Show 24: Beering Japanese
Prebeer Preamble: From the land of the rising sun come two beers that, well…couldn’t be more different from each other. Helping me sort this out are my lovely wife Carolyn as well as friends Jon and Hiroko Austin. Also on this show, I announce the first ever SoB contest. You, yes YOU can win a complete First Born Pale Ale brewing kit from Brewer’s Connection, and all you have to do is call and leave me a voicemail by March 12th, 2007! The winner will be picked at random from the names of callers (so, uh, don’t forget to leave your name!).
Beer #1: Our first beer from Japan is the mass produced and globally distributed Sapporo Premium. As we munch away on edamame, much talk of rice ensues, and Hiroko waxes nostalgic about beer clashes with her parents.
Interbeer Interlude: The Build-A-Beer Workshop. “Brew Day!” With friend and brewing n00b Shawn Alexander in tow, I brew up a Pale Ale using a malt extract kit. Don’t worry, I’ve cut out virtually all of the “waiting for water to boil” parts.
Beer #2: I throw Jon and Hiroko a curveball with this one, Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale. If you could make a beer that’s the exact opposite of Sapporo, it would probably be this. How does it go down? Hint: two of the drinkers like it, and two don’t. You connect the dots.
Beer Geek Moment: “Sake.” What, you think sake’s got nothing to do with beer? Au contraire mon fraire! Find out just how spookily similar these two fermented libations actually are in this little three-minute info blast.
Postbeer Postscript: Two beers plus four drinkers equals lots of numbers flying around come scoring time. Still, the pattern is pretty clear. And what is that pattern? Tune in and find out!
February 28th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Good show, will be curious to see/try the Nest Red Rice Ale based on the audio descriptions. And awesome editing in the homebrew segment, wish the actual boil time, etc. could be that quick!
March 7th, 2007 at 5:21 am
I think its great that you’re including beers so far off the other shows’ radar, even if I can’t also try them
, even at my local Whole Foods. I’d like to see more of that.
I’d also like to see more of those blind tastings you promised. It’s entertaining and insightful, and nobody else is doing it. I’d really like to know how much of what brewers put into their products is just “holistic” vs. specifically detectable. Of course, the Nest Reds are probably not good choices for this sort of thing.
Keep on casting.