Baystars Ale is a 4.5% English pale ale from Bay Brewing Yokohama, based in Kanagawa, Japan. It’s part of the push from Yokohama DeNA Baystars, the local baseball team, to get people drinking craft beer. It’s only available during the baseball season and can only be found on tap at the Baystars Stadium in Kannai, fortunately just down the road from Bay Brewing Yokohama. It’s priced at 700yen for a US pint and that includes tax.
If you’re looking for bold beers, then look elsewhere.
Baystars Ale Aroma and Taste
It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a baseball game in Japan – a three-hour sporting event isn’t my ideal way of spending time in the blazing hot sun, but I’ve always enjoyed beer at the games. With Baystars Ale, a beer specially designed for the team and stadium, Bay Brewing Yokohama have hit the big time, so to speak.
Baystars Ale was served out of a keg from one of those people that have those kegs of beer on their backs, and came out a golden colour with a reasonable amount of frothy white head that quickly collapsed in on itself. Aroma wise, it’s a slight pale-ale with faint hints of citrus and some caramel but nothing bold or beautiful.
I guess with Baystars Ale, the aim is to get people to make the step away from the big four beers served at the stadium and onto something different and as such, this beer should be seen as a stepping stone. If you’re expecting a bold beer then you’re going to have a bad time. Baystars Ale was pretty bland in the body, with the merest of hints of bitterness and sweetness. The flavours didn’t linger for long and faded to leave nothing on the palate.
Baystars Ale The Bottom Line
Baystars Ale is nothing special, though I suspect it isn’t meant to be much more than a gateway beer into craft beer.
