Baird Brewery Garden Shuzenji taps a new ale made with 150 kg of Nagano apples
Baird Brewing announced on its official Instagram that its new Second Strike Apple Ale is now ON TAP. The style is fruit ale, and the alcohol content is 4.0%. It's a light, dry pour that makes lavish use of apples from Nagano Prefecture.
Hop BroA new one just dropped from Shuzenji, and Baird Brewery Garden Shuzenji has put Second Strike Apple Ale ON TAP.
MugiWhat! Even the name sounds strong! And the article says 150 kg of Nagano apples. That's not just a team snack run, that's a serious scale!
Hop BroWhat's clever is that they add it in two stages, once during the wort stage and again after primary fermentation. It's a fruit ale with an ABV of 4.0%, designed to be light and easy to drink.
MugiWhat is that? The word Graff from the post sounds like a game special move, and I have no idea what it means!
Hop BroGraff is something like the middle ground between beer and cider. In short, it's a hybrid of beer and apple fermentation. It's meant to avoid being too sweet and instead bring out soft acidity and dryness.
MugiOh, I get it! So it's not a dessert-style beer, but the kind you can keep drinking because of the crisp finish!
Hop BroExactly. And the label is fun too, reflecting the Second Strike world named by Harajuku's alias, with the foul-ball moment turned into an apple.
MugiWow, it even has baseball references! A ball turned into an apple is the kind of detail that makes you grin the moment you spot it.
Hop BroThe Shuzenji base behind it is a great place too, with a brewing philosophy tied to nature along the Kano River and even a 20-tap tasting room.
MugiI can't take it anymore, I'm already thirsty just imagining it! Today I'm in the mood to toast with a fruit ale!
Hop BroThen it's settled. Start with a glass of apple ale in Shuzenji, and we'll plan round two after that.
Baird Brewing announced on its official Instagram on March 12, 2026, that service had begun for its new Second Strike Apple Ale. According to the post, the beer was designed to aim for a sweet-tart profile and a crisp finish, just as described by Brisk, softly tart & refreshingly dry. The style is fruit ale, the ABV is 4.0%, and its core appeal is an easy-drinking lightness that keeps fatigue at bay.
The defining feature of the brew is how it uses apples from Nagano Prefecture. In the brewer's comments, it was described as a hybrid design in which a total of 150 kg of apples was added in two stages: during the wort process and again after primary fermentation. Finished dry like a cider, it brings the bright aroma of apples to the fore, and the post also introduced it as a style called Graff.
The label art also has a playful twist. It reflects the world of Second Strike, named by Harajuku apparel maker alias, which loves both beer and baseball, and visualizes the instant a batter swings and misses for strike two. It's a beer you can enjoy even more once you notice the story that the ball is actually an apple.
The source of this new release, Baird Brewery Garden Shuzenji, is based along the Kano River in Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. On its official site, it presents a philosophy that connects the natural environment with brewing, a 20-tap tasting room, and efforts toward sustainable brewing equipment. This new fruit-forward release can be understood as an extension of Baird's craft of celebrating flavor, which makes it all the more interesting.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroA new one just dropped from Shuzenji, and Baird Brewery Garden Shuzenji has put Second Strike Apple Ale ON TAP.
MugiWhat! Even the name sounds strong! And the article says 150 kg of Nagano apples. That's not just a team snack run, that's a serious scale!
Hop BroWhat's clever is that they add it in two stages, once during the wort stage and again after primary fermentation. It's a fruit ale with an ABV of 4.0%, designed to be light and easy to drink.
MugiWhat is that? The word Graff from the post sounds like a game special move, and I have no idea what it means!
Hop BroGraff is something like the middle ground between beer and cider. In short, it's a hybrid of beer and apple fermentation. It's meant to avoid being too sweet and instead bring out soft acidity and dryness.
MugiOh, I get it! So it's not a dessert-style beer, but the kind you can keep drinking because of the crisp finish!
Hop BroExactly. And the label is fun too, reflecting the Second Strike world named by Harajuku's alias, with the foul-ball moment turned into an apple.
MugiWow, it even has baseball references! A ball turned into an apple is the kind of detail that makes you grin the moment you spot it.
Hop BroThe Shuzenji base behind it is a great place too, with a brewing philosophy tied to nature along the Kano River and even a 20-tap tasting room.
MugiI can't take it anymore, I'm already thirsty just imagining it! Today I'm in the mood to toast with a fruit ale!
Hop BroThen it's settled. Start with a glass of apple ale in Shuzenji, and we'll plan round two after that.
