Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

The chill of winter is firmly upon us. If an extra layer of clothing is proving insufficient to the task of fortifying you against the cold, perhaps you should try a beery antidote. Baird Brewing has just released two wonderful winter beer warmers that promise not only to take the chill out of your bones but to nourish your spirit and soul also.

(1) Old Brewster Strong Ale (ABV 8.7%):
This classic English-style ale is a trove of malty richness and alcohol-generated warmth. Compared to our Barley and Wheat Wines, Old Brewster is a quieter, more restrained strong ale without such a forcefully assertive hop character. A malty self-confidence and depth of character, though, shine through in its rich hues of copper and amber. Slight additions of wheated malt and Japanese candy sugar lend a spritzy and refreshing quality to this otherwise rich and satiating brew.

The name "Old Brewster" derives from the historical fact that until the Middle Ages, the brewing of beer within households was the exclusive province of women. Well, we at Baird Brewing, have a budding young Brewster on our team whose dexterous mashing would, no doubt, have the legions of Old Brewsters nodding in approbation.

(2) The Carpenter's Mikan Ale 2007 (ABV 6.4%):
Few of you, I think, are unfamiliar with this classic winter seasonal brew.2007 marks the 6th annual release of this special fruit beer whose genesis sprung unexpectedly, but naturally, from the earnest and genuine friendship forged between a Carpenter and a Brewer.

The mikans used in this brew are fresh, succulent, and local -- harvested on the land and by the hand of the Carpenter. The Brewer processes them minimally, combines them with the other wholesome, traditional and minimally processed malt and hop ingredients characteristic of Baird Beer, and conducts the whole in a process of simple and traditional brewing. The result, we believe, is a product greater than the sum of its parts -- as is the case in all great human friendships.

The 2007 Carpenter's Mikan Ale incorporates wheated malt in a 45 percent addition to the grain bill, and sports a whopping 15 kg of freshly peeled and crushed Japanese mikans per hectoliter of wort. Softly citrusy American Centennial hops are dosed generously together with the mikans to provide an exquisitely complex yet balanced fruit character. The wonderful aromatics of this character waft gorgeously from the billowy white head that forms in the glass. Final transport to beer Nirvana comes courtesy of the tight and spritzy natural carbonation that commands your taste buds to stand alert in glorious attention!

Both ales are now pouring from the taps of the Fishmarket Taproom. Stop over and join the Carpenter and the Brewer for a pint today! These beers also will be available through select Baird Beer retailers in Japan while quantities last. Both will remain available at the Fishmarket Taproom for our Baird Big Beer Winter Weekend event of February 3-4.

Cheers!

Bryan Baird