Our Asian Honeymoon: 2008

If you've been reading here over the past six months, you know a lot has happened since my last trip of any length. To continue the theme of self-discovery, Darcy and I are going to Thailand and Japan for our honeymoon. While most of the travel-related bits will be documented on our new co-branded site, I'll be documenting the beer-related parts of our trip right here.

I welcome you to follow along from home, while we go out in search of flavorful beers and other random bits. We'll be connected via modern telephony (our iPhones, my Sony Ericsson p990i and some hotel wi-fi thrown in for good measure), so the juicy bits will be posted in real time, though roughly 12 time zones ahead of our eastern daylight time subscribers.

Choc dee, and Kampai until then!

One last J-beer

Posted at 12:28 am by Patrick under Our Asian Honeymoon: 2008

 

Narita airport. NWA Lounge. Sapporo from the magic beer machine. Flight home to Atlanta in 60 minutes.

It’s all good, and only getting better.

Sayonara from Tokyo!

Add this page to your bookmarks

Brewery visit: Sumida River Brewing Company

Posted at 6:39 am by Patrick under Our Asian Honeymoon: 2008

Back to visit an old friend in Tokyo — Sumidagawa Brewing Company. But, there have been a few changes since last year, namely the debranding of the space as a microbrewery. While it still exists as “Bar 23″ in the same space in the Asahi Annex, the proud signage and other decorations have given way to a somewhat ordinary bar (with an admittedly groovy soundtrack).

The beers? Still tasty. I had the Alt –crisp, a bit dry and pleasantly fruity. A welcome tasty ale in a town dominated by big brewery lagers. Darcy had the weiss, and loved it. It did have a nice clovy character to it, and made for a weather appropriate tipple in 79 degree Tokyo. Plan on spending ¥650 for a 400ml serving, a relative bargain.

Add this page to your bookmarks

A Japanese nightcap

Posted at 5:55 am by Patrick under Our Asian Honeymoon: 2008

I know what you’re thinking — we’ve got Asahi at home…why bother with a photo?

It’s more for the scenery. The sunset cast a golden light on this golden, light-tasting lager.

Enjoy!

Add this page to your bookmarks

Tokyo beer break: Brasserie Leo

Posted at 1:03 am by Patrick under Our Asian Honeymoon: 2008

We’ve survived our overnight flight from Bangkok (barely) and checked into our hotel (more on the swanky Conrad Hilton later!).

Since Ginza is so close, we’re scouting out some shopping options. Apple store? Of course. (In fact I’ll use their wifi connection to send this note!) Itoya store (pen heaven)? Yes. Food stalls at closest department store for a picnic in the room? Why not?

With it raining right now, we’re excited to shop, but are staying dry (at least on the outside) at Brasserie Leo at Ginza Crossing.

The small beers here (12 oz.) are ¥680 ($6.50 or so), so we’re having one and making it count. The Yebisu Black in the foreground is a black lager that could pass for a clean stout to the uninitiated. It’s clean, pretty smooth, and helping me cope with my 4 hours of sitting-up-airplane-sleep I managed last night. That’s all I can ask for right now.

Add this page to your bookmarks

She’s no geek, she’s my wife

Posted at 5:44 am by Patrick under Our Asian Honeymoon: 2008

Another hotel, another lounge-based happy hour with free wifi access.

Darcy is really showing her feel mettle here: iPhone out (with a $3 silicon cover bought at MBK), Singha in progress. Snackies are optional.

Add this page to your bookmarks