The rainy season is upon us. Rather than be glum about it, we have decided to celebrate it with the release of two brand new seasonal brews: Rainy Season Black Ale and Protruding Nail Citrus Porter. We promise that both of these magnificent dark ales will, in a pints time, wash away all of your rainy season blues!

(1) Rainy Season Black Ale (ABV: 6.8%): Like a fearsome storm cloud, Rainy Season Black Ale will unleash a torrential downpour of hoppiness (80 IBUs of American Simcoe, Centennial and Amarillo) on your unsuspecting palate. A symphony orchestra of hop smells play on the nose; a huge amalgam of fruity and spicy hop flavors reign in the mouth; a sticky, resinous cascade of hop bitterness follows in what seems like a never-ending finish (and who would possibly want to bring this fun to an end?).  Underlying it all rests 17 degrees plato of muscular malt flavor (Maris Otter, Wheat, Caramel Wheat, Caramel, Chocolate and Roast Barley). A burnt, molasses-like character stems from ample additions of Japanese black sugar. The rainy season never tasted so good!

(2) Protruding Nail Citrus Porter (ABV: 5.4%): In Japan, as in so many places, it has been tradition that "the nail that sticks up gets hammered down." Well, we like protruding nails at Baird Beer. We think they represent iconoclasm and irreverence and innovative spirit -- all fundamental to the generation of creative new things. Protruding Nail Citrus Porter is nothing if not creative and new. It is a Robust Porter in spirit, a heavily wheated (Pale Wheat, Caramel Wheat, Chocolate Wheat) dark ale in body, and a magnificently fruity-citrusy (additions of freshly cut Summer Mikan peels and freshly squeezed Summer Mikan juice) beer in countenance. 
 
Dark chocolate-brown in color, with a distinct low-pH derived turbidity from the citrus additions, Protruding Nail Citrus Porter sports a creamy tan head. The aroma is citrus, but one of a peppery, spicy, even minty character. The flavor is like a citrus carnival that has come to inhabit your mouth for a gloriously fun and entertaining performance. This is a protruding nail that simply will not be hammered down! We promise to brew it annually until someone hammers us down.
 
Both beers will be served on draught at the Fishmarket Taproom beginning Wednesday, June 20. Rainy Season Black Ale is a draught-only beer that will also be available in very limited quantities at select Baird Beer-retailing pubs and restaurants throughout Japan. Protruding Nail Citrus Porter will be available both in draught and bottle, though each in extremely limited quantities, at Baird Beer retailers in Japan.
 
Notice: Please mark your calendars for the three-day weekend of July 14-16. We will be celebrating the Fishmarket Taproom's 7th year anniversary during this time and we will be hosting special beer, food and musical events on each day. The highlight of the weekend will be our Fruit & Beer Festival on Monday, July 16. A detailed announcement will be forthcoming shortly.

Cheers!
 
Bryan Baird