Arrghhh... yeah I made it home. I tell you guys, if you ever have the opportunity to meet Chris and sample both his hospitality and his beers you WILL NOT be disappointed.
I'd never experienced any 'over-the-top' hoppy brews in my life and I tell you, Chris sure knows how to craft a fine beer. I was expecting a mouth puckering bitter drink with lies about how good it tasted but I was incredibly surprised. I wouldn't call myself a hophead, but I think I've been converted; Chris is a master of getting the balance right. The IIPA is a true masterpiece - I don't think I'd sit on it all night as I wouldn't last long, but it's just so tasty.
A couple of days after I landed in the country CJ forwarded a box is brews to the house I was staying at in Takaoka:
1 x Cranbeery Ale
1 x Three Beery Ale
2 x Autumn Ale
2 x Summit IPA
2 x Simcoe JPA
2 x Hop 10 Cubed
2 x IIPA of some description that the name escapes me (sorry Chris!)
These were slowly drunk over a couple of weeks and introduced to some Japanese blokes who didn't appreciate them quite as Hamish & I did. The fruit beers were not my thing, but I can at least say I've tried fruit beer now.
We had an "interesting" time trying to meet at Tokyo station when I arrived from the countryside with both of us trying to get station announcements in order to meet!
The beers at Popeye's were extremely tasty, although our starter "Stout" would've faired poorly in a BJCP event. It was an easy drinking black beer with a beautifully creamy head but was not even close to being a stout. The pale ales and IPAs that followed were very well crafted with fantasic hoppy aromas and flavours. I'm just so unused to having a commercial outlet pour me such tasty brew. The best beer I tasted there was the Baird Barleywine (my first barleywine) which had a distinct whiskey-like aroma, probably due to some cask aging.
After finishing up there, we headed back to Chris' for a few more, one of which (Schwarzbier) I managed to spill on his lovely carpet :huh: Talk about embarrassing! We eventually returned at about 2am with a 6:30am alarm planned. I managed to get up and ready, although looks may've been deceiving as I was still feeling the effects of the consumption from the night before... Was a little tired on the flight to Singapore, but it was no great drama. I hadn't had an AFD in 4 weeks, so my body was happy to avoid alcohol for a bit anyway.
I'm glad I refused the "take away" beer and hops as I was stung for excess baggage as it was, and the thought of taking vaccuum sealed hops as carry on luggage through Singapore scares me!
Anyway this post is getting to be as long as a Pistol Patch post so I'll finish it up.
Chris, thanks for a great time and for sharing your most excellent beer with me. It was an honour to have been hosted by someone who is so proficient in the art of brewing and a top bloke at the same time. :beer:
