Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

We are a few months shy of eight years in business at our Fishmarket Taproom in Numazu. A few of you might recall the first six months of operation when no Baird Beer was on tap (our brewing license had yet to be granted); instead, we were pouring Guinness and Hoegaarden White while selling various bottled beers for direct purchase from that rickety old showcase refrigerator that was situated across from the cash register.  Some of you probably remember the debut of Baird Beer in January, 2001, brewed in the small room behind the pub in tiny, homebrew-like 30 liter batches. Several more of you likely remember in 2003 when we moved into the downstairs location, formerly occupied by Monkey's Bar, with our 2.5 hectoliter brewing system purchased from a defunct brewery in Toledo, Ohio. This was our turning point as we launched bottle-conditioned Baird Beer and began to sell more broadly to fine pubs, restaurants and liquor stores in and around Tokyo. This growth made possible the construction of a new brewery within the fish market area of Numazu in 2006. 
 
This brings us to today (early spring, 2008). Thanks to the continued and growing support of the beer enthusiast community, a community centered in Tokyo, our little beer company is now about to embark on a mission we had long hoped to undertake -- the opening of our first Tokyo-area Taproom. Sayuri and I are proud to announce that the Nakameguro Taproom (located in the GT Plaza building right next to Nakameguro station) will be under construction in April and open for business around May 10, 2008. 
 
A new Taproom business, of course, brings with it the need for us to hire more passionate, dedicated and hard-working beer enthusiast employee-partners. We are now accepting applications for the following positions:
 
A) Tokyo (Start Date: May 1, 2008)
  (1) Nakameguro Taproom Kitchen Staff -- individual will work in kitchen directly with our manager-chef (experience required)
  (2) Nakameguro Taproom Kitchen Staff -- mainly, but not limited to, kitchen work; young and hungry (no experience required)
  (3) Nakameguro Taproom Floor Staff -- work directly with assistant manager in charge of beer dispense and customer service (experience preferred)
  (4) Nakameguro Taproom Floor Staff -- work focus beer dispense and customer service; young and hungry (no experience required)
 
B) Numazu (Start Date: April-May, 2008)
  (1) Fishmarket Taproom Staff -- individual will be involved in all aspects of the Fishmarket Taproom business and also will be required to work some in the brewery on administrative tasks, inventory management, labeling, etc. Great opportunity to learn the craft brewery and pub business from the ground up. (Experience not required but welcome).
  (2) Baird Brewery Apprentice Brewer -- Do you want to become a first-rate brewer? This is your chance. Warning: work is hard, pay low, expectations high. After successful completion of a 3-month apprenticeship, the individual will be promoted to Assistant Brewer and hired as a salaried full-time employee. 
 
In hiring, our preference is for Japanese nationals. If you are a foreign resident of Japan, you will be considered if you meet the following criteria: (1) possess proper work visa, (2) speak some level of Japanese, (3) have clearly demonstrated an affinity for and long-term commitment to Japan, and (4) possess excessive amounts of passion for characterful beer.
 
If you are interested in any of these positions, please send us a resume and letter of interest. These can be sent by:
 
a) email: info@bairdbeer.com
b) fax: 055-952-6673
c) normal mail: Baird Brewing Company,9-3 Tadewara-cho, Numazu 410-0841
 
If you are not interested yourself but know someone who might be, please pass along the word. All of our hires to date have been introduced via word-of-mouth. 
 
Finally, a reminder: Sunday, March 16 marks the kick-off of Lucky Seven Stout Week at the Fishmarket Taproom. Please plan on joining us for what promises to be a frothy time of early spring celebration.

Cheers!

Bryan Baird