Saturday, March 21, 2015

WEEK 46--Born of a Beer Geek

Just like being mesmerized by any other things in life--getting hooked on the idea of craft beer has got it's own process..which sort of goes like this:-

像迷上任何事物一样,迷上撞意啤酒会有过程。虽然每个人过程时间长短不一,不过,整个过程大概可以这样描述:-
the Blurry stage:-
"beer? must be ice cold--and drink in big beer mug as fast one could manage.."
"taste of beer? not much idea---important is there's drinking buddies--even better if drinking at the hottest bar/club in town.."
the Light-Bulb moment:-
"oh--there's such thing called Craft Beer..."
"ok--beer is more than just to drink ice cold--there's much more to beer than just drinking fast or cold..."

the Exploring stage:-
"started to know the varieties of craft beer---started checking out beers on ratebeer or beeradvocate--getting more curious about beers others having or the next beer to try..."
"more of a MINUS method drinker---would minus out beer with taste profile that is similar/close to food item you don't like...like no Lambic if you dislike sour..."
懵懂期
对啤酒的认知?很简单,啤酒要够冷够大杯,最好杯子也雪冷似的,然后,大口大口痛快喝就对了。(有谁不是从喝大厂啤酒开始的?)
啤酒什么味道,什么口感,没什么概念,最重要有一起喝的酒伴,喜欢热闹的,在城中热门夜店喝就更美妙了。

萌芽期
突然发现,噢,世上原来有种玩意儿叫CRAFT BEER,原来啤酒不只黑啤白啤罢了。
还有,原来撞意啤酒不应该只是大口大口喝,或越冷越好喝的,有些啤酒不同温度会有不同层次,慢慢尝味才是享受。
探索期
开始知道IPAPORTER IMPERIAL STOUTBARREL AGED是什么概念,会跟同好们讨论某支啤酒,或者经常上网查看RATEBEER.COMBEER ADVOCATE其他人对某支酒意见。
对没喝过的啤酒,特别是网上评价不错,或者是朋友喝过推荐瓶子具有好奇心,会记录下来,准备下次看到就试。
这时期,比较多是使用“减法”,先移除自己不太喜欢的食物相关味道啤酒,说白了就是挑食。比如不爱吃酸就不会尝试LAMBIC,不爱咖啡会避开浓咖啡STOUT,不吃苦瓜之类的可能就不会选喝DOUBLE/TRIPLE IPA。。

the Molding stage:-
"would want to try more varieties than just sticking to the regulars----tendency of becoming a ADD ON drinker--looking to try more varieties--unfamiliar beer styles included..." 
the Fixed stage:-
"typically would have a BENCHMARK beer of your own--for whatever beer styles--like for an IPA some might just use Stone or Ballast Point( i hear you say Heady Topper/Pliny the Elder)...or stout with Mikkeller/Alesmith.....the thing about Benchmark beer is that it is very personal--it's all about one's taste/preferences...not much of an objective view here..."

雕塑期
不再满足于只喝惯常几款顺口啤酒,会想逐步尝试更多不同类型,比如只喝IPA的会想尝试SMOKE BEERBARLEY WINE或是IMPERIAL STOUTLAMBIC等较复杂/另类口感啤酒。
这是“减法”逐渐转换成“加法”期,已经知道自己大概喜欢啤酒类型,反而会尽量在个人口味能接受范围内多尝试平时不喝的类别,让味蕾口感更多“训练”。
成型期
会有自己的BENCHMARK BEER(个人指标性啤酒),会以指标来衡量同类型其它酿品的优劣高低。举例说,喝低度黑啤的可能会以MIKKELLER啤迷早餐当指标,喝IPA的会以STONEBALLAST POINT作指标(或者更高标的HEADY TOPPER/PLINY THE ELDER),喝高度黑啤的以ALESMITH SPEEDWAY STOUT当指标等等。当然,指标只是个人口味为准,没多大客观性可言。
进入成型期的啤迷,一是会继续不停尝试其他不同类型啤酒,想在浩瀚啤海中寻宝。另一个可能性是逐步减少喝低指标同类型啤酒,只专注喝“好酒”,或者说,变成一个更大的BEER SNOB(鼻子更朝上,质感口感要求更挑剔的啤傲)。
各自修行
成型期之后,基本就是各自修行了。这时候的你,不管是喝过几百,过千或几千杯都好,量不是重点,更注重的是味蕾享受。当然,喝过一定质量啤酒的好处是,至少清楚知道什么是什么,个人口味成型,不固步自封的话,相对的也可以比较客观看待什么是好啤酒这回事。

不管是专注某类型啤酒,或继续探寻各种新瓶子,可以肯定的是,CRAFT BEER路上精彩不断,总会有新酿坊,新瓶子,新朋友冒出来。

after all those small different stages?--well--it's each man/woman going his/her own way---you could become more of a quality seeker and cut down on quantity, become a beer snob---or continue to seek for even wider range of beer styles/breweries....

It's all good---we all do what suits our taste/preferences.... 
  

Sunday, March 8, 2015

WEEK 45--of Head, Face & Body

Head, Face & Body--that's one way of saying if we were to put craft beer in a human form, then we have Brewer as head, Brand as face and Body...as body..:)

如果用人形态描述撞意啤酒的话,啤酒可以是有头有脸有身材。
头是酿酒师(BREWER,脸是品牌(BRAND),身材指的是酒体(BODY)。
BODY
就像厨师下手轻重一样,酿酒师可以决定酿成品酒体是轻盈,中等,还是厚重。
不同酒体啤酒,会让饮客感受到不同“轻重”,不同“厚实”度,这就是酒体。

在大厂啤酒世界中,酒体轻重好像很简单,用颜色辨别就可,金黄的就是轻,黑色的一定比较厚重。
不过,这推断在撞意啤酒世界并不适用。

不同酿酒师天马行空想法会让金黄色啤酒有轻有重,也可也让黑色啤酒感觉轻盈。如果以15分作区别的话,无论是金黄还是黑色不同类别撞意啤酒,都可感受不同程度酒体。
酒体可以影响口感,某些程度上也决定酿品是易喝还是需要慢尝。
quotes:
'just like what a chef is doing in the kitchen, a brewer would decides if a beer is of light/medium or heavy BODY.."

"it is very simple in the non-craft beer circle--you go by color of the beer to determine if a beer is light or heavy----but nope--in the world of craft beer---a golden color beer can be Heavy---while a dark color beer can be Light body...."
BREWER
在最纯粹的撞意啤酒世界,主创酿酒师是决定市场有什么酒喝的人。
就像厨师决定煮什么菜那样,酿酒师的想法可以完全主宰酿品的呈现。

酿酒师当然是跟品牌息息相关的关键人物,他们的酿品很大程度上决定品牌成败,有趣的是,个人性格好像也影响品牌和业务的发展方向。

举例说,来自苏格兰的“酿狗”,灵魂人物JAMESDICKIE都是比较高调的酿酒师,是有真人电视秀那种。此外,对业务发展也比较有野心,所以全世界不同城市发展较快,除了有连锁式酒吧,几款固定啤酒也常期有供应。

相比之下,本地也比较能喝到的丹麦TO OL品牌的两位酿酒师TOBIASTORE就比较低调,对业务发展想法也比较随性。TOBIAS年前受访时候说过,只根据自己步伐,不会因为应对市场需求而酿。(可能因为那样,一些喝过很喜欢的酒,已经好久没在本地出现过)
quotes:
"Brewer is very much intertwine with the Brand of the beer he or she is brewing--their brew very much influence/dictate the success or failure of a brand--interestingly--personality seems to also play a big part in the direction of the brand--and business direction...."

"For examples--Brewdog duo of James & Dickie-- high profile public images via TV shows and such is closely linked with the rapid and constant flow of their regular beers....in contrast--the duo of TO OL seems far more low profile and  laid back--hence the slower pace of production--business expansion..."
BRAND
有人说,品牌是攻下消费者最管用的武器。同样商品,决定消费者买C不买B的就是品牌区别。
在撞意啤酒世界,多尝试不同酿坊,不同类别啤酒是备受提倡精神,不过,品牌力量还是造成区别,也让好些酿酒师站上了名气金字塔的上端。

有资深啤酒人说过,真正享受撞意啤酒的态度应该是“完全不理会网上或朋友或“专家”对某支酒评论,更不可在没喝过之前就以品牌风评下定论要不要喝,要像白纸那样公平对待每一支酒,毫无预设想法/定论的品尝。”

在很多资讯垂手可得的今天,品牌对饮客选择影响是明显的。比如说,不久前在美国限量推出的合酿大黑啤---BEEER GEEK SPEEDWAY 去年底一宣布就引起话题和热切期盼,因为合作双方是美国有“劳斯莱斯”瓶子号称的ALESMITH和丹麦名牌MIKKELLER。是以ALESMITH SPEEDWAY STOUTMIKKELLER BEER GEEK系列为合作主轴的重量级黑啤。
尽管经验告诉我们,有时候名牌+名牌不等于一定更好,可是,喜欢这两支黑啤/两大品牌的肯定会想方设法弄一支尝味。
能说完全不理品牌效应吗?

quotes:
"many have opined that the purest way of tasting a beer is to throw away any preconceptions or bring with you the formed opinions by others( ratebeer/beeradvocate--friend's or expert's opinion)---and taste the beer as it is...like a piece of white paper..."
"in an era where all sorts of information are so easily accessible, what BRAND can do to drinkers is very obvious---take for examples the ripples created among fans of both Mikkeller & Alesmith--when the collab brew where announced late last year.."

" though we know from some other previous cases that--BRANDED + BRANDED don't always guarantee a much better than original version brew---but--can the power of Brand be ignored totally?"

NEXT UP---Born of a BEER GEEK.....