Friday, December 07, 2007

Delirium Cafe

This is a great place to discover full bodied, strong, fruity Belgians, if, like me, you are a nervous virgin.
I've never understood why everyone is so enraptured by fruity beer (a common lager and ale swiller's way of summing up Belgian beer).
After almost killing myself at the Sugaya belgian beer tasting party, I decided to give this place a go.

It's situated at Kasumigaseki (on the Hibiya line).
Actually, a closer station is Toranomon (Ginza line, 160yen and 11 mins from Shibuya).
Here's a map:
It wasn't that easy to find (at least it wasn't for me).
I went to the towering high rise building complex and everything seemed to be closed or undergoing construction.
I found some signs for Delirium Cafe and I followed them, only to find a closed building with the lights off. I didn't give up and 20 minutes of exploring finally found me on the other side of the complex and a collection of restaurants and stores that were indeed very open.

This is an estimate of my route that evening (it was in the dark):

Here's a photo of the entrance to the Delirium Cafe:
Going in, the staff were very friendly and very proffesional.
The interior is laid out very well.
First thing you see is the main bar. It forms about a 90 degree arc of a circle with high stools around it, seating around 10. The stools have convenient baskets built into the bottom, where you can store your briefcase (Kasumigaseki being a salaryman stronghold) and the stool being tall enough to hang your Jacket on. The barstaff are very well informed about Belgian beer - as they love the stuff themselves. What better person could you want as a bar steward?
I used to be a bar steward in several places (or at least that's what I thought people were calling me).

My beer tutor for this evening was Arisa. I'd met her before at the Sugaya beer tasting party (this was when I was still conscious and had some functioning brain power to give me memories).
She impressed me with her knowledge of Belgian beer and he ability to hold a conversation with me (not many people can - I tend to, what can you say, oh, it's like that time I decided to suddenly dive into the tiny river outside the place where I used to live when I was younger. Instead of just floating and having fun wading in the waist deep water like everyone else, I decided to dive straight in. I had my arms stretched out either side of my head and when I dived in, body straight, I hit a jagged rock with the point sticking out. I struck that rock and hit it with my whole bodyweight behind me. I struck it straight on my forehead and was floating around in the water unconcious for a while when something told me it wasnt right and I stood up to see the astonished looks on my friends' faces. I had this enormous bulge swelling out of my forehead on the right side and still have the bump today and now I'm reminded of the time when my little brother was about 8years old and he was for some reason, rubbing his bottom up and down the newly laid wooden bed of my father's truck. I had no idea why someone would do such a strange thing but then it was my brother and he is over 96% chimpanzee (whereas I am clearly more bonobo - far higher intelligence). He was just laughing and rubbing his arse up and down the fresh, unsmoothed wood and then suddenly he stopped and his eyes were staring straight out and his mouth was open in a silent scream. Later, my mother removed a 4 inch splinter from his ass cheek. Idiot. Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes - tangents.).
I sometimes go off on tangents. That reminds me of 2 days ago, as I tried to help a student with his mathematics. I's forgotten that a straight line leaving the centre of a circle, intersects the circumference of the circle at a tangent. I felt like such an idiot. Again.

Well, Arisa told me of this new bar and I decided to check it out.
After studying the draught beer menu:
I decided (on advise) to try the Guldenberg beer, by De rank. Normall, 'rank' is not a very good name for a beer brewer or any product that is meant to be consumed. Still, this was Belgium and we all know Europeans and their smelly cheeses. I gave it a shot:
It wasn't bad. It certainly wasn't rank.
Although it was a little sour. It quite dry and hoppy. I think a friend of mine would apppreciate this beer more than I.
Still, I give it a 5.5 to6/10.
Not bad, seeing as I don't especially like Belgian beers.

The beer here was expertly poured by Arisa. There was no fake 'back push' of the tap producing artificial head, to go with the image of draught beer for the Japanese customer.
No, this process involved normally poured beer then the skimming off of the top of the foam (apparently, it improves the quality of the rest) with a silver...'skimmer'(?) and the careful dipping into fresh water of the glass, to remove the overflowing suds (a certain amount of beer goes down the drain every time - wince!) then a gentle wipe around the outside of the glass, but not and I repeat NOT with a dirty slimy coth and not around the top of the glass, where one's mouth was soon to venture.
I hate it when some bars use a cloth to wipe the top of the glass.
It's disgusting. This time, it was nice just to watch the whole process (for which I was undoubtedly paying for).
The beer was very good and served in the correct glass, too.
They have a great variety of glasses, to match their variety of 10 draught and many more bottled Belgian beers.

I decided to try the menu and also to have another beer.
I went with the Belgian fritters with the original Delirium cafe mayonnnaise.
Chips, basically.
They were among the cheapest option there (yes, I am a cheap b*st*rd) and also were warm and I figured I would use the fried potato as a taste test standard for the rest of the menu.
My logic being, if the fries were crap, the chances were the rest of the food wasn't that amazing.
The fries were good.
Strange presentation but they stayed warm for a reasonable length of time.
They went well with my beer.
The mayonnaise was not bad. I'm no fan of mayonnaise but this stuff wasn't so nasty. It seemed to suit the fries.
Belgain fritters: 6/10. Not as good as Kua'aina fries. Those are (excuse me for this ridiculous and now very unPC phrase) the bomb!

My second beer was the recommended one and the one for which the cafe is famous. The pink elephant beer!
Quite a nice brew. 8.5% alcohol so take care with this particular pink elephant.
You can pet her, stroke her, but once she sits in your lap, you're screwed (she only wants you for your nuts).

Fresh from a new keg. The picture kind of suggsts that the pink elephant discretely added a special extra ingredient.
Even so, this was very nice.
I reccomend trying this,, if you visit the bar. After all, it's their trademark beer.
After all, when in Rome, do as the Romans do (ride around on scooters all day, shouting obcenities and gesticulating widly with your arms, then drinking your sorrows away with some buono vino rosso - still on the scooter).
When in Sparta, walk around naked and have sex with little boys. Woof!
(click on pic to open the gif in another window)
Where was I?

Oh, yes, I was in Sparta.
No I wasn't.
I was talking about trying the bar's reccomended beer.
These guys import their beer direct from the brewers. No middlemen.

The whole bar can probably accomodate around 50 or so customers or perhaps a whole tribe of over 200 pygmies (but they'll have to check their blowdarts at the entrance).
There is some nice tabled seating further in from the main bar. Nice and dark so a great place to take a special someone or just one of your sad male friends who also have no one of the opposite sex to drink with.
They also have outdoor seating. Great for the summer months or perhaps for any Eskimos who happen to pass thru (sorry, it's Inuit {innit?}).

If you do visit this place and you don't feel like going to the toilet, make an excuse and just go.
It's quite an experience in itself.
The whole place is lined with mirrors, so be careful where you 'let go of the day's tensions'. double check your target area, just in case.
Another warning is that I believe the toilets may be haunted.
Every time I use them and open the door, I believe a ghost has just been interrupted from 'spookus relievus', as the toilet seat magically seems to move, as if a certain 'casper' is just about to be at peace. After suppressing a girlish scream, I entered and, after I finally found which reflection was the actual toilet (not through a system of trail and error, I may add), I tried my best to perform the intended function.
It wasn't easy.
I had a little bronze boy trying to piss all over me (I bet that's not the first time you've heard that).
It's not so easy when there is a tiny little boy who is peeing without stopping, right next to you.
It's very intimidating. It's also tempting to take up his challenge and pee right back in his face. In which case you better bring along a big box of towelletes and a nice excuse for the management (I recommend blaming the mirrors).

Overcoming the mirrors and the unrelenting pissing boy, you then have to contend with the spaceship controls.
There seems to be a button for everything.
Awesome! Also, scary.
I may go back and try out all the buttons, just to see.
(Boys and their toys.)

Overall this is an impresssive, classy addition to the numerous Belgian bars around Tokyo (Frigo, Belgo, etc).

A nice addition. Classy. Not cheap but also not overly expensive and an impressive selection of 10 beers on tap. Nicely poured beers, I might add. A place to attend to remind yourself that yes, you are indeed in Tokyo. Posh with a rich Japanese clientelle.
This evening, I was drinking next to the new chef. Nice guy. I reckon the food looks very good indeed. It should be changing soon. Interesting.

Sadly, a combination of bank balance, time and the fact that I had work in the morning necessitated my departure.
I'll be back.

To get back to Toranonomon station or the further Kasumigaseki station, walk in the opposite dorection to the Micheal Jackson glowing steps:
Or, if you are really extravegant, perhaps you could take a helicopter home.
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Wednesday, October 17, 2007

"'cor blimey, guvnor!!!" - a smashing night of booze!!

First up was a nice little Oktoberfest in my kitchen. Spaaten Oktoberfest.
Approx 6% alcohol.
This baby is not quite as smooth as my favourite Spaaten, the Helles, but also not quite the punch of the premium bock.
Somwhere in between and so I give it a 6.5/10.
Nice beer.

Next was a Hitachino Nest Classic Ale &*!!*#$% beer. (I couldn't quite read the Japanese).
Seemed to be some sort of English ale, with Kent golding and Challenger hops.
Cask conditioned, I think this is one of a selection of premium beers brought out by Hitachino Nest, in Japan.
Nice!
forgot about it in my freezer but as it warmed, it got better.
I give it a 7/10.
not bad for Hitachino, whom I don't really rate that much.

Next is a British beer..Samuel Smith's Organic Ale.
Although not exactly orgasmic, it certainly is organic (says so, on the bottle).
Not bad, but tastes bland and nothing special. Almost Eastern European lager/ale taste. Weird.
Low carbonation. 6/10

And then I fell asleep.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

MbarK, Motosumiyoshi (Ozzie bar)

I ventured to a new(ish) bar, M bar K, in Motosumiyoshi, in the Yokohama/Kawasaki area.
A guy I knew before, Australian Mike runs the place with a nice Japanese lady.
I popped by to see the Wales rugby game.

This place is down a small street, a few 100m from the station. Not so easy to find.
Here's a map [Shibuya direction (top) to Yokohama direction (down)]:
The place itself is quite nice.
Here's another pic of the front. This is what you'll see from the street. It has a nice seating area outside. This should be good in the sunnier weather.
An L shaped bar has seating for around 20 or so. Here's a pic of the front, just inside the entrance:
And here's one of the other half:
Thsi is taken from the same position as I took the previous photo. Unfortunately, I didn't take one of the bar.

At least 3 Tvs (normal size, wall mounted - no big screen) shows most of the matches/games/sports events. If you ask and if they have it, I'm sure Mike will put on whichever game you want to watch.

Beer is good. They pour a nice guiness. I recommend trying the Coopers Australian beer. It's not a bad drink. Most people prefer Cooper's Sparkling Ale. I tried it and it was pretty good.
They also serve a few other Australian beers (Fosters, Tooeys, etc) and have a nice selection of Australian wine.
Food - well, I didn't order any so can't talk about that really.
Nice enough selection in the menu.

MbarK 5.5/10
Not a bad little place. Atmospherewise not party central but they do have live music playing and I haven't been to experience that. Points for the Ozzie theme and coopers beers. Nice enough little local.

Overall a nice enough little pub.
I think they play live music in there, too.
Not sure of the schedules.
You can check their website for info, but it's not developed very well yet. Hope they fix that soon.

Friday, August 03, 2007

Aka beko - Aizu beer


During one of my previous jaunts up into the wilds of Fukushima, I managed to get to Aizu beer brewpub in Aizu Wakamatsu... ...in Wakamatsu... ...in Aizu.

I was up there visiting some newish friends I made. They were all ALTs in Fukushima and one of them (Padraic) was having a bit of a birthday bash.
After a nice gentle night of 10 or so beers and terrible karaoke, we were to head to Aizu beer for about 3 hours of all you can drink. Not bad. Before that, we had a nice barbecue near a river somehwere in the middle of nowhere and no, I really don't think anyone heard me scream. Keeping one eye open for my beer and one eye for any amouruos bears and one eye on the hurly wurly thing that was flying around (Irish game - very dangerous hence very popular), I managed to survive and eventually found my way at Aizu beer restaurant (the more perceptive of you may have realised that I mentioned three eyes. The still more perceptive would know not to enquire further and could easily guess which 'eye' was watching out for the bears - if the 'twitchometer' was pointing due North, then I would know temptation was close at hand - grr).

So, despite being slightly plastered from the BBQ, I managed to follow everyone and found myself here:
This is the Aizu Beer place. It's in Wakamatsu.
For the map, click here (in Japanese).

The inside of this place is quite nice. The actual bar/restaurant area is on the 2nd floor.

However, I don't understand the need for the huge central stairway. Seems to take up half the area of the whole 2nd floor.
But there is still plenty of space of 40 or so revellers (including a piano onstage).

Right.
Frist up, I decided to try the amber ale. This was poured for me by the owner, Mr.Johnny Lager.
You can see Mr.Lager in this shot.

He just poured an AkaBeko amber ale and a stout. Nice guy. Happy to talk to you and also sat down and drank with us (didn't buy us a drink though).


The amber ale was not an amber ale for me. But I was 79%paraletic by that time, so I could've been wrong.
Tasted like a normal-ish lager. All their beers had the similar (weird water/distinct strange hopping) flavor to them. Hard to describe.
Almost like with eyes closed you can taste a Baird beer or a Tama no Megumi.
These are like that. Also, like those beers, only a few are best suited to that particular 'taste'. These are similar in background taste to Tama no Megumi in that a pe ale or stout best fits the style.
The amber ale was ok but I wouldn't order another, unless there was nothing else to drink.

Aka Beko Amber Ale: 5/10
__________________


Next up was the stout.
Mmm... very nice.
Suits the background taste and consistency just right.
Not a bad pint at all.
I could drink more of this and indeed I did.
Slight creaminess both in taste and body texture. A reasonable pint.

Stout: 6.5/10
_______________


After that I decided to chance their experimental beer which was the kurogome, brewed using rice.
Im not a fan of rice in beer, but I decided to give it a shot:
Creamy head. Looked very smooth. The smell was a little strange.

Taste - semolina? Weird.

Very, very weird.
Wouldn't describe it as beer, as we know it, Jim. I tried but I just couldn't get used to it.
Think only certain peple will take to this. As for me, I had trouble finishing it.

As for me, nasty stuff. Sorry, Mr.Lager.
Your stout was much better.

Not for me, sorry.
KuroGome: 1.5/10
______________________


Next I decided that I would try the other beers using smaller glassses, just in case I had a repeat of the kurogome to contend with.
The guys at the bar were very kind and allowed me to try a taste selection:

Here's a shot of the bar and some of the taps.
They had two hand pumps for the amber ale and the stout at the end, just past the register and to the left.
I had the amber ale, the beethoven, the kurogome(whoops) and the stout.


The amber ale was drinkable.
The beethoven was suprisingly drinkable (especially when compared to the other lagers - almost like the ugliest man or woman in the room actually seems quite attractive when on a trekking holiday with them in the mountains of Thailand, with only a bunch of retarded mongoloid (but still very nice in their own way) kids or some really 'big smack in the face with the whole ugly tree, not just the stick' ugly people - but when you come back to normality, you wonder what the f**k you were thinking at the time) . When surrounded by morons, even the village idiot would win the nobel prize (it's all relative).
Well, this beer, whilst not being a vilage idiot by any case, was still more or less surrounded by members of a disfunctional family.
There was younger brother kurogome, who after incessant bouts of self masturbation has gone half blind, lost functioning of his genitalia and can't be quite sure of who or what he is, only to semi resemble a member of his own species.
Then there is the older brother akabeko amber ale, who, because he's been to the big city, thinks he can imitate some viennese sophistication, but doesn't quite pull it off. Still, no one else back home knows that and he gains confidence from it, whilst a tthe same time knowing he can never leave home again.
Beethoven is the sister who has suprised everyone by blossoming suddenly into quite the 'members' of the family. Both of them. Looking quite plain and unassuming on first glance, once you get under the surface, you discover there are quite a few suprises. Tastes promising and soon you reliase there is more to this lady than you bargained for. Too late, the powerful inner strength of the 5.5% kicks you, right between the testicles of taste. There's no escape. you become the next in a long line of victims.

Then, there is the stout. The intelligent, smooth, charasmatic, well travelled uncle who can calm any situation. Can communicate in any language and any culture. The answer to all the families problems, he can stroll in and save the day, leaving nothing but comfortable satisfaction in his wake.


I'm sidetracking again, aren't I?
Sorry.

Here's a quick video of some drunken monkey, trying to sound sober and talk about beer. Not making much sense.


After talking to Mr.Lager, I realised there was yet another beer available for tasting!!!
He mentioned the doppelbock and warned me that it was deceptive in that the alcohol was quite high (about 8%).


I decided to give it a whirl and she was a beauty!!!

Yes, indeed she was a deceptive lady in a glass.
She's the kind of lady you would rush to hold the door open for, as she approched in her evening gown, only to then realise that she was on her way to her advanced kickboxing class, 15 flights of stairs further up.
She packs a punch, but you are so distracted by the taste, that you don't quite realise it until it's too late and you have lost control of your vital organs and are laying tits up in a ditch somewhere in Aizu Wakamatsu.
p.s. that didn't happen to me. I manged to get myself wedged, in a presumably tits up position, on my friends minature sofa. What little sleep I had was interrupted by 'hmm hmmm!' - other things.

Dopple bock : 6/10
_______________________


Overall verdict for Aizu beer: 6/10.


I liked the place.
Don't mean to be overly critical of the beers.
I really appreciate the stout and the doppelbock. Lovely.
Also the beethoven wasnt bad. But therer's still that similar aftertaste that really nags at me.
Baird has it but that's kinda due to the hopping (some people either like it or hate it). Tama no megumi has it and I think it ruins some of thier beers (but a the smae time compliments their ale and stout). Aizu kinda has it too.
Brought a couple of beethovens and stouts back and my friends said the same thing. Weird taste to the beethoven, like something was amiss. Stout was liked by all.
Nice atmosphere (partly supplied by the great Fukushima ALTs - thanks, guys!).
Nice food and reasonably priced.
Nice location.
Good interior (but why that huge staircase?).
Nice owner who is happy to sit down and talk with you over a pint. Good selection. Even though I don't like some of the beers, I still appreciate a selection of more than just an ale, stout and weissen.
Not worth a special trip out there from say, Tokyo, but if your in the area, why not pop by?

Im glad I did.
_________________________

Note: Unfortunately, Aizu Beer is no more and Jonny Lager has finally quit the business. I think it's a pity. I liked what he was doing and liked some of his beers and respected the ones that I didn't as a brave attempt at making original and interesting booze. His location in the mountains of Fukusnima's Super Dry country wasn't the best place for a thriving business but I think he did a good job with his pub. It will be missed.
Aizu Beer is dead. Long live Aizu beer.
you can still drink some of that is left at the Aldgate, in Shibuya. Just ask if they still have it (renamed) on tap. Could be the last to have a little bit of beer history.

Friday, July 13, 2007

The Thrash Zone - nice micro brewery beer bar in Yokohama

The other week, I happened across a new bar called The Thrash Zone.
Idf you check out their WEBSITE, you will see they have a propensity for slayer and other heavy metal.
They also serve some quality Japanese craft beer.
Both of these points were good reasons for me to make my way out there!
It wasn't so easy to find, but once you located the yakiniku restaurant, it was easy.
In case you can't find it on the website, you can open the map in a new window by clicking HERE.

Also, on the webiste, it shows a big, bright, airy room. The first thing I noticed upon entering was that the picture in the website wasn't of The Thrash Zone. Weird.
Here is a photo from inside, on the side opposite the entrance way (seen at the end of the room):


You can see the barman/owner and a few of the regular customers, who come from as far away as Ryogoku! Some of you who know about beer may realise that Ryogoku is actually the station where you can find Popeyes (perhaps the biggest range of craft beer in Japan and of Japanese craft beer in the world). So it says something for this bar that this gentleman journeys all the way down to have a drink or five at this place.
These guys were great and welcomed me into their fold, instantly. Everyone was so friendly.

I happened to venture in on Van Halen night. The manager was showing his DVD of Van Halen's greatest hits.

When I saw this, I jumped for joy. I told the barman "Right now, I feel unchained! You really got me with this great music. This is what dreams are made of! I mean being here, just us humans being together, drinking, relaxing... ...why can't this be love? Now, I have to go to the toilet, because I've got a fire in the hole and I need to go before there's an eruption. There's a poundcake or two, breaking through the seventh seal. No sir, I won't get fooled again. I can dance the night away with beautiful girls later. Dancing in the street. I'll be like a man on a mission and when the dream is over and Jamie's cryin, I'll be up for breakfast. Don't tell me I can't drink more. I say to this beer 'you're the one I want, because without you, I'm black and blue. So, is this love? I know I can't stop loving you. Once is not enough.
You're the one I want. Why don't you finish what you started and make me totally cabo wabo! Wow, this place is better than smoking in Panama... ...or Amsterdam!' Oh, this beer is gooooood! You can't get this stuff no more. I feel on top of the world!"

Well, I didn't actually say this to the barman, but if I did, it would have been really cool.
Another example of how my reality doesn't quite match up to the fantasy. Such is my life.

Okay, so they had loads of heavy metal records on display, high up on the wall and they had about 6 or so craft beers, including one real ale on pump (Minoh Stout), plus a few bottled beers.

Here's the beer list:


Here's another photo of the bar:

It really is a nice, cosy, freindly place.
I can see why most of the people I met that night were regular customers.
A good, knowledgable barman and a nice, smokefree atmosphere makes a recommended place to stop by, if you're ever in the Yokohama area.

In the above photo, you can see a 'gaijin' - a foreigner.
It's my friend, David. He also popped by to check out the bar.

Okay, time to talk about the beers.
I think they change them every month or so, but they have one or two constants, such as the Minoh Stout (not bad) and the Nagahama ale (very, very bitter and yeasty - and popular with the locals, suprisingly).

This time, the beers on tap were:
(click on the beer name to go to their website)

First up for me was the weissen:

I didn't want to mix this flavor up with the ales and the stout, so I ordered it first.

It was not quite what I hoped for.

Taste had a hint of grapefruit (but not as strong as the Hidatakayama weissen, which I do not really care for).
Tasted a little off and not so flavorsome.

Aroma was not bad. Tasted a little watery. But had a reasonable creamy head. Retained the head for a while.

Carbonation was okay.



In the 2nd photo you can see the yeast at the bottom of the glass.


Verdict: 5/10.





Next up was the regular beer, the Nagahama ale:

Boy, did this baby taste bitter!!! Also very yeasty.
If I had poured it from a bottle at home, I would have thought it had gone bad and thrown it away, such was the 'distinctive' taste.
However, I stuck with it and about 3/4 of the way through it, it began to be drinkable.



Still, I can't say I like it that much.

Definite like it or hate it beer.

For me, I'd have to pass on this one.



Verdict: 4/10.
(Note: I've since had a few more Nagahama ales and I'm getting ot like it/appreciate it, so the new score is 5.5-6/10)


My next and final beer was the Minoh Stout:


This baby was hand pumped by the barman.


This guy can pour a good pint (as could the guy who used to pour at Cheers - but sadly, I haven't seen him aorund for a while and I must say, the standard has fallen there because of that. Note: since writing this, there are new barstaff at Cheers and the standard of the pint has gone back up again. Cheers!).


Still, I was happy to wait for what I hoped would be a nice, creamy stout.

I wasn't dissappopinted.

A nice pint.
The best of the night, for me.
Creamy and smooth and nicely rich so it needed slow drinking. Just the thing to end the evenig with.

Verdict: 7/10.


All in all, a nice evening.

Here are a few more pics of the evening and some drunken rantings from yours truly (what, more?):


The Thrash Zone.
Verdict: 7.5/10.

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