Tuesday, April 14, 2015

WEEK 48---WORLD's TOP 100

Just like music, there's also various kind of charts in the world of craft beer---for examples ratebeer,com or beeradvocate---whether you follow or despise is another matter...
personal preference--will only talk about ratebeer's world's top 100 here....


many have already seen the list so not gonna reproduce the whole list here....but if you need to have a look...the link is:-
http://www.ratebeer.com/ratebeerbest/bestbeers-world2015.asp
就像音乐流行榜那样,CRAFT BEER也是有排行榜的。
不管你是信还是不信,跟随或排斥排行榜,撞意啤酒界比较受饮客认可的两大独立评酒网站RATEBEER.COMBEER ADVOCATE.COM都有各类不同排行榜。
个人选择,这里只聊下美国独立评酒网站RATEBEER.COM每年都会评选的年度世界100大啤酒。
从任何角度看,排行榜基本是主观性比较强的玩意,在人人都有自己看法/喜好情况下,就算是独立评估也不是人人都信服的事,像RATEBEER的年度100大名单一出来,就有不同声音出现,也有人很不客气的批评说“这是另一个典型大美国主义表现”。。

综合2014全年不同饮客评价的“100大排行榜”今年初公布,不意外的,美国瓶子占了绝大多数,接近八成,余下的分别是比利时12支,丹麦3支,加拿大3支,荷兰2支,英国1支。(完整名单可上RATEBEER.COM查看)

简而言之,全球100大啤酒,都是欧美酿坊瓶子。
there's close to 80% are beers from US based brewers--with Belgium(12), Denmark(3),Canada(3),Holland(2),England(1)--completing the 100---another Hollywood style of USA USA show you asked?---well--yes and no--depending on which side of the coin--or maybe the globe you are standing i guess...:)

so--out of 100--how many can be found in South East Asia--i.e.KL, BKK, S'PORE?
the strictly unofficial stats---- KL (about 12-13), BKK(18-20) and S'PORE(30-32)
Looking at TOKYO--which has far more varieties--again unofficial count---roughly 50+ but below 60%.

位置处于地球另一端的东南亚,100大之中,能找到的瓶子有多少?
本地来说,综合好些资深饮客意见,喝到最多的大概只是20%左右,而且还要是把去亚洲其他城市累计不同瓶子算在内才有。

要是单纯只算在吉隆坡市场出现过的话,100大中,大概只有12-13支左右,而且很多都昙花一现,很快就消失。要说比较有机会常见的,也只是MIKELLER的啤迷早餐瓶子和比利时渔船标志的PENNEPOT
把目光转向长堤另一边的新加坡,选择显然好些,大约介于30-32支之间。
新加坡选择多过本地一倍左右?答案很简单,无论是进口商,或者开专卖酒吧或瓶子店的,都比本地多很多,供应多了,不同类别啤酒选择自然会提高。

曼谷方面,约略有18-20支左右,主要因为“米吧”(MIKKELLER BAR)的出现,让这个不夜城的撞意啤酒选择随之增多,比如美国本土也不常见的THREE FLOYDS就已经在曼谷上演过两次“占领啤酒泵”活动,每次有大约10种各类别FFF啤酒选择,而且看来会继续不定时进行,完全是东南亚啤迷一乐事。(FFF100大中有4支不同类别啤酒入选,而其中3支都可以在曼谷喝到)
全球100大啤酒,整个东南亚市场综合起来的话,能找到接近4成,远不到一半,是要怪美国距离太远?还是说有的美国啤酒实在难找?

东京,个人觉得应该是全亚洲撞意啤酒品牌/类别最多的城市,选择多了,能找到的100大啤酒有多少?非正式统计了下,大概是刚好过半,不到6成。

It's a given that some US brewers are not really interested to fill up bars or bottle shops at this part of the world--ASIA--partly logistic issue--partly could be due to production speed/capacity/philosophy considerations.....
So--how do one in ASIA fulfill the chase of the top 100?--well, if you do not fly often enough for beers in the states--chances are you never will...
BUT---charts just a reference point---it's not a MUST--there are surely many other beers that you like or consider to be worthy winner/s but not in the TOP 100 list...
End of the day--beer is about your palate--what you enjoy--are you drinking a TOP 100 beer?---not very important laaaaaa.....:)

地理位置的差异,加上一些美国酿坊的确少产,也不热衷向世界不同城市输送他们酿品,在亚洲的啤迷,除非经常飞往美国不同城市,不然很难把100大啤酒找到喝齐。

当然,全球100大啤酒只是一个排行榜,只是一个参考,没有说一定要照单全收的,有一定品酒经验的啤迷肯定会有一些啤酒是没有入选RATEBEER 100大,不过肯定是自己心目中10050大,反正,喝啤酒这回事,没有说一定要跟什么排行榜走的。

只要啤酒对正口味,不需要等太久就能找到/喝到,是不是全球100大,不是那么重要。

Sunday, April 5, 2015

WEEK 47--a few things about BEER GEEKs

if you have been to a stadium to watch live matches--be it football, tennis, badminton or basketball--you would have noticed there's probably 1001 different kind of fans(some serious, some funny, some grumpy......)

in a small way---the world of beer geeks is a little similar--in that there's different facets to geeks...
here's some different types--in a lighthearted way:-
就像世上所有迷恋上任何事物的人一样,比如球迷,比如戏迷,啤迷指的是很喜欢/很爱啤酒的人。
如果用球迷来比喻的话,有去过现场看球(不管是足球,羽毛球,网球还是篮球),会发现身为球迷这件事,还真是五花八门,甚至无奇不有。
可能有人觉得,啤迷除了喜欢啤酒这回事,还能有别的事情吗?
细分来说,虽然啤迷喜欢啤酒是前提,不过,就像球迷有不同精神面貌,啤迷也分类的。
以下几个不同啤迷类型,说玩玩的,不必认真。。。
The "Academician" type
drinking beer is not just a casual matter---studying beer related knowledge/info through books or www is the norm---and some if not most would eventually end up home brewing....
maybe someone would think--it's just beer--is there really so much to study or to be so serious/fuss about?---just talk to one of these geeks and you will know...:)
The Social Network type
it is a fact that sometimes--to some people--social network, hand phone apps is more important than feeding the mouth...
the same can be said for some beer geeks too....look around Insta, FB or Twitter and you will know....but for some geeks--especially friends who are very much into apps like Untappd---chasing higher grades can be quite amazing--you need to keep drinking new beer--different beers to earn a higher level/grade/medals
The joke on untappd chasers? who is chasing who? apps or beer ?:)

学术型
跟字眼意思一样,学术型啤迷是认真的,就像做学问或研考那样,他/她们基本都爱看书或上网研究啤酒相关知识。或动手玩自酿。喝啤酒这回事不只是喝酒这么简单,除了酒质,酒体,口感等基本认知,学术型啤迷会更深入研究其他细节,比如酿法,比如用了什么类型啤酒花,酵母或麦芽,比如哪一家酿坊有什么过人之处。。。
或许有人会觉得,只不过是喝酒,需要这么认真?
喝啤酒喝到很认真这回事,只要不是动不动长篇大论,又或是理论多过实际行动就可。
都说是啤迷,研究的同时,当然要多尝味才是。
社交网络型
这年头,社交网络和手机APPS有时是比吃饭更重要的事。
对一些啤迷来说,喝酒这回事的确是跟社交网络,手机APPS息息相关。
有啤迷喝酒同时也在乐此不疲的追求一些手机APPS,比如说UNTAPP里各种级别的勋章,至于说有新照片新话题可以上面子书,INSTATWITTER之类的更是司空见惯。
身边有朋友迷上玩UNTAPP的话,很容易辨别,他/她很多时候都更注重追新酒新瓶子,很少重复喝同样的,因为UNTAPP勋章需要一直累计新啤酒新啤酒才能往上“升迁”。
有人笑说,喝酒的是啤迷?还是APPS
The Branded type
there's certainly much much more than 1001 beers out there, and just like any other goods for sale--some are obviously more popular or "branded" than others...
there's some beer geeks who are after the big name bottles--and at times gets labelled as "vain" or "brand collector"---well, there's a very fine line separating the REAL geeks from "wannabe"---the fact that Real Geeks would drink the same big name bottles repeatedly or whenever he/she can get hold of the same bottle---certainly not just drink a bottle or even a few sips, tick on the collection list and called it end of mission.....
The Choosy Eater type
Craft beer is just like food---there's so many varieties/selections out there---and just like food, everyone would have a certain likes & dislikes( or less like)...
To some geeks--even though there's hundreds of varieties--that does not mean much--because what he/she would always drink might be just 5-10 different varieties...for examples--a common scenario in South East Asia is that--most male drinkers(including geeks) are not into Lambic/Sour beers....
Do beer geeks just keep loyal to a few favourite styles? or are they supposed to explore and experience as many varieties possible? :)

名牌型
有时候,啤迷也像崇尚追求名牌的消费者那样,觉得只有某些牌子,某位酿酒师的啤酒才是品质保证,才是好喝的。
浩瀚啤海中,扬名立万当然需要一定功力才能办到,酒的质素和品牌力量一被认可,会招来饮客瞩目追逐是正常现象。
虽然,某些程度上,这类型啤迷会被认为是“爱慕虚荣”,只为炫耀累计酒单而喝的嫌疑,不过,真正爱喝大酒或名牌的啤迷和“伪啤迷”之间是有分界线的,真正爱喝大酒/名牌的啤迷不会只喝过一瓶,甚至只是几口就觉得喝过了。
真正啤迷是会一喝再喝,不会因为追求酒单上打过勾就不喝了。
挑食型
CRAFT BEER世界从来不以量取胜,关键字是----酒的整体质素,酒的众多类别。
那么多不同啤酒类别,啤迷都爱?是啤迷就会每样都试?
倒未必那样。
就像吃饭一样,喝酒也是根据个人口味喜好的事,难免出现“挑食”现象。
有时候,那么多不同啤酒类型对一些啤迷来说意义不太大,因为很可能喝来喝去不超过510种类型。
东南亚来说,一个普遍现象是,很多饮客,特别是男的,都不喝,或者说,接受不了比利时天然发酵“果酸啤酒”(LAMBIC)偏酸味风格。
有人调侃说,真正啤迷不就是应该不同类别尽量试,多尝多品才是正道?