The Bard's Yards, Vol. 3 - "Tama no Megumi" - Tama's Gift (and some English proverbs, too!)

A beer blog that I have recently discovered and enjoy has a title that I really dig: A Beer in Hand is Worth Two in the Fridge, by Jay Zeis.

Growing up, my grandfather tried steadfastly to impart on me such classic wisdom as "As you sow, so shall you reap," "Never look a gift horse in the mouth," and "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."  Well, Jay Zeis's adaptation A Beer in Hand is Worth Two in the Fridge is precisely how I feel about "Tama no Megumi", a microbrew from western Tokyo, here in Japan.  "Tama no Megumi" is produced by Ishikawa Breweries, perhaps better known at the moment for it's sake production, but destined for greater success.

I was considering the meaning of "Tama no Megumi", and how to translate it into English. "Tama" is the name of a region in western Tokyo, and, according to my dictionary, "megumi" can be translated as "bounty", "grace", "blessing", or "gift".  I think when it comes to beer, the word "bounty" might be the most appropriately stylish, especially when considering the often sassy or self-assured attitude associated with many craft beer brewery names (Arrogant Bastard Ale comes to mind...). But when paired with the place name "Tama",  "Tama's Gift" has a generous and nostalgic ring to it.  I picture a hearty brewmaster of yesteryear knocking with pride and affection on a giant iron beer cauldron.

Well, after successively sampling Tama no Megumi's Pilsner and Pale Ales, I truly felt as though I had been given a gift from Tama.  First, I would compare the pilsner, light and refreshingly crisp with a touch of sweetness, to the image of a good friend distracting you with light-hearted and fun conversation; the welcomed arbiter bringing about a well-earned modus vivendi between the work day and a promising evening ahead. And, just as the color of the sun in sunset could be likened to a rich, honey-like amber hue, so too can Tama no Megumi's pale ale. Akin to the unfolding richness and complexity of evening's conversation, and the sun's slow relinquishing of the sky to the moon and stars, this pale ale waxes lyrical about the day gone by.

If you're interested, and in the area, I highly recommend paying a visit to the brewery. A friend of mine introduced it to me over the summer and I've been back a few times already. It's called "Fussa no Biru Goya". There are actually two restaurants - one is Japanese style, which focuses on their sake, but it's the other which focuses on their beer. "Tama no Megumi" is delicious poured out of the bottle, but even better fresh out of the tap.  The food is great, too.

And now for my notes. My apologies, but I only have notes on the pale ale...perhaps absence will make the heart grow fonder?

DATE: 9.6.11

COUNTRY: Japan

Ishikawa Breweries: Tama no Megumi (Pale Ale)

ABV 5.5%

APPEARANCE: Pours a beautiful honey amber color, with a short cream colored head that dies slowly but surely

SMELL:  floral, very light floral honey, slight scent of roasted wheat/malt? very slight citrus

TASTE:  Slightly sweet, nice roasted wheat/malt flavor with hints of a very floral honey and mildly spicy hops bite.

MOUTHFEEL: At first refreshing with a slight crispness accentuated by the hops, this beer smoothes out really nicely as it warms  

OVERALL:  A very solid pale ale that has become my "house ale".

COMMENTS:  I like this beer served very cold, but enjoy taking my time with it- I enjoy the sweetness and roasted flavors that come out as it warms.

The Bard's Yards, Vol. 2 - An unexpected indoctrination into the world of Flanders

For years, I'd seen this beer in stores around Tokyo that I frequent when I'm on the hunt for non-Japanese beverages. I'm not quite sure why I always passed it up - the label is pretty interesting, and the Japanese descriptions, though I periodically don't understand some words here and there, made this beer seem like a good bet. But in the end, I always ended up going for something else. This time, though, with options limited, I decided to make a leap of faith and picked it up.  

Well, I have to say this beer caught me off guard. Any of you who are familiar with this beer might be laughing a little right now.  As soon as I opened the bottle, there came rushing out a distinctly sour and fruity aroma. It wasn't unpleasant, but rather totally unexpected. 

And then the pour. I'm often complimented on how I pour beer (no matter the style), but this poured a massive, caramel-cream head, so out of control that I had to stop twice in order to let it settle enough to fit most of the bottle into the glass. Maybe somebody shook the bottle on me when I wasn't looking? 

The surprises didn't stop there. My first sip was a shocker, as was the second, third, fourth, and so on.  I have to confess that it took me awhile to wrap my mind around this drink. The beer was so intensely sour that I seriously wondered if I had a bum batch in hand. I even checked the dates on the label. But then the tang began to step aside a little to allow some other flavors to come through. I found myself starting to catch some oak, green apple and red grape flavors.  Anyway, the comedy ends here - the rest is in my notes below.  

So I'm happy to say that I learned something today.  This type of beer is called a "Flanders Red Ale". Here is the BeerAdvocate's description:

"Flanders Reds are commonly referred to as the "red" beers of West Flanders. Belgian Red Beers are typically light-bodied brews with reddish-brown colors. They are infamous for their distinct sharp, fruity, sour and tart flavors which are created by special yeast strains. Very complex beers, they are produced under the age old tradition of long-term cask aging in oak, and the blending of young and old beers."

If you'd like to learn more about Belgian farmhouse ales (Flanders Red Ale included), this book currently has my attention:

In closing, I'll draw your attention back to something I wrote in the first paragraph: 

"...the Japanese descriptions, though I periodically don't understand some words here and there, made this beer seem like a good bet." 

Perhaps one of the words I never got was "sour"? 

:-P

And now, the notes I made as I drank. Cheers! 

DATE: 8.21.11

COUNTRY: Belgium

Duchess de Bourgogne (Flanders Red Ale)

ABV 6.2%

APPEARANCE:  Rich amber color, caramel-cream colored giant head with endless lacing

SMELL:  Sour, fruity, black or balsamic vinegar

TASTE:  No bitterness; Sweet; absurdly tangy; red grapes!; green apple; strawberry; blueberry; like the smell it also tastes of black or balsamic vinegar; mellow oak and a tangy aftertaste that really lingers;

MOUTHFEEL:  Smooth, light, slightly crisp.  The carbonation is refreshing but mild.

COMMENTS:  I think I drank this beer slightly too warm. It probably would taste better if served very cold, which might help to draw attention away from the sourness, though you might lose some of the subtler flavors that make this a nice beer.  This is probably just me, but this beer is making me want to eat something salty – salty potato chips!! Am I American, or what?

OVERALL:  Easy to drink, something I would recommend for when someone is in the mood for trying something new, and definitely not for when you’re in the mood for a more “typical” beer. 

Scientists find lager beer's missing link — in Patagonia

Scientists find lager beer's missing link — in Patagonia

The Bard's Yards - Origins (a.k.a. My Home Run Brew Tale)

I love beer. But I don't like just anything and everything, and I certainly didn't always love beer. In fact, if someone had said to me when I was 21 years old that someday I would daydream about owning a craft beer and international beer import/export company, I would have laughed.

Back in those days, before wine was discovered and it was beer vs. "girly drinks", on any given weekend friends would get together, and like good Buffalonians, they would work their way through a case or two of one brewski or another. I'm pretty sure that "Quantity over quality" was the modus operandi back then.  Meanwhile, even though I really didn't like the stuff, to save face I made an attempt to fortify a manly image (beer puts hair on your chest, you see). And while I did my best to make it look like I was enjoying the beer in hand, I was in fact doing my best to tolerate as many as I could before inevitably having to throw in the towel and move on to something else. I'm pretty sure I was usually only able to get through two, on average. I even tried to convince myself that if I was persistent, I would eventually grow to like beer, just like everyone else.

Years went by and eventually I moved to Tokyo, Japan. One fine, cold, late winter's evening, while wandering around, aimlessly exploring my new neighborhood, I found a welcoming-looking little liquor store with a big glass front and an interior that glowed pleasantly with warm lighting and all natural woodwork (not common in Tokyo). So I ventured in.  The owner turned out to be extremely friendly and through a mix of his broken English and my even-worse-Japanese, we began talking about Japanese sake and beer. It turned out that his true love was Belgian beer. He introduced me to his nice little collection of international beers. He stocked a handful of beers from Belgium, a few popular and well-known beers from elsewhere in Europe, and a couple of America's better mainstream brews. We talked for awhile and before I knew it, in adventurous spirit I found myself trading ¥800 JPY (roughly $8US) for a single bottle of Trappistes Rochefort 10, (Belgium). To make a long story short, that little trade turned out to be one of the best ventures that I've ever made. Rochefort 10 instantly became my favorite beer, and forever altered my understanding of what beer is, and perhaps more importantly, what beer can be. I am now constantly on the hunt for amazing beers, beers that change perceptions and broaden horizons.


Rochefort 10 is my Home Run Brew. What's yours?