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Big Al

SnowJapan Member
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Posts posted by Big Al

  1. Hitachino Nest Weizen Project progress update: epic fail. Finished work and rushed over to Archive Beer Boutique and they didn't have any. They said to try another joint (Craft in Red Hill) and they didn't have any. Both shops said to come back in a week or so as they should be getting some in.

     

    Doh !!!

     

    Thanks for the advice Tubby....well MiJ? have you tried it?

  2. Being a huge fan of Hefenweiss style beer (see posts about Burleigh Brewing Hef on "Pies and Beer reports - summer 2014) and also being a novice regarding Japanese beer (only really had Kirin, Asahi and Sapporo products which were certainly nice) I googled "Is there a Japanese Weiss bier" and came upon Hitachino Nest Weizen from Kiuchi brewery.

     

    So the questions are:

     

    Has anybody tried it?

    If so, what's the drum?

    Is it available in Hakuba?

    If so, where?

    Any other Japanese weissbiers that anyone knows about?

     

    Thanks in advance for replies and apologies if these questions have been answered elsewhere in this/other posts - if this is the case please direct me.

     

    "Kanpei"

     

    Big Al

  3. Although we're getting some strong westerly winds it is starting to warm up here in Brissie - up to 29 during the day which ain't too bad for Winter/Spring.

     

    As things get hotter and more humid towards Christmas I'll remember that wonderful contrast when we left 35 degree, high humidity Brissie in January this year to step off the bus at 02:30 in Happo in -10 or so.

     

    Doing the same in January 2015 and counting the days !!!!!!

     

    Fingers crossed for heaps of the cold white stuff !!

  4. "Hey, we're back. That last two seconds of silence was Marcel Marceau's newest hit single, "Walkin In The Wind." And now, here are the headlines. Here they come right now. Pope actually found to be Jewish. Liberace is Anastasia and Ethel Merman jams Russian radar. The East Germans, today, claimed the Berlin Wall was a fraternity prank."

     

    "Here's a news flash: Today President Lyndon Johnson passed a highway beautification bill. The bill basically said that his daughters could not drive in a convertible on public highways."

     

    From Good Morning Vietnam - this has to be some of the funniest quick fire delivery ever !! I remember when I first saw the movie my sides hurt and I nearly peed my pants.

     

    RIP a gifted comedian.

  5. Dun Day - still pretty close to Glenshee.

     

    Nothing like a first run face plant into wind crust and ice atop the Tiger on a windblown -12 morning to get rid of the hangover !!!

     

    Have to laugh thinking about the following conversation which must have been repeated about a dozen times in Hakuba last season:

     

    Local: "Where you from?"

    Me: "Australia, but originally from Scotland"

    Local: "Aaaaaah, Scottoland. Scotch whisky very good!"

  6. we are going in early January for just over a week doing all the stuff the tourists do.so hopefully can get as much out of the trip as possible. also how busy are the slopes at this time of year as a novice to intermediate once I get my mojo happening if someones stopped mid run I tend to have great difficulty going around them. I see you have just been over any tips on traditional japanese restaurants for a family with kids looking for a more relaxed environment and not too expensive also what do all you guys do for lunch on the mountain I see there are quite a few places but whats the best and cheapest around happo one

     

    Apologies for not having the technical nounce to quote properly (Help Mod....) but this may be helpful to Little J.

     

    My wife, kids (14 & 12 then) and I went to Hakuba last January staying in Happo One. As an old ski bum who grew up beside Glenshee resort in Scotland, it was my first time back on skis since moving to Australia 20 years ago.

    As everyone I have spoken to here in Brisbane since returning will testify, I can rave at great length about this fantastic place, but there isn't the room here so a few small pointers:

    1.) No negatives whatsoever, this place is a truly fantastic ski resort. We skied 4 resorts in the valley and the variety of the terrain puts it up there with many of the European Big Boys - the snow is probably better!

    2.) My wife (as a beginner/intermediate) and my kids (both new to snow) preferred the skiing at Goryu. It has much larger and more varied beginner slopes than Happo One.

    3.) FOOD IS AWESOME !!!!!!!!!

    4.) Prices are unbelievable - in the evenings we wined and dined for far less coin than it takes in Brisbane.

    5.) No evidence of loutish behaviour from Aussies on our trip. On the contrary many Aussies we met were knowledgeable about Japanese culture and language.

    6.) Onsens DEFINITELY help the aches and pains.

    7.) I can confirm that during the week the slopes are eerily quiet so you can clock up as many ski k's as the knee joints can take. I virtually always skied straight onto the chair with no waiting whatsoever. Weekends are a bit different as the Tokyo crowd hits the slopes and you should plan your day's routes to avoid the crowds. The great plus about this was the chance to meet more Japanese people.

     

    We're booked up to go back for 12 days' skiing in January 2015 (+ 2 days in Tokyo for shopping / sumo Basho) and can't wait.

     

    ENJOY !!

  7. Saw "Lucy" and "A Most Wanted Man" this week.

     

    The former was a very watchable piece of nonsense of the French film du look genre.

     

    "A Most Wanted Man" was a bit of a disappointment. Great character acting by Philip Seymour Hoffman, fantastic detail but a bland plot which can be summed up in a few words. For the sake of those going to see it I won't sum it up.

  8. Hef ?? - See earlier posts In this thread.

     

    Regarding drinking only XXXX in Qld, what you say is true if you fit the following profile:

     

    1.) Struggled a bit (a lot) at school;

    2.) Name is Davo, Mitchie, Kevo or any nickname related to animal genitalia;

    3.) Wear a Bronco's shirt at least 4 days a week;

    4.) Wear a QLD State of Origin shirt on the remaining days;

    5.) Drive a Hilux with a flat tray & bolted on toolbox;

    6.) Watch "The Footy Show" (Qld version);

    7.) Refer to the World Cup as "The soccer world cup" and that it is only played and watched by "poofters";

    8.) Actually believe that NSW is a foreign country, entry to which requires normal international border crossing controls;

    9.) Have no idea of the fact that Australia has only been colonised by Europeans for the last couple of hundred years;

    10.) Think that only "poofters" come off the rugby league field after being concussed - real men play on !

     

    Thankfully, this demographic is decreasing as a % of total Qld population !!!

  9. If it's the World Cup it might only be a couple of events - ie. there may not be a Downhill. The World Cup is the season-long competition held at numerous resorts throughout each season with the highest point scorers being crowned World Cup Winners in each discipline and some combined events. It is the equivalent of a football "League Championship".

     

    The World Championships, on the other hand, are a biennial one-off event not unlike a football "Cup" competition. The next Alpine World Championships will take place in Vail/Beaver Creek in February 2015.

     

    Why skiing and football use "cup" and "championship" with opposite meanings to each other is beyond me....but I've come to live with it over the years!!

  10. Great to see Brazil humbled again !!

     

    Can't help but agree with Spider Kalac's comment that he wished Holland had been less cautious against Argentina as their forwards are truly World class.

     

    Go Germany tomorrow to complete a Europe over South America double !!!!!

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