Beer Trip to Numazu

On Sunday the 9th I went to Numazu, 130 km south west of Tokyo in the armpit of the Izu Peninsular. Numazu is a fishing port, and the fish markets are a great place to wander around on a Sunday checking out the various fresh and sun dried sea creatures and sampling some choice and well priced sushi.

But I was not there for seafood. No, not on this occasion. I had been invited to a beer party at a mad keen home brewers place. Due to the not exactly legal status of home brewing in Japan, let's call our host Brewer X.

Brewer X had on tap a wonderful selection of his absolutely hop powered brews. The list of things he had on tap included, Summer Pale Ale, Wheaty Brown Porter (possibly my pick), an IPA, BakaYaro! IPA and a "randalized" Double Imperial India Pale Ale (12.8% abv!!). While all beers were strongly hop driven, nothing could come close to the randalized I3PA. A "randall" is basically a big water filter that has, instead of a filter medium cartridge, a media of hop flowers. The beer is forced into the hop bed and allowed to sit for a while before being poured. What an experience that beer was. My tongue thought it was being raped.

It also sent a few of the guests a bit silly. Look here they are all about to expose their bellies. I won't show you the other photos as it got pretty ugly. I have blacked out the eyes to save them from being recognized and humiliated throughout the land, or being thrown into leg irons for partaking of bootleg beer.

Well, it was a really nice party--great food, great beer, great company-- but eventually the sun went down and we all had to wend our ways back to from whence we came.

Numazu at dusk from Brewer X's apartment.