Baeren - Rye

Baeren - Rye (Specialty Grain) - Iwate Prefecture - 5.5 % - 330 ml bottle @ Bulldog Pub:
Taste: Surprisingly very weizen-like (citrus/banana), rye is apparent in aftertaste though, sweet (not bitter like other ryes).
Smell: Wheat-notes, whiffs of orange & banana.
Look: Medium body, semi-opaque, golden orange w/ brown tones, highly carbonated, frothy head, lace lingers a little before settling.Verdict: Best Rye I've ever had - why? Because it didn't have a trace of that weird bitterness I usually taste from "bigger" rye beers (e.g. Hop Rod Rye by Bear Republic or Righteous Ale by Sixpoint). I recommend this an an alternative to a regular weizen, this is much more interesting!

Ozeno Yukidoke - IPA

Ozeno Yukidoke - IPA - Gunma Prefecture - 5% - Japanese Pint @ The Cat & Cask Tavern:
Taste: Grapefruit is the major player here, citrus hop flavor with a juicy bitterness, hints of pine.
Smell: Grapefruit, citrus, and hops.
Look: Hazy pale golden, orange/yellow hue, poured with minimal head, some spotty lace lingered about.Verdict: An American citrus IPA, very similar in style to the Mojo IPA by Boulder Beer Company. This is a highly recommended beer. Could see the grapefruit making this ideal in

40th Anniversary Ale - by Shiga Kogen

Shinga Kogen - 40th Anniversary Ale - Nagano Prefecture - 8.5% - US Pint @ The Cat & Cask Tavern:
Taste: Bitter & sweet; different somehow... a unique taste... it's pine- very sharp & bitter; this is a funky beer, a mash-up of fruits, butter, caramel, a bit of vegetable.
Smell: Sweet, funky mix of ingredients, and alcohol whiffs.
Look: Opaque, red/orange, no lace, no carbonationVerdict: This is an interesting, though weird beer; I love the high alcohol level, but the beer itself might not have matured quite how they would have liked in taste. Unlike most beers from Shiga Kogen this is a rarity that I cannot recommend, not that its a bad beer per say... get it??
Notes of interest: To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Tamamura Honten (40 years of Sake & 4 years of jibiru), they have released this beer- a specially long-aged version of their House IPA.

Gallowsgate IPA - by Swan Lake

Swan Lake - Gallowsgate IPA - Niigata Prefecture - 5.5% - UK Pint @ The Aldgate:
Taste: A strong hoppy nicely balanced bitter taste, malt is detectable but stay in the background, hints of citrus, grapefruit, caramel, has a subtle sweetness to it.
Smell: Citrus, floral, hoppy aroma.
Look: Opaque golden orange, reminiscent to a cloudy honey, nice head with good lace as shown in the picture.Verdict: This is a great take on a US West Coast IPA; big & hoppy! This would play its part perfectly at any serious beer bar and I have no doubt would make a devoted following even if priced a little higher than a US domestic micro.

Preston - Brown Ale

Preston - Brown Ale - Ibaraki Prefecture - 4% - US Pint @ The Aldgate Pub:
Taste: A good amount of malty taste, not very bitter, and semi-sweet, hops are hiding somewhere I guess..
Smell: Sweet- more-so than in taste, malt, banana nut bread popped into my head.
Looks: Brown-ish/red, no head, no lace, no carbonation, a very clear beer here.Verdict: While not a bad ale- I was not completely impressed with this Brown. I could never fully recommend this over a Hakusekikan brown variety, and definitely not over the amazing East Coast browns back home (Brownstone by Sixpoint, Brooklyn Brown by Brooklyn Brewery, or Old Brown Dog by Smuttynose).

Fujizakura Kogen - Octoberfest Weizen

Fujizakura Kogen - Octoberfest Weizen - Yamanashi Prefecture - UK (weizen-style) Pint @ Bulldog Pub:
Taste: Wheat brings out banana, hints of orange & lemon, slightly smokey, fizzy from carbonation.
Smell: Bubble gum is up front here, whiffs of banana.
Looks: Great thick head, strong lace which hold, very opaque - reminiscent of apple cider, remains carbonated even after an hour! (So I was drinking slow - problem for you?!)Verdict: Maybe I've mentioned I'm not too into wheat beers, but here in Japan I've had an opportunity to expand my mind and try some interesting takes on this style, this Octoberfest weizen was smooth, creamy and actually hit the spot nicely, much more enjoyable than a regular weizen.

Jangara Ramen (Harajuku branch)

[Above pic "borrowed" from here]

Jangara Kyushu Ramen is a well-known chain specializing in the Kyushu-style, and the shop in Harajuku is probably the most popular of them all- so of course I wanted to take my guests here for an authentic Tokyo-feel... although after having gone, I would say it's more like an authentic Harajuku-feel, meaning very lively, vibrant and colorful. There was a line (as expected) and we waited for about 15 minuets in it before we were ushered to the upstairs restaurant only to continue waiting in another line for another 15 minuets; waiting in lines is just part of the Tokyo ramen culture- it's best to just except it early on.
So what makes Kyushu ramen different from other styles? Well it's made with a lite but very oily shiro (white) tonkotsu (pork bone) broth which provides a very rich, buttery flavor. The noodles are on the thin side and are cooked to be firm rather than soft and chewy (don't worry- there's still a "chew" to them!). This dish's signature however is the pork! Unlike most ramen, where the focus is on the broth or noodles, here the pork garners most of the attention and with good cause, as there's allot of it, and it's fatty! In every bowl two styles of pork are dished- chashu and slow-stewed buta kakuni; as if the noodles weren't filling enough already- the pork is just simply overload!
Jangara is good ramen no doubt- but it's not the best, not by a long-shot. What it provides is a foreigner-friendly place to get your feet wet; they have an English menu, it's a crowded place, located in an entertaining area, and dishes are of good quality & quantity- so it's a good base on which to judge future ramen outings in Tokyo.