Wednesday, August 30, 2006
The Big Catchup
Before I go any further, get yourself over to Quality Meats and order one of these:
That's the rib steak and its awesome. Come hungry!
Back to the beer now. I have 5 bottles to throw into this update and that will put me up to date on this blog.
251) Tama no Megumi (Ishikawa) Bottle Conditioned Ale - The first is yet another bottle to come to us from Japan. I brought this back with me from my trip. I believe I purchased this at the tourism office in Shinjuku at the Gov't Office Building. The pour is a murky orange-brown tea color. The head does not last long and there seems to be a lot of carbonation in this one. Floral hops on the nose with malt dominated taste and a slightly bitter finish.
252) Hopf Helle Weiss - Our second beer of this review comes to us from Germany, courtesy of the Beer of the Month Club. This is a German hefeweizen with the classic aromas of banana and clove. These are very evident on the nose. Great flavors of peppery spice and wheat. Light bodied and easy to drink. Smooth, refreshing finish.
253) Presidente - I think this may be the last major beer I hadn't had before this year. It's always been around but I have never opted to try it. I had this one while having lunch at work, at a restaurant called It's a Dominican Thing, which was excellent. I wish I could say the same thing about this beer. It was a dead ringer for Budweiser, whose awful taste, like an intimate encounter in a prison shower with an inmate named Bubba, somehow never leaves the memory. I didn't bother to take a pic.
254) Odell Levity Amber Ale - Another one from the Club. Foamy head on the pour, which is clear copper color. Aromas are subtle, but maybe too much so. You get hints of bread, mainly, but just sit there smelling it, hoping to get more. Not much to this one. Drinkable and inoffensive, but bland. I will try it again after the other bottles have had time to sit, but I reckon this is one of those so-so microbrews that a macro fan tries and decides to stick to the usual stuff because its not very special.
255) Abbaye des Rocs Brune - With #255 also comes #450 for my career, so I wanted it to be something special. This beer is currently ranked #34 in the world on RateBeer and it is no surprise why. First of all, peep the new glassware, which my mom swiped for me from a local restaurant. What a mom! Now I can take photos of all my heavier beers in the proper glassware. The last 100 or so on my list is going to be a great run for sure. Anyways, back to this wonderful creation from Belgium. This beer had one of the thickest layers of yeast inside - you could probably age this one for some time before drinking it. Pours a deep reddish brown with an everlasting head. The aromas are so complex and heavenly it is hard to come up with the words for it. You could literally just sniff this all day and be satisfied. Look for hints of sweet caramel followed by all kinds of scents of dark stewed fruits. I'm talking raisins and plums. This is the beer to give to a wine drinker or a skeptic if they don't respect beer. Full bodied, with a subtly sweet taste followed by notes of wood. The finish lasts forever. The first sip makes you want to savor this beer slowly. The best I have tried this year and one of my top 5 all time, easily. If I had to wrap it up in one word it would be: indulgence.
So 255 down leaving 110 to go. Unbelieveable that I have come this far already. There is no stopping now. I will have a new one tonight, as I still have many bottles to work my way through. Because I sprung for Mets season tix and postseason tix, I am not going to any bars this week, I don't think.
Check back soon for the latest updates!
That's the rib steak and its awesome. Come hungry!
Back to the beer now. I have 5 bottles to throw into this update and that will put me up to date on this blog.
251) Tama no Megumi (Ishikawa) Bottle Conditioned Ale - The first is yet another bottle to come to us from Japan. I brought this back with me from my trip. I believe I purchased this at the tourism office in Shinjuku at the Gov't Office Building. The pour is a murky orange-brown tea color. The head does not last long and there seems to be a lot of carbonation in this one. Floral hops on the nose with malt dominated taste and a slightly bitter finish.
252) Hopf Helle Weiss - Our second beer of this review comes to us from Germany, courtesy of the Beer of the Month Club. This is a German hefeweizen with the classic aromas of banana and clove. These are very evident on the nose. Great flavors of peppery spice and wheat. Light bodied and easy to drink. Smooth, refreshing finish.
253) Presidente - I think this may be the last major beer I hadn't had before this year. It's always been around but I have never opted to try it. I had this one while having lunch at work, at a restaurant called It's a Dominican Thing, which was excellent. I wish I could say the same thing about this beer. It was a dead ringer for Budweiser, whose awful taste, like an intimate encounter in a prison shower with an inmate named Bubba, somehow never leaves the memory. I didn't bother to take a pic.
254) Odell Levity Amber Ale - Another one from the Club. Foamy head on the pour, which is clear copper color. Aromas are subtle, but maybe too much so. You get hints of bread, mainly, but just sit there smelling it, hoping to get more. Not much to this one. Drinkable and inoffensive, but bland. I will try it again after the other bottles have had time to sit, but I reckon this is one of those so-so microbrews that a macro fan tries and decides to stick to the usual stuff because its not very special.
255) Abbaye des Rocs Brune - With #255 also comes #450 for my career, so I wanted it to be something special. This beer is currently ranked #34 in the world on RateBeer and it is no surprise why. First of all, peep the new glassware, which my mom swiped for me from a local restaurant. What a mom! Now I can take photos of all my heavier beers in the proper glassware. The last 100 or so on my list is going to be a great run for sure. Anyways, back to this wonderful creation from Belgium. This beer had one of the thickest layers of yeast inside - you could probably age this one for some time before drinking it. Pours a deep reddish brown with an everlasting head. The aromas are so complex and heavenly it is hard to come up with the words for it. You could literally just sniff this all day and be satisfied. Look for hints of sweet caramel followed by all kinds of scents of dark stewed fruits. I'm talking raisins and plums. This is the beer to give to a wine drinker or a skeptic if they don't respect beer. Full bodied, with a subtly sweet taste followed by notes of wood. The finish lasts forever. The first sip makes you want to savor this beer slowly. The best I have tried this year and one of my top 5 all time, easily. If I had to wrap it up in one word it would be: indulgence.
So 255 down leaving 110 to go. Unbelieveable that I have come this far already. There is no stopping now. I will have a new one tonight, as I still have many bottles to work my way through. Because I sprung for Mets season tix and postseason tix, I am not going to any bars this week, I don't think.
Check back soon for the latest updates!
Monday, August 28, 2006
Divine Bar
Last Sunday I went with Tina to Divine Bar, big tapas lounge/wine bar in Midtown. They have 2 locations and we went to the one on the west side.
The decor is really nice and one can picture it packed with people on a Friday or Saturday night. In addition to tapas dishes (which can vary in quality here), they offer numerous wine flights and a good beer selection.
Here are the dishes we had:
Sesame Crusted Chicken w/ Cumin-Ginger-Curry Vinaigrette and Tsatziki Cucumber Dip
- These were ok except the chicken got kind of cold very quickly. Wasn't crazy about either of the dips.
On top: Spicy Beef Satay. In the middle: Quesadilla w/ Sliced Chicken, Ripe Tomato, Sweet Corn, and Cilantro with Vermont Cheddar. On the bottom: Baked Brie w/ Honey Roasted Walnuts and Dates and Apple Slices.
- The beef wasn't that great, and came w/ the same sauce as the chicken.
- Quesadillas were pretty standard stuff.
- The Brie was awesome. I had a bottle of Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale (which doesn't count) and it was an incredible match. The nutty flavors of the brie and the walnut/date mixture paired beautifully with the cedar notes of the beer.
Speaking of beer...
I HAD TWO NEW ONES!!
249) Wachusett Blueberry - I continue to be unimpressed/disgusted with fruit beers. I don't know what it is. I like to find subtle fruit flavors and aromas in my beer but I don't like when they are overpoweringly sweet and up front, and I don't like when they taste like flavored seltzer. This is sadly in the flavored seltzer category for me. The Dogfish Head ones (Aprihop, Raison) and Magic Hat #9 are the exceptions for me. I downed the rest of this quickly to get it overwith. Then I ordered the Hitachino.
Second new beer of the night was:
250) Unibroue Maudite - Since it was #250, I wanted to make it something a little special, and I'm glad I chose the Maudite. This is a Belgian style ale with a nice deep caramel color. It looks like syrup. Excellent fruit flavors reminiscent of a fine champagne. Nice caramel flavors blend in with that to bring you to a warm finish.
That's 250 beers with 115 to go. Expect my next update to be a catchup with 5 or 6 new ones on there.
Oh! And who can forget dessert!
We had the Nutella wontons. They was gooooood!
Later!
The decor is really nice and one can picture it packed with people on a Friday or Saturday night. In addition to tapas dishes (which can vary in quality here), they offer numerous wine flights and a good beer selection.
Here are the dishes we had:
Sesame Crusted Chicken w/ Cumin-Ginger-Curry Vinaigrette and Tsatziki Cucumber Dip
- These were ok except the chicken got kind of cold very quickly. Wasn't crazy about either of the dips.
On top: Spicy Beef Satay. In the middle: Quesadilla w/ Sliced Chicken, Ripe Tomato, Sweet Corn, and Cilantro with Vermont Cheddar. On the bottom: Baked Brie w/ Honey Roasted Walnuts and Dates and Apple Slices.
- The beef wasn't that great, and came w/ the same sauce as the chicken.
- Quesadillas were pretty standard stuff.
- The Brie was awesome. I had a bottle of Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale (which doesn't count) and it was an incredible match. The nutty flavors of the brie and the walnut/date mixture paired beautifully with the cedar notes of the beer.
Speaking of beer...
I HAD TWO NEW ONES!!
249) Wachusett Blueberry - I continue to be unimpressed/disgusted with fruit beers. I don't know what it is. I like to find subtle fruit flavors and aromas in my beer but I don't like when they are overpoweringly sweet and up front, and I don't like when they taste like flavored seltzer. This is sadly in the flavored seltzer category for me. The Dogfish Head ones (Aprihop, Raison) and Magic Hat #9 are the exceptions for me. I downed the rest of this quickly to get it overwith. Then I ordered the Hitachino.
Second new beer of the night was:
250) Unibroue Maudite - Since it was #250, I wanted to make it something a little special, and I'm glad I chose the Maudite. This is a Belgian style ale with a nice deep caramel color. It looks like syrup. Excellent fruit flavors reminiscent of a fine champagne. Nice caramel flavors blend in with that to bring you to a warm finish.
That's 250 beers with 115 to go. Expect my next update to be a catchup with 5 or 6 new ones on there.
Oh! And who can forget dessert!
We had the Nutella wontons. They was gooooood!
Later!
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
K-Town
Last Friday night I met up with a bunch of friends after work and we went on a romp through Korea Town (K-Town).
For most of them, it was the first time they had Korean BBQ, so I took them to Kang Suh, which I think is the best place on 32nd St. There is a Kum Gang San across the street, but it is not as good as the Flushing location. The Flushing KGS is even better than Kang Suh, in my opinion.
Had an opportunity for a new beer here...
245) Hite - Pretty standard lager, though I thought it was better than the other Korean lager we see around here a lot, OB. Someone else ordered the OB, and I did a side by side tasting, and the Hite is definitely a tastier product. Still, it really isn't that good. Basically the Korean version of Miller.
After the tasty Korean BBQ, we all headed up to the rooftop bar. We got a table pretty quickly and it wasn't all that crowded even for a Friday night. The secret doesn't seem to really be out yet, so I'm going to keep it that way and not tell you where it is, because I'm a selfish bastard. When the word gets out or if it starts to see a steady crowd, then I'll blab, but I hate when a good thing is spoiled by crowds or the wrong type of people.
Right now this place is really laid back, and I don't want any bottle service scenesters ruining it. Stick to the Ava Lounge, if you velvet rope douchebags really need to drink on a roof.
There were two beers available here that I had never tried. One is quite common and may surprise you that I haven't had it before. But first...
246) Sol - From Mexico. Like a Corona but probably not as good because the flavor isn't as upfront. Any beer where you have to put a lime in it to improve the flavor can't be all that drinkable. But I downed it, and moved on. Next time I will only have this with Mexican cuisine.
247) Red Stripe - This one might surprise you. I had always had the impression that Red Stripe would be Schlitz-awful. But don't judge a book by its cover or a beer by its label. This was actually a pretty good lager. Has a very distinct and interesting taste. Its hard to describe. Its almost like they put just a slight drop of amaretto into it, giving it a kind of waxy/papery aftertaste. But its actually appealing.
After those I had an Anchor Steam and we all went home happy.
On Saturday night, I added a bottle to my list. This one I bought at Mitsuwa supermarket in New Jersey.
248) Orion Premium Draft Beer - This comes to us from Okinawa. Light grainy aroma. Light bodied beer with a crisp finish. Taste is also very grainy. Not as good as the main line beers of the big 3 Japanese brewers.
Tonight there is an Ommegang event at the Belgian Room, followed up tomorrow with an Oskar Blues event at the Hop Devil. I will be unable to attend either event, but I suggest you check it out. There will be a bourbon barrel aged Old Chub on tap tomorrow.
248 beers down with 117 to go. I'm still slightly behind on my blogging, so the actual up to the minute number is slightly higher. I'll catch up on everything in my next post.
For most of them, it was the first time they had Korean BBQ, so I took them to Kang Suh, which I think is the best place on 32nd St. There is a Kum Gang San across the street, but it is not as good as the Flushing location. The Flushing KGS is even better than Kang Suh, in my opinion.
Had an opportunity for a new beer here...
245) Hite - Pretty standard lager, though I thought it was better than the other Korean lager we see around here a lot, OB. Someone else ordered the OB, and I did a side by side tasting, and the Hite is definitely a tastier product. Still, it really isn't that good. Basically the Korean version of Miller.
After the tasty Korean BBQ, we all headed up to the rooftop bar. We got a table pretty quickly and it wasn't all that crowded even for a Friday night. The secret doesn't seem to really be out yet, so I'm going to keep it that way and not tell you where it is, because I'm a selfish bastard. When the word gets out or if it starts to see a steady crowd, then I'll blab, but I hate when a good thing is spoiled by crowds or the wrong type of people.
Right now this place is really laid back, and I don't want any bottle service scenesters ruining it. Stick to the Ava Lounge, if you velvet rope douchebags really need to drink on a roof.
There were two beers available here that I had never tried. One is quite common and may surprise you that I haven't had it before. But first...
246) Sol - From Mexico. Like a Corona but probably not as good because the flavor isn't as upfront. Any beer where you have to put a lime in it to improve the flavor can't be all that drinkable. But I downed it, and moved on. Next time I will only have this with Mexican cuisine.
247) Red Stripe - This one might surprise you. I had always had the impression that Red Stripe would be Schlitz-awful. But don't judge a book by its cover or a beer by its label. This was actually a pretty good lager. Has a very distinct and interesting taste. Its hard to describe. Its almost like they put just a slight drop of amaretto into it, giving it a kind of waxy/papery aftertaste. But its actually appealing.
After those I had an Anchor Steam and we all went home happy.
On Saturday night, I added a bottle to my list. This one I bought at Mitsuwa supermarket in New Jersey.
248) Orion Premium Draft Beer - This comes to us from Okinawa. Light grainy aroma. Light bodied beer with a crisp finish. Taste is also very grainy. Not as good as the main line beers of the big 3 Japanese brewers.
Tonight there is an Ommegang event at the Belgian Room, followed up tomorrow with an Oskar Blues event at the Hop Devil. I will be unable to attend either event, but I suggest you check it out. There will be a bourbon barrel aged Old Chub on tap tomorrow.
248 beers down with 117 to go. I'm still slightly behind on my blogging, so the actual up to the minute number is slightly higher. I'll catch up on everything in my next post.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Post #100
So on Thursday night... I decided to go home instead of the Hop Devil Grill for the Southern Tier event. But I did send an email about it to my friends in case they were interested.
One was.
I got home, checked my voicemail and he was on his way downtown to the Hop Devil. Oh man... what to do....
I went back into Manhattan.
Southern Tier is a NY microbrewery based out of Lakewood, NY. There were 5 beers featured on tap, and of them, I only previously tried the IPA. A good crowd was on-hand for the event.
Upon arrival at the Hop Devil, I quickly ordered the flight and a cheeseburger for dinner.
From left to right (IPA, Phin & Matt's Extraordinary Ale, Tripel, Hop Sun, Un*Earthly Imperial IPA)
241) Southern Tier Hop Sun - The Hop Sun is an American style wheat beer and it is the best I have ever had. The aroma was very floral and vibrant. Lots of lemony citrus on the nose as well. Perfectly balanced with a crisp finish. I got another pint of this later on in the night.
242) Southern Tier Phin & Matts Extraordinary Ale - An American pale ale. Pretty good APA. Aroma was sweet with a hint of bread. I wish when you order the flight they would give you some crackers to cleanse your palate, like they would at a winery. After the awesomeness of the Hop Sun, the Extraordinary Ale kinda tasted ordinary, but I could tell it was not a bad brew at all.
243) Southern Tier Un*Earthly Imperial IPA - Piney aromas from the abundant hops come first. The taste is very balanced, however, and not overpoweringly bitter.
244) Southern Tier Tripel - I'll be honest and say I didn't really like this one. I thought it was a poor version of an abbey tripel. Most of the complexities mentioned in the description didn't come through.
I could have had more new beers but I think that was good progress, plus I wanted raffle tickets! A flight of Southern Tier beers got you 3 tickets while a pint of any Southern Tier beer got you 1. We had a ton of tickets on the table.
They were raffling off 2 Yankees tickets, and though I'm not a Yankee fan and hate the Yankees, I like to win.
My streak of raffles won ended at 2.
Some lucky dude walked in, got a pint, and wound up winning. Lucky bastard.
Oh well, he didn't get to enjoy the amount of beers that we did.
244 down and 121 to go. I still have several beers to blog from this past weekend... check back again tomorrow.
One was.
I got home, checked my voicemail and he was on his way downtown to the Hop Devil. Oh man... what to do....
I went back into Manhattan.
Southern Tier is a NY microbrewery based out of Lakewood, NY. There were 5 beers featured on tap, and of them, I only previously tried the IPA. A good crowd was on-hand for the event.
Upon arrival at the Hop Devil, I quickly ordered the flight and a cheeseburger for dinner.
From left to right (IPA, Phin & Matt's Extraordinary Ale, Tripel, Hop Sun, Un*Earthly Imperial IPA)
241) Southern Tier Hop Sun - The Hop Sun is an American style wheat beer and it is the best I have ever had. The aroma was very floral and vibrant. Lots of lemony citrus on the nose as well. Perfectly balanced with a crisp finish. I got another pint of this later on in the night.
242) Southern Tier Phin & Matts Extraordinary Ale - An American pale ale. Pretty good APA. Aroma was sweet with a hint of bread. I wish when you order the flight they would give you some crackers to cleanse your palate, like they would at a winery. After the awesomeness of the Hop Sun, the Extraordinary Ale kinda tasted ordinary, but I could tell it was not a bad brew at all.
243) Southern Tier Un*Earthly Imperial IPA - Piney aromas from the abundant hops come first. The taste is very balanced, however, and not overpoweringly bitter.
244) Southern Tier Tripel - I'll be honest and say I didn't really like this one. I thought it was a poor version of an abbey tripel. Most of the complexities mentioned in the description didn't come through.
I could have had more new beers but I think that was good progress, plus I wanted raffle tickets! A flight of Southern Tier beers got you 3 tickets while a pint of any Southern Tier beer got you 1. We had a ton of tickets on the table.
They were raffling off 2 Yankees tickets, and though I'm not a Yankee fan and hate the Yankees, I like to win.
My streak of raffles won ended at 2.
Some lucky dude walked in, got a pint, and wound up winning. Lucky bastard.
Oh well, he didn't get to enjoy the amount of beers that we did.
244 down and 121 to go. I still have several beers to blog from this past weekend... check back again tomorrow.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Japanese Recap
I've started to go through the slew of bottles I brought back from Japan. In light of the recent terrorist threats, it seems I have gone to Japan at just the right time, because there is no way I would be allowed to travel with all this beer now.
I would be able to ship it, but that would be a pain in the ass and the wallet.
239) Kamikaze Amber Ale - Pretty straightforward amber ale. The pour looks like a blend of the color of the bottle and the label. I found the caramel malt was pleasant but there was not a lot of hops to balance it out.
240) Baird Shimaguni Stout- Kind of a thinner body than most stouts. This was closer to a porter. Aroma was that of coffee beans with perhaps a hint of earthiness to it. Moderately bitter finish.
So that's where its at now, folks. 240 for the year with 125 to go.
Tonight I will be having another bottle from Japan. It's a bomber, so I think it will be the only one I add tonight. Now there is also an event at the Hop Devil Grill for Southern Tier brewing. I would like to go but I am a little short on cash at the moment.
If you go tonight they are raffling off 2 Yankee tickets for a game against Detroit. Supposedly really good seats too. I have won the last 2 raffles there so maybe a little luck will rub off on you if you read my blog and decide to go!
Tomorrow night the plan is to meet up with some friends and go to a bar I found yesterday. It is a really awesome place and the secret is not out yet, and I want to keep it that way for as long as possible, so I'm not telling you where it is. It's not a great beer place (they have Anchor and Brooklyn only in bottles), but the setting and relaxed atmosphere more than makes up for it. If it starts to get crowded I will write about the place, but until then my lips are sealed.
I would be able to ship it, but that would be a pain in the ass and the wallet.
239) Kamikaze Amber Ale - Pretty straightforward amber ale. The pour looks like a blend of the color of the bottle and the label. I found the caramel malt was pleasant but there was not a lot of hops to balance it out.
240) Baird Shimaguni Stout- Kind of a thinner body than most stouts. This was closer to a porter. Aroma was that of coffee beans with perhaps a hint of earthiness to it. Moderately bitter finish.
So that's where its at now, folks. 240 for the year with 125 to go.
Tonight I will be having another bottle from Japan. It's a bomber, so I think it will be the only one I add tonight. Now there is also an event at the Hop Devil Grill for Southern Tier brewing. I would like to go but I am a little short on cash at the moment.
If you go tonight they are raffling off 2 Yankee tickets for a game against Detroit. Supposedly really good seats too. I have won the last 2 raffles there so maybe a little luck will rub off on you if you read my blog and decide to go!
Tomorrow night the plan is to meet up with some friends and go to a bar I found yesterday. It is a really awesome place and the secret is not out yet, and I want to keep it that way for as long as possible, so I'm not telling you where it is. It's not a great beer place (they have Anchor and Brooklyn only in bottles), but the setting and relaxed atmosphere more than makes up for it. If it starts to get crowded I will write about the place, but until then my lips are sealed.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
"Wanna go to the Ginger Man?" ...uh...SURE!
So the other day at work I get a phone call on my outside line.
Hmm.. strange...
I debate picking it up in case it might be some silly sales rep trying to bypass the support line... which I am a hardass about.
Luckily I picked this one up. It was Kaval and he asked the above question...
Now that he is working in midtown, I have another drinking partner to go have a quick brew with.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MEET UP WITH NICK AND JUST "HAVE A QUICK BEER!"
Remember that!
Got to the Ginger Man real quicklike after work and met up with Kaval. PEOPLE JUST KEPT POURING IN!!
Two people he knew were there, and another friend of his showed up. Also Chris made the trek from uptown to have "a beer."
I DONT THINK SO!!!
Started this session with...
235) Stone Ruination IPA - AKA the Cracka Killa! This is a massively hoppy and bitter double IPA. It's balanced, because it has enough malt... but still, this one packs a wallop from the get-go and doesn't let up. NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HOPS!
The photo of this and other beers in this entry SUCK due to the darkness of the bar.
It wasn't too crowded even though it was Friday night, which was surprising. After this first beer, I snagged a table for our group.
236) Keegan Ales Mothers Milk Stout - This is from NY. Pretty good stout. Smooth with hints of chocolate and espresso.
Yet again the shitty Blogger photo uploader fails me. Dammit!
237) Jever Pilsener - Awesome pils. More bitter than the others I have had but just as smooth and refreshing.
After this one we moved to the couch area in the back. For the first time on a work night, the Ginger Man was... comfortable.
238) Harviestoun Old Engine Oil - Some of you who have been following this blog for a while may remember that I had the Reserve version of this beer. I thought when I ordered this it was the same so I wasn't going to count it but since it is different it counts. Much the same as the reserve but without the blend of whiskey flavors. Am I in the minority when I say I enjoy the reserve much better than the original?
Didn't snap a pic of this one because I didn't realize it was new to me until I got home.
Kaval and his friend left to the strip club after this and I rode the train home.
That's 238 down and 127 to go. I have 2 more to blog but that will be done later. I want to rebuild my buffer a little bit so I think I will be hitting up the bar on Thursday.
Have a quick beer?
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MEET UP WITH NICK AND JUST "HAVE A QUICK BEER!"
Hmm.. strange...
I debate picking it up in case it might be some silly sales rep trying to bypass the support line... which I am a hardass about.
Luckily I picked this one up. It was Kaval and he asked the above question...
Now that he is working in midtown, I have another drinking partner to go have a quick brew with.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MEET UP WITH NICK AND JUST "HAVE A QUICK BEER!"
Remember that!
Got to the Ginger Man real quicklike after work and met up with Kaval. PEOPLE JUST KEPT POURING IN!!
Two people he knew were there, and another friend of his showed up. Also Chris made the trek from uptown to have "a beer."
I DONT THINK SO!!!
Started this session with...
235) Stone Ruination IPA - AKA the Cracka Killa! This is a massively hoppy and bitter double IPA. It's balanced, because it has enough malt... but still, this one packs a wallop from the get-go and doesn't let up. NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HOPS!
The photo of this and other beers in this entry SUCK due to the darkness of the bar.
It wasn't too crowded even though it was Friday night, which was surprising. After this first beer, I snagged a table for our group.
236) Keegan Ales Mothers Milk Stout - This is from NY. Pretty good stout. Smooth with hints of chocolate and espresso.
Yet again the shitty Blogger photo uploader fails me. Dammit!
237) Jever Pilsener - Awesome pils. More bitter than the others I have had but just as smooth and refreshing.
After this one we moved to the couch area in the back. For the first time on a work night, the Ginger Man was... comfortable.
238) Harviestoun Old Engine Oil - Some of you who have been following this blog for a while may remember that I had the Reserve version of this beer. I thought when I ordered this it was the same so I wasn't going to count it but since it is different it counts. Much the same as the reserve but without the blend of whiskey flavors. Am I in the minority when I say I enjoy the reserve much better than the original?
Didn't snap a pic of this one because I didn't realize it was new to me until I got home.
Kaval and his friend left to the strip club after this and I rode the train home.
That's 238 down and 127 to go. I have 2 more to blog but that will be done later. I want to rebuild my buffer a little bit so I think I will be hitting up the bar on Thursday.
Have a quick beer?
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MEET UP WITH NICK AND JUST "HAVE A QUICK BEER!"
Thursday, August 10, 2006
A Little Catch Up
Here comes a big update, I'll try to get through all the beers I have had since returning from Japan, so without any further ado...
229) Stone Coast Black Bear Porter - Not bad, but an average porter. Not much of a head on the pour, just a thin layer. Hops and roasted malt in the aroma, with flavors of chocolate malt dominating.
229) Stone Coast Black Bear Porter - Not bad, but an average porter. Not much of a head on the pour, just a thin layer. Hops and roasted malt in the aroma, with flavors of chocolate malt dominating.
230) Schönramer Pils - Like the porter, I received this with the latest Beer of the Month club shipment. Decent German pils. As you can see below in the pic, the head was huge. Lots of the beer was still left in the bottle. Grainy aroma and bitter hops flavor to this one.
231) Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale - Smuttynose can do no wrong. Amazing pale ale with a copper color and long lasting head. Sweet malt aroma with citrusy hops. You can tell this is going to be well-balanced just from the aroma alone. Flavor doesn't disappoint. Perfectly balanced liquid bread.
232) Goose Island India Pale Ale - No photo, because I screwed up thinking I already had it on the list, but I was thinking of the Honkers. On draft at Stout for lunch. Bitter and fruity hops dominate. Very enjoyable IPA.
233) Kamikaze Cream Ale - Purchased in Japan. Gold color with a pretty thick head. Stale bread aroma. Slight bitter flavor, nothing to write home about.
234) Hideji Inoshishi Weizen (Darken Boar Wheat Special) - Another one from Japan. Cloudy dark orange color but not much of a head on this. Strong banana and clove aromas. Sweet flavors with a hint of spice. Bready aftertaste follows.
234 beers down and 131 to go is your updated tally for the year. This weekend, the plan is to focus on additional bottles, of which I should have about 2, possibly 3.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Japan 2006, Pt. 3
"Tokyu Food Show"
So I was strolling around Shibuya, amped up after having 2 iced coffees. I wandered down into the Metro to look for the train to Shimo-Kitazawa, not realizing I was in the completely wrong place.
I strolled past shop after shop in the underground and finally pulled out my map, trying to be self-reliant and not have to ask for directions.
So there I was, looking at down at my map, walking slow so as not to bump into anyone or trip. Subconsciously, my nose was following various enticing aromas... where were they coming from?!
I walked into a dead end and looked up. What did I see?
"Oh..." I thought to myself, then casually walked inside, forgetting about the map and getting lost and everything else.
There was all this food laid out in front of me. Look below to get a sense of what this all looked like.
Now, I found that this is actually a permanent setup, which is why it is so awesome, but I still wonder why we don't have such a thing here in the US. Instead we get crappy mall food courts with disgusting fast food.
The entrance I came in through happened to be the sweets and breads section. I don't remember the names of all these vendors but some of them are in the photos. As you can see, there was a huge amount of choices available!
Just about anything you could want for dessert was available here. I feel like such an idiot for not trying something but I was full from the two iced coffees which I now regret having.
The great thing about this, is you have all these vendors competing for business, so they give you high quality stuff and plenty of choices. It's not like here in the US, where department store eateries like to have the monopoly on food. And if there are other competitors they are banished to another floor entirely. STUPID!
Beyond the sweets, there was ACTUAL FOOD... if you are into that sort of thing. Just about every Japanese delicacy was available here. Take a look!
I don't know what else to really say but the pictures do all the talking anyways. If you don't know what everything is above... shame on you! I wish I had tried something so I could maybe describe the food to you. Oops...
"Shimo-Kitazawa"
I had read that Shimo-Kitazawa was a pretty cool part of town. Like Shibuya, but on a smaller scale and a little more quiet. Plus there was a beer bar there that I wanted to visit (they have 2 in this section of town).
Finally I found the right train line and arrived at Shimo-Kitazawa. Right away I loved the atmosphere of the place. Small, quiet streets, yet lots of activity and cool shops. I really felt like if I was to move to Tokyo I would setup shop here, and I even looked at the window of a local real estate office to check the rent prices, which I thought were pretty decent for Tokyo.
Initially I planned on staying here only about an hour, but I made a whole afternoon of it, and walked through a significant amount of the commercial area of the town.
I walked past a French restaurant called Trocadero. Apparently the entire building was moved from France to Japan, to keep that authentic feel. Take a look:
Next time I will eat there.
"Kura Kura"
After roaming the streets and taking it all in, I felt it was time to find one of these beer bars and have a drink or two.
Not far from the station is Kura Kura, a cozy beer bar serving a variety of Japanese microbrews as well as imported selections. The decor is modern, the atmosphere is very chilled out, and the owner is a nice guy who definitely loves his beer.
I went inside, chose a table and flipped through the menu, selecting one of the microbrews I have never seen before. Take a look at the welcoming committee:
And the interior:
225) Fujizakura Kougen Hefeweizen - Served in the proper glassware, it pours a cloudy yellow with a thick head. Aromas were a little more dominated by the spice side rather than the fruit side. The flavors were quite complex with a hint of apples in there. Pretty impressive and unique take on the style.
All that walking around made me hungry so I ordered a plate of mixed sausages to go with the beer. It was an excellent accompaniment.
226) Baird Teikoku IPA - This is not really a typical IPA. As you can see it doesn't have that golden color usually associated with the style. It is described as a cross between an English pale ale and an American pale ale, and those characteristics are clearly evident here. Aroma was a malty caramel with a touch of hops to it. Body was pretty full with a bitter finish.
The owner was nice enough to let me purchase a selection of bottles to take home. He even gave me a specially lined bag to keep the bottles cool, which I will definitely reuse. I gave him my email address and the URL for my website, so hopefully he will come take a look.
If you love beer, if you are ever in Japan, in Tokyo, take the trip to Shimo-Kitazawa, enjoy a quirky neighborhood that not too many foreigners get to see, and stop by Kura Kura for a few quality microbrews from Japan. You will not be disappointed.
My friends, beyond the Sapporo's, Kirin's, Asahi's and watery happoshu's there is a whole world of beer waiting to be discovered in Japan. Over the next several weeks, I will make those discoveries as I gradually open all the bottles I brought back with me. Hopefully over the next several years the word will get out that some quality stuff is being produced here.
"The Last Night"
After my visit to Shimo-Kitazawa I met up with my cousin for dinner. I felt bad because I had finally hit the wall and could not keep up with him in drinking, and I nearly passed out. He was surprised to see me and had good news that one of my other cousins had gotten married.
The last day of my trip I kept things rather low-key and didn't venture too far. I picked up two more beers from the am/pm and polished them off as I packed for my departure.
227) Kirin Classic Lager - Typical Japanese pale lager maybe slightly better than the usual version and maybe most of the American macros as well.
228) Sapporo Namashibori- The last beer I had in Japan I drank really quickly, and forgot to get a photo. I think this is another happoshu, and it takes like they soaked popcorn in water for 6 hours in the sun, cooled it, carbonated it, and canned it for all the world to drink.
So I'm going to leave it at that. No teary goodbyes or dramatic conclusions to my trip. 228 beers down and 137 to go. I made more progress than I intended to while in Japan on the beer front, and up next, I will run down the 4 new beers I had since my return.
To all those I met in Japan... ja, mata ne...
So I was strolling around Shibuya, amped up after having 2 iced coffees. I wandered down into the Metro to look for the train to Shimo-Kitazawa, not realizing I was in the completely wrong place.
I strolled past shop after shop in the underground and finally pulled out my map, trying to be self-reliant and not have to ask for directions.
So there I was, looking at down at my map, walking slow so as not to bump into anyone or trip. Subconsciously, my nose was following various enticing aromas... where were they coming from?!
I walked into a dead end and looked up. What did I see?
"Oh..." I thought to myself, then casually walked inside, forgetting about the map and getting lost and everything else.
There was all this food laid out in front of me. Look below to get a sense of what this all looked like.
Now, I found that this is actually a permanent setup, which is why it is so awesome, but I still wonder why we don't have such a thing here in the US. Instead we get crappy mall food courts with disgusting fast food.
The entrance I came in through happened to be the sweets and breads section. I don't remember the names of all these vendors but some of them are in the photos. As you can see, there was a huge amount of choices available!
Just about anything you could want for dessert was available here. I feel like such an idiot for not trying something but I was full from the two iced coffees which I now regret having.
The great thing about this, is you have all these vendors competing for business, so they give you high quality stuff and plenty of choices. It's not like here in the US, where department store eateries like to have the monopoly on food. And if there are other competitors they are banished to another floor entirely. STUPID!
Beyond the sweets, there was ACTUAL FOOD... if you are into that sort of thing. Just about every Japanese delicacy was available here. Take a look!
I don't know what else to really say but the pictures do all the talking anyways. If you don't know what everything is above... shame on you! I wish I had tried something so I could maybe describe the food to you. Oops...
"Shimo-Kitazawa"
I had read that Shimo-Kitazawa was a pretty cool part of town. Like Shibuya, but on a smaller scale and a little more quiet. Plus there was a beer bar there that I wanted to visit (they have 2 in this section of town).
Finally I found the right train line and arrived at Shimo-Kitazawa. Right away I loved the atmosphere of the place. Small, quiet streets, yet lots of activity and cool shops. I really felt like if I was to move to Tokyo I would setup shop here, and I even looked at the window of a local real estate office to check the rent prices, which I thought were pretty decent for Tokyo.
Initially I planned on staying here only about an hour, but I made a whole afternoon of it, and walked through a significant amount of the commercial area of the town.
I walked past a French restaurant called Trocadero. Apparently the entire building was moved from France to Japan, to keep that authentic feel. Take a look:
Next time I will eat there.
"Kura Kura"
After roaming the streets and taking it all in, I felt it was time to find one of these beer bars and have a drink or two.
Not far from the station is Kura Kura, a cozy beer bar serving a variety of Japanese microbrews as well as imported selections. The decor is modern, the atmosphere is very chilled out, and the owner is a nice guy who definitely loves his beer.
I went inside, chose a table and flipped through the menu, selecting one of the microbrews I have never seen before. Take a look at the welcoming committee:
And the interior:
225) Fujizakura Kougen Hefeweizen - Served in the proper glassware, it pours a cloudy yellow with a thick head. Aromas were a little more dominated by the spice side rather than the fruit side. The flavors were quite complex with a hint of apples in there. Pretty impressive and unique take on the style.
All that walking around made me hungry so I ordered a plate of mixed sausages to go with the beer. It was an excellent accompaniment.
226) Baird Teikoku IPA - This is not really a typical IPA. As you can see it doesn't have that golden color usually associated with the style. It is described as a cross between an English pale ale and an American pale ale, and those characteristics are clearly evident here. Aroma was a malty caramel with a touch of hops to it. Body was pretty full with a bitter finish.
The owner was nice enough to let me purchase a selection of bottles to take home. He even gave me a specially lined bag to keep the bottles cool, which I will definitely reuse. I gave him my email address and the URL for my website, so hopefully he will come take a look.
If you love beer, if you are ever in Japan, in Tokyo, take the trip to Shimo-Kitazawa, enjoy a quirky neighborhood that not too many foreigners get to see, and stop by Kura Kura for a few quality microbrews from Japan. You will not be disappointed.
My friends, beyond the Sapporo's, Kirin's, Asahi's and watery happoshu's there is a whole world of beer waiting to be discovered in Japan. Over the next several weeks, I will make those discoveries as I gradually open all the bottles I brought back with me. Hopefully over the next several years the word will get out that some quality stuff is being produced here.
"The Last Night"
After my visit to Shimo-Kitazawa I met up with my cousin for dinner. I felt bad because I had finally hit the wall and could not keep up with him in drinking, and I nearly passed out. He was surprised to see me and had good news that one of my other cousins had gotten married.
The last day of my trip I kept things rather low-key and didn't venture too far. I picked up two more beers from the am/pm and polished them off as I packed for my departure.
227) Kirin Classic Lager - Typical Japanese pale lager maybe slightly better than the usual version and maybe most of the American macros as well.
228) Sapporo Namashibori- The last beer I had in Japan I drank really quickly, and forgot to get a photo. I think this is another happoshu, and it takes like they soaked popcorn in water for 6 hours in the sun, cooled it, carbonated it, and canned it for all the world to drink.
So I'm going to leave it at that. No teary goodbyes or dramatic conclusions to my trip. 228 beers down and 137 to go. I made more progress than I intended to while in Japan on the beer front, and up next, I will run down the 4 new beers I had since my return.
To all those I met in Japan... ja, mata ne...
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Japan 2006, Pt. 2
"More Beer Reviews"
223) Kirin Green Label - Green Label brings you a comfortable time. The refreshing taste cheers your mind. Such is the slogan of this standard Japanese beer. This is a light beer and it actually might be a little better than most of the big name light beers. Apparently has 70% less calories than the regular version.
Green Label
224) Asahi Honnama - Another fake beer! Read their description carefully. It's actually rather interesting: "The secret behind the unique qualities of our happo-shu lies in two industry firsts: barley extract and Deep Sea Water. In the past, the biggest problem with brewing happo-shu was the difficulty of bringing a low-malt to healthy fermentation without the high levels of nutrients and minerals needed for yeast. By using two new ingredients, extract of barley and Deep Sea Water, we succeeded in creating a happo-shu without the peculiar smell and uneven taste caused by unhealthy yeast fermentation. In fact, we think Asahi Honnama has the crispest, clearest taste of any happo-shu ever created. At the same time, by fermenting with the rich taste of wheat from barley extract, we have eliminated the watery taste of other happo-shu to create a rich flavor experience."
My comments: No. This was just as watery as any happoshu I have ever had.
Asahi Honnama
"Breakfast Time"
I wasn't really in the mood to ever eat a proper breakfast. So instead I found a nearby bakery and made that my usual breakfast stop. They have so many pastries around the place it was hard to decide what to eat. You grab a tray and some tongs and pick whatever you want. I'm amazed again at how thin people are here, because the average person was taking 3 pastries a piece. Here is an example of some of the items I had:
Left: Donut, Right: Chocolate filled thing
"Tokyo Tower"
Every trip I have been to Japan I have visited Tokyo Tower. This was the first time I had been there by myself, however. You only need to pay for admission to the main observatory, which is about 150 meters up. When you get there you can decide on if you want to visit the top observatory, but that usually isn't worth it unless it is clear enough to see Mt. Fuji. Plus there are other free observatories around the city that might offer a better view of that.
Tokyo Tower
On this particular day it was rather cloudy so I definitely wasn't going to spend the extra money to go all the way up. But I went up to the main deck and had a quick look around. Visibility was kind of poor.
Left: Zojoji Temple, Right: Shiodome
After you are done looking around you take the elevator down to the main building at the base, but they leave you at the 4th floor, where you can have the option of visiting any number of small tourist trap type museums. I paid 500 yen to check out the wax museum, which was interesting.
One of the first things I noticed was that none of the non-Japanese figures beared any resemblance to the actual people. The accuracy was similar to that of your average Halloween mask. But the Japanese figures were pretty well done. However this was still no Madame Tussaud's.
I found it ironic that there was a George W. Bush figure next to a display of great historical peacemakers. But I don't want to get too political here.
The biggest space of the peacemakers section was devoted to a man named Chiune Sugihara, "Japan's Schindler." He saved thousands upon thousands of Jews during the Holocaust years.
Chiune Sugihara
My suggestion would be to check out the Wikipedia article on him, as it explains the details of his life a lot better than I could. He was the Japanese consul to Lithuania during World War II, and as a half-Japanese, half-Lithuanian, Chiune Sugihara is special to me. Somewhat of a hero and a person to look up to.
Like any wax museum, this one got bizarre. There was the obligatory gore in the form of a medieval torture chamber. The most hilarious part was when I was standing there, looking at this poor wax figure being stretched on a rack, when I think to myself... "holy shit... they're playing Frank Zappa's "The Torture Never Stops!!!"
A pretty eclectic selection, so I should have realized something was up. The people who put this together seemed to have strange musical tastes, because once you turn the corner after the minimalist Beatles display, you come to:
Yes, the biggest space in the music section is devoted to German electronic music and kraut rock, featuring pioneers such as Klaus Schulze and Faust. After that, comes the Prog Rock section, with guitarists Frank Zappa and Robert Fripp grabbing most of the space. Awesome!
Finally, when I was leaving Tokyo Tower, who should I run into but these two dildos:
These are the Noppon Bros. and they are the official mascots of Tokyo Tower.
THEY'RE A PAIR OF PINK VIBRATORS!!!
With that, I felt the need to meditate.
"Zojoji Temple"
Only a quick 5 minute walk from Tokyo Tower is Zojoji Temple. Click the link for a great explanation of the temple's activities.
There was nary a soul walking around the place. Everything was very quiet and tranquil. I went inside and sat there for a while, and then back outside on the steps, losing track of time. I wound up spending over an hour here, just thinking about things. It was one of the most peaceful moments of my life. As time wore on, I felt many of my worries just begin to fall away.
I stood up and walked down the steps, completely refreshed mentally and physically.
Back onto the busy streets of Tokyo, I decided to take the long walk to the new Shiodome area.
"Shiodome"
The first thing you will notice about this area is that everything is new and construction continues on even now. It is ultra-modern and futuristic in a way. Everything we seem to struggle for in designing a state of the art public space they have achieved here.
As I finally got near my destination, the Shinkansen passed overhead. Yet another reminder of how far behind we are in the USA, technologically speaking. For all their stoicism and social reservedness, the Japanese have a much bolder and more forward looking spirit than America in this regard. At least that is how it appears to an outsider.
But my impression is that in the time it will take our politicians and developers to approve and finally complete the rebuilding around the World Trade Center site, Japan will complete at least a few such developments, and they will be far more impressive than anything we come up with here.
In Japan, the future is now. In the US, the future is red tape.
"Shinjuku"
The next morning, I went to Bic Camera in Shinjuku to try and buy a watch. But none of the watches there seemed to be anything I couldn't get in the US, so I passed. I spent most of my time in the store checking out the cellphones. Their phones are at least 2-5 years ahead of any phone available in the US market. Unfortunately, none of them work here, and I don't think anyone has found a way to crack the security otherwise I'm sure everyone would have a Japanese phone.
After that I went through the Shinjuku skyscraper district. If you go to the Tokyo Government Office Building, you can access 2 free observation decks. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji.
So that concludes Part 2!
At this point I was at 224 new beers leaving 141 to go. I still have 4 Japanese beers to review and 4 beers since my return.
Up next in Part 3, I stumble upon the TOKYU FOOD SHOW!!!
223) Kirin Green Label - Green Label brings you a comfortable time. The refreshing taste cheers your mind. Such is the slogan of this standard Japanese beer. This is a light beer and it actually might be a little better than most of the big name light beers. Apparently has 70% less calories than the regular version.
Green Label
224) Asahi Honnama - Another fake beer! Read their description carefully. It's actually rather interesting: "The secret behind the unique qualities of our happo-shu lies in two industry firsts: barley extract and Deep Sea Water. In the past, the biggest problem with brewing happo-shu was the difficulty of bringing a low-malt to healthy fermentation without the high levels of nutrients and minerals needed for yeast. By using two new ingredients, extract of barley and Deep Sea Water, we succeeded in creating a happo-shu without the peculiar smell and uneven taste caused by unhealthy yeast fermentation. In fact, we think Asahi Honnama has the crispest, clearest taste of any happo-shu ever created. At the same time, by fermenting with the rich taste of wheat from barley extract, we have eliminated the watery taste of other happo-shu to create a rich flavor experience."
My comments: No. This was just as watery as any happoshu I have ever had.
Asahi Honnama
"Breakfast Time"
I wasn't really in the mood to ever eat a proper breakfast. So instead I found a nearby bakery and made that my usual breakfast stop. They have so many pastries around the place it was hard to decide what to eat. You grab a tray and some tongs and pick whatever you want. I'm amazed again at how thin people are here, because the average person was taking 3 pastries a piece. Here is an example of some of the items I had:
Left: Donut, Right: Chocolate filled thing
"Tokyo Tower"
Every trip I have been to Japan I have visited Tokyo Tower. This was the first time I had been there by myself, however. You only need to pay for admission to the main observatory, which is about 150 meters up. When you get there you can decide on if you want to visit the top observatory, but that usually isn't worth it unless it is clear enough to see Mt. Fuji. Plus there are other free observatories around the city that might offer a better view of that.
Tokyo Tower
On this particular day it was rather cloudy so I definitely wasn't going to spend the extra money to go all the way up. But I went up to the main deck and had a quick look around. Visibility was kind of poor.
Left: Zojoji Temple, Right: Shiodome
After you are done looking around you take the elevator down to the main building at the base, but they leave you at the 4th floor, where you can have the option of visiting any number of small tourist trap type museums. I paid 500 yen to check out the wax museum, which was interesting.
One of the first things I noticed was that none of the non-Japanese figures beared any resemblance to the actual people. The accuracy was similar to that of your average Halloween mask. But the Japanese figures were pretty well done. However this was still no Madame Tussaud's.
I found it ironic that there was a George W. Bush figure next to a display of great historical peacemakers. But I don't want to get too political here.
The biggest space of the peacemakers section was devoted to a man named Chiune Sugihara, "Japan's Schindler." He saved thousands upon thousands of Jews during the Holocaust years.
Chiune Sugihara
My suggestion would be to check out the Wikipedia article on him, as it explains the details of his life a lot better than I could. He was the Japanese consul to Lithuania during World War II, and as a half-Japanese, half-Lithuanian, Chiune Sugihara is special to me. Somewhat of a hero and a person to look up to.
Like any wax museum, this one got bizarre. There was the obligatory gore in the form of a medieval torture chamber. The most hilarious part was when I was standing there, looking at this poor wax figure being stretched on a rack, when I think to myself... "holy shit... they're playing Frank Zappa's "The Torture Never Stops!!!"
A pretty eclectic selection, so I should have realized something was up. The people who put this together seemed to have strange musical tastes, because once you turn the corner after the minimalist Beatles display, you come to:
Yes, the biggest space in the music section is devoted to German electronic music and kraut rock, featuring pioneers such as Klaus Schulze and Faust. After that, comes the Prog Rock section, with guitarists Frank Zappa and Robert Fripp grabbing most of the space. Awesome!
Finally, when I was leaving Tokyo Tower, who should I run into but these two dildos:
These are the Noppon Bros. and they are the official mascots of Tokyo Tower.
THEY'RE A PAIR OF PINK VIBRATORS!!!
With that, I felt the need to meditate.
"Zojoji Temple"
Only a quick 5 minute walk from Tokyo Tower is Zojoji Temple. Click the link for a great explanation of the temple's activities.
There was nary a soul walking around the place. Everything was very quiet and tranquil. I went inside and sat there for a while, and then back outside on the steps, losing track of time. I wound up spending over an hour here, just thinking about things. It was one of the most peaceful moments of my life. As time wore on, I felt many of my worries just begin to fall away.
I stood up and walked down the steps, completely refreshed mentally and physically.
Back onto the busy streets of Tokyo, I decided to take the long walk to the new Shiodome area.
"Shiodome"
The first thing you will notice about this area is that everything is new and construction continues on even now. It is ultra-modern and futuristic in a way. Everything we seem to struggle for in designing a state of the art public space they have achieved here.
As I finally got near my destination, the Shinkansen passed overhead. Yet another reminder of how far behind we are in the USA, technologically speaking. For all their stoicism and social reservedness, the Japanese have a much bolder and more forward looking spirit than America in this regard. At least that is how it appears to an outsider.
But my impression is that in the time it will take our politicians and developers to approve and finally complete the rebuilding around the World Trade Center site, Japan will complete at least a few such developments, and they will be far more impressive than anything we come up with here.
In Japan, the future is now. In the US, the future is red tape.
"Shinjuku"
The next morning, I went to Bic Camera in Shinjuku to try and buy a watch. But none of the watches there seemed to be anything I couldn't get in the US, so I passed. I spent most of my time in the store checking out the cellphones. Their phones are at least 2-5 years ahead of any phone available in the US market. Unfortunately, none of them work here, and I don't think anyone has found a way to crack the security otherwise I'm sure everyone would have a Japanese phone.
After that I went through the Shinjuku skyscraper district. If you go to the Tokyo Government Office Building, you can access 2 free observation decks. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji.
So that concludes Part 2!
At this point I was at 224 new beers leaving 141 to go. I still have 4 Japanese beers to review and 4 beers since my return.
Up next in Part 3, I stumble upon the TOKYU FOOD SHOW!!!
