[tschmidlin]

So I am going back on Friday for two weeks. Turns out there is a BJCP sanctioned competition the weekend I am out there a little less than 3 hours by transit from Tokyo. I emailed the organizer and offered to judge if score sheets in English are okay. If that doesn't work out, probably going back to Nakemeguro that Saturday.

That would be really cool.

[johnf]

So I am going back on Friday for two weeks. Turns out there is a BJCP sanctioned competition the weekend I am out there a little less than 3 hours by transit from Tokyo. I emailed the organizer and offered to judge if score sheets in English are okay. If that doesn't work out, probably going back to Nakemeguro that Saturday.

That would be really cool.

Turns out it is in Tokyo, on a metro line that goes to the station I am staying nearest to. I guess the address on the BJCP site was for shipping or something else. Also looks like English is fine, so its on.

Now I just have to figure out how to get someone to fly me out to England in September so I can hit a third continent....

[johnf]

Went to Baird Nakameguro tonight. Got to hanging with the employees. They were opening bottles and shared a Dry Dock (Auroroa CO) IIPA, a Boulevard Harvest Dance Wheat Wine and a japanese blueberry saison (awesome, forget the brewer).

I told them I live a couple of miles away from Boulevard and the guy who does the labels lives across the street from me and I think their heads asploded. I brought some Boulevard Rye on Rye and a bunch of other stuff with me to share at the hombrew comp. I will divert a few bottles to the Nakameguro taproom instead. Very gracious and generous folks. It doesn't hurt that Baird beer is awesome.

[johnf]

Well, I judged homebrew in Japan.

Pretty smoothly run competition. Sadly I had to skip the afterparty and do some work but I did get to share a KBS, Consecration and Pliny which people seemed to like (particularly the KBS).

I think this is the first time I have judged and drank nothing other than the beers I judged. Does get you ho(tel)me sober early in the evening.

Judging BOS on Thursday.

[tschmidlin]

This is really cool, thanks for the updates.

[johnf]

3/9 of the cat 23 entries were black IPAs, so things are more similar than they are different

They have had commercial black IPA (like the US obviously) for like 7 or 8 years. I don't think it has exploded in popularity commercially here like it has in the US.

I would say that on balance the quality of the beer was on par with competitions in the US. A lot of mid 30s, a few 20s, a few high 30s and 40s. I gave a 44 which would be one of my 5 highest scores probably out of 600ish score sheets.

Lots of hops that were unfamiliar to me. One IPA had crazy tropical fruit flavors. Different than Citra (could have been Citra and something else maybe).

I had my third beer since March that reminded me of corn nuts (always hoppy beers). Not sure if this is a hop variety or that a certain variety stales in a way to strikes me as more like corn nuts than cheesy. Or I could be crazy.

[johnf]

Back in Tokyo. I would say for the last time but that would make the third time I have come here thinking it was the last time.

I went to the Wan Cup awards Monday. I have known this for a while (I judged BOS) but did not want to steal any thunder. The winner was Ichiri Fujiura, who is the 1998 AHA Homebrewer of the Year. His mild was outstanding.

I did finally make it to the Baird Bashamichi taproom. I was really impressed with the BBQ, and I live in KC and have lived in Raleigh. Also the Bashamichi Ale (a smoked brown ale they always have on cask just at this location) is my second favorite Japanese beer after Divine Vamp III (also a Baird beer, brewed exclusively for Popeye).

Assuming I don't come back, I have 5 more days here. There is still a beer bar where I stay that I haven't gone to because it is so close I keep putting it off. I want to get back to Popeye, have not been since the first trip. I will probably go one more time to DevilCraft because the pizza is so good.

Not sure if this is official yet (not on the website, but I got an email) but apparently my judging at the Wan Cup got me the points I needed to make the BJCP Master level. Pretty cool if you ask me. Now I just have to judge in a different country every time I am close to a new GM level.

[gordonstrong]

Not sure if this is official yet (not on the website, but I got an email) but apparently my judging at the Wan Cup got me the points I needed to make the BJCP Master level. Pretty cool if you ask me. Now I just have to judge in a different country every time I am close to a new GM level.

It's on the web site now: http://www.bjcp.org/apps/reports/master.php.  Congratulations, John.  Master #98 in the program, the hardest rank to achieve.  Well done.  And thanks for the Japan outreach.

Gordon Strong
BJCP President
Master #44

[jeffy]

Not sure if this is official yet (not on the website, but I got an email) but apparently my judging at the Wan Cup got me the points I needed to make the BJCP Master level. Pretty cool if you ask me. Now I just have to judge in a different country every time I am close to a new GM level.

It's on the web site now: http://www.bjcp.org/apps/reports/master.php.  Congratulations, John.  Master #98 in the program, the hardest rank to achieve.  Well done.  And thanks for the Japan outreach.

Gordon Strong
BJCP President
Master #44

Thanks for posting that.  I had never seen that list until now.
#64

[punatic]

Wow, I haven't judged in over 10 years, but I'm stilled listed as a judge.  Go figure.

[johnf]

Not sure if this is official yet (not on the website, but I got an email) but apparently my judging at the Wan Cup got me the points I needed to make the BJCP Master level. Pretty cool if you ask me. Now I just have to judge in a different country every time I am close to a new GM level.

It's on the web site now: http://www.bjcp.org/apps/reports/master.php.  Congratulations, John.  Master #98 in the program, the hardest rank to achieve.  Well done.  And thanks for the Japan outreach.

Gordon Strong
BJCP President
Master #44

Thanks!

There for a while I was hoping I would make #100, but I'll take 98.

[tlael]

Two words:
Craftheads Shibuya

www.craftheads.jp