Beer #7 - W/C 13 April 2015
BREWERIES //
“We will not brew vapid beer. We are not afraid of not appealing to everyone.”
Bryan Baird. Baird.
"I'm all about throwing convention out the window to get the best product."
Stephen Plowman. Hallertau.
In 2001 Bryan and Sayuri Baird opened the smallest licensed brewery in Japan with their 30 Litre brewhouse in the fish market of the coastal city of Numazu. Today Baird is poised to be the biggest craft brewery in Japan thanks to their uncompromising and meticulous methods. Their story has a lot in common with that of Stephen and Hayley Plowman who founded Hallertau in Riverhead, near Auckland in 2005. Hallertau has a reputation for interpreting classic styles very well. Their 'Heroic' range of beers are worth seeking out as they are exactly that.
TASTING NOTES //
In October Bryan Baird (Baird Beer) came to New Zealand to brew a special beer with Steve Plowman (Hallertau) and Nic Watt (head chef at Masu) to celebrate the restaurant's first birthday. Watt was inspired by the mandarin sorbet at elBulli. This Belgian style Witbier is made with Riverhead rainwater, raw wheat, NZ barley, sour malt, Motueka hops from Nelson and grapefruit peel. Haru is a fresh and more-ish wheat beer with lots of citrus and notes of cloves.
BREWERY // Collaboration brew, Hallertau (NZ) and Baird Beer (Japan)
BEER // Haru Orchard Ale
STYLE // Wheat Beer / White Ale
ORIGIN // Auckland, New Zealand via Numazu, Japan
ABV // 5.5%
MALT // NZ Pils Malt, NZ Wheat Malt, Oat Malt
HOPS // Motueka Hops,
TEMPERATURE // 8 to 10 C
FOOD MATCH // Egg salad with Mozzarella, Sole or Halibut, Shellfish, Bacon Omelette, Tacos
GLASS // Weizen Glass, Pint Glass, Stein