Jason Moore
Baird Brewing was started by Brian and Sauri Baird, who attended brewing school together in California. They opened the Numazu Fishmarket in 2000 and then in 2001 they became the smallest licensed brewery in Japan. Their Kurofune Porter is part of the year-round offerings along with 11 other brews. They also have seasonal offerings organized into the four different seasons.
Kurofune Porter pours dark brown like a cup of strong coffee. An aggressive pour yielded only a finger of khaki head that disappeared quickly and left only a thin tan line that wraps around the edge of the glass.
I get aromas of molasses, leather and chewing tobacco. It is sweet, earthy and has hints of cocoa, also some mild astringent alcohol. It is a very traditional smelling porter, but the aromas seem more pronounced in a good way.
The flavor is really nice and mild; the first sip hit me with an unexpected flavor of vanilla. I am also picking up raisins, chewing tobacco, sweetness, very light roastiness and it leaves your mouth a little dry like coffee. It feels thin in the mouth, I know it’s a porter, but it’s light on the tongue and the flavor leaves very quickly.
