Beer and camping fans in Japan will be happy to know that Baird Beer in Shuzenji, Shizuoka is…

Get Ready for Fruit and Spice Beers!

(photo care of Sankt Gallen) Japanese craft breweries like Sankt Gallen have been making fruit beers for years. They’re about to get competition from the country’s industrial breweries. On April 1st the tax laws relating to beer in Japan will change, and several additives which were previously prohibited in ā€œbeerā€ will become acceptable. Until now,…

Beer House Ken Celebrates 25 years

Beer House Ken celebrates 25 years of operation on March 25th with a collaboration beer brewed by Baird Beer. Outside the western Tokyo suburbs where this small bottle shop is located, few people besides beer geeks probably know about the establishment. It has played an understated role in the appreciation of imported premium beer and…

Nine Lives from Sankt Gallen

Sankt Gallen Releases Rum Barrel-Aged Imperial Chocolate Stout ā€œNine Livesā€ Sankt Gallen has produced what is claimed to be the first rum barrel-aged beer in Japan. A year ago, they filled a barrel with their Valentine seasonal-release Imperial Chocolate Stout (8.5% abv) and are now preparing the aged version of it for keg-only release at…