A Fine Brew

Tis the season in Japan when Autumn brews start coming out. Interestingly (if you give a damn about beer), the major Japanese breweries only offer seasonal beers during the fall and winter. I'm a huge fan of both varieties, from pretty much any of the major brewers (Sapporo, Kirin, Asahi), because it offers a nice variation from typical Japanese beer. Japanese beer is delicious, but it definitely lacks variety. All the major beers are pilsners that are good, but it doesn't really matter which brand you buy because they all taste relatively the same. The micro-brew scene here is, appropriately, micro.

Another thing that you should know is that in Japan, there are 3 classes of beer. The most expensive beers (about $2/can...beer here is expensive, and it's common to buy just a can or two at the local convenience store) all 100% malt, whatever the hell that means. Anyways, they are the top rung in terms of beer, and then things go down from there to the two lower levels. There is a slight difference in taste between the top level and the bottom level (which costs about $1.25/can), but in general you wouldn't know it. It all tastes like beer. And often times I find that the cheaper beers, especially when dealing with the seasonal varieties, are more delicious. Case in point:



This is a very good beer, and I believe it falls within the middle range on the Japanese beer-cost spectrum. It cost me about $10 for a 6-pack of 500ml cans(think Bud pounders, if that's what they're still called). Yes, too much money, but I don't have much choice now, do I? The thing that makes me a bit sad is that this is a seasonal beer, and thus it will naturally go away all too soon. So I'm taking while the taking's good, with the comfort that some winter brews will follow suit shortly thereafter. And to be honest, I've got no problem slugging pilsner during the spring/summer, so the beer situation here is OK after all.

And so it's Friday night and here I am, drinking and philosophising about beer. But not to the point where I won't be able to get up in the morning and watch the Yankees/Red Sox. It actually on TV here, so that's a nice change. I have a Japanese lesson at noon, a chiropractor appointment at 2, and most likely more of this Fall beer in the fridge, so Saturday looks good.

As I mentioned before, I'm quite excited about this weekend with the Sox/Yanks going all weekend, and I'm getting more and more excited about the Patriots' game which will be on Monday morning here. Thankfully we have a 3 day weekend so I'll be able to soak it up. Should be interesting now that the Pats have been exposed as cheaters. I heard an interesting quote the other day on sports radio to the effect of 'Bill Belichick is an axxhole, but he's our axxhole.' I understand that quote. Not sure how I feel about this whole turn of events just yet, other than the fact that I'm wondering if Belichick is the genius everyone claims him to be, and I'm really left asking the question 'Why?'

Anyway, got my guitar and an empty beer can sitting here, so you'll understand when I end this blog post now.