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IPA，PORTER， IMPERIAL STOUT，BARREL 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.COM或BEER 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 BEER，BARLEY WINE或是IMPERIAL STOUT，LAMBIC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STONE或BALLAST 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....