一年下来,尝味过的啤酒/蜜酒不少,上期选了10支,这期继续聊。
Here's the second/final part of my list :-
Hillfarmstead Society & Solitude 4
call it whatever you might--but this is 1 event most geeks were looking forward to--a dedicated "tap takeover"day at Warpigs CPH during CBC week.
29 HF beers on tap plus 14 different bottles, that's 43 choices in one single session.
To pick 1 out of however much/many different HF beers one could drink on that day is not easy--maybe it's even unfair--that a seemingly more hops forward/flavourful DIPA is chosen among that many different styles of brew from HF--but this really is a real delicious beer--such balance and elegance.
作为年度最受啤迷瞩目的活动,美国农场酿坊HILLFARMSTEAD在哥本哈根啤酒庆典周的“占领啤酒泵日”让啤迷惊喜,29款不同风格酿品,加上瓶子选择,是就算去美国也难见到阵容,那天在场啤迷们都面对选择困难症,很多啤迷尽量结伴分享当天能喝到的所有酿品,不过,要在超过30多款各具特色的啤酒中选出一款最爱或当天感觉最出色的酿品不是易事,这款双倍IPA优雅富有果香是不同级别啤酒花类别佳作。
Bokkereyder
It's easy to tell why this "fusion blend" lambic maker is getting much more attention during and after CBC week--making already delicious lambic even more tasty with fruits/food items added + barrel aging--with such small production--it's only natural the bottles are hard to come by --of all those glasses i have had so far--there's nothing you don't want (as yet) from this blender.
今年哥本哈根啤酒庆典後开始被更多啤迷发现的比利时天然发酵果酸啤酒“混酒作坊”,这家不是传统意义上的酿坊,做的是将别人酿好果酸啤酒通过加入不同水果/食材再过桶熟成方式,将原啤酒提升到另一个风味层次。至今喝过多款中,没有让人失望的。
Sahtipaja Meadme Bourbon Vanilla
Mead is slowly getting more attention here in Asia though supply is still relatively small/rare--Had this bottle not long ago, it's definitely a stronger in aroma/flavour version than the Original version--the influence of barrel makes it tasting like a fermented fruit juice full of goodness of bourbon & vanilla.
来自瑞典小酿坊,不单只酿造啤酒,蜜酒更是受到欧美啤迷追逐。这支用了几种不同梅果酿造蜜酒,除了有原版,也有过桶熟成版,通过美国波本烈酒木桶里浸泡,加上香草,让带果香甜味的酿品变得更浓郁,也提升了风味层次,想象成香草波本酒香浓果汁也无不可。
Other Half & Monkish JFK 2 LAX
Tasted this one --along with quite a few other NE style Ipa--which could also means tasting similar most of the time--but when this one hits the palate--the difference is very obvious--while some others tasted mostly "fruit-juice like" --this one is almost like a concentrated version of cordial--in a nice way--it's thick and stronger in taste, and it's delicious.
近期两家美国炙手可热新酿坊的合酿,拿手好戏是IPA,虽是在一个聚集了很多不同品牌IPA品饮会上喝到,众多风味相近IPA中,这是让人即刻尝出特色的酿品,相比一些类似果汁IPA这款更像是浓缩果汁,这么说完全不是贬义词,而是体现更香更浓郁风味,让人领悟原来IPA可以这样玩。
BIIR Sweet & Sour Red Series 2014
This one is a total surprise--that a beer with such distinct sensation of sweet and sour at the same time--yet the layer is clear--is quite amazing.
食物中能找到甜酸兼备例子不少,不过,啤酒中同时尝到鲜明均衡甜味和酸味是绝不简单的事,因为所有决定甜酸度的因素都要在酿造过程完成,不像比如果汁或咖啡可以再加糖或柠檬之类的再调和。喝到这支酸中带甜或甜中带酸啤酒真的惊喜,用比利时特有天然发酵方式酿造,加入樱桃梅果在木桶浸泡熟成,风味口感自然,完全没人工/化学假甜酸。
Alchemist Focal Banger
Having had Heady Topper for the first time and subsequently few more times last year--obviously was looking forward to tasting this--this is a more elegant version of a hops bomb ipa--there's nothing in your face--just nice balance of hops and malt--if only these can were not that hard to find in ASIA.
鼎鼎大名的美国酿坊作品,去年喝了几次这家另一名作Heady Topper,让对只是强调啤酒花功能IPA感到厌烦的我再次发现这类型啤酒美好一面,这版本是更均衡优雅的Ipa,绝对高水平酿品。
B.Nektar Episode 13 + Sahtipaja Out of The Blue
Both are BA mead--while the Episode 13 is tasting "heavier", with some decanting it helps--Out of the Blue is tasting smooth with lower abv--brought these 2 to a private tasting in Hong Kong--it's nice to share something not available or yet to hit town with geeks there.
前者来自美国,后者是瑞典酿品,都是经过桶陈处理蜜酒,属于口感较浓郁类型。两支酿品同时在香港私人品饮会分享,要说区别的话,美国那支酒体口感更浓郁些,相对的,瑞典那支感觉均衡度更好更易喝,因为是吉隆坡带过去推荐分享,意义比较不一样。
New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red
Personally--this one is a much more mellow/friendly bottle than "Strawberry Rhubard" which totally blew our mind last year--it's still an interesting brew--tasting like fermented cherries juice--no wonder a friend from Scandinavia who came to attend 1 of our tasting group guy's wedding went like " this totally changes my perception about beer".
要是和同样来自这家酿坊的绝版酿品,去年一喝“惊为天人”Strawberry Rhubarb相比,这支肯定没有那么让人觉得惊艳。这是用大量樱桃酿造比利时风格啤酒,与其说是啤酒,不如说是发酵过樱桃果汁。喝的时候适逢朋友结婚有北欧朋友飞来道贺,没什么喝过CRAFT
BEER的北欧朋友喝後表示,“完全改变了对啤酒认知”。
Cantillon Blabaer Lambic
Some says this is a must have--some thought it's just nothing but over hyped beer--found a 3 years vertical selection at a bar in CPH--while it's not the best Cantillon i ever had--this is still a nice blueberry lambic to be had--if you see one--just drink.
喜欢这家比利时酿坊啤迷都知道这是专为哥本哈根一家瓶子店酿造,全世界只能在特定发售日飞去丹麦排队买的稀有款。在瓶子店老板新开不久的专卖吧喝到不同年份版本,这是评价不一的蓝莓果酸啤酒,有人觉得天上有地下无,有人觉得过誉或还好而已,个人感受,虽不是喝过最好的CANTILLON作品,有机会喝到的话,还是一定要试。
BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien 2013
So far--whichever BFM brew i have had did not disappoint, in fact it's delicious--this one though with 11%abv --taste like a nice fruity light sweet/sour juice --makes you wanna go slow.
瑞士佳酿,11%酒精度,一点都不“烈”的类果汁酸中带微甜啤酒,经过葡萄酒木桶熟陈再混合不同年份酿品而成,入口醇香易喝,适合配搭较丰盛食物或饭后慢慢享受的一款。
SIDE NOTE:-
Some memorable Asian brew
Young Master RyeO
this rye whiskey BA beer from HK was a gift bottle shared here in KL when 2 HK geeks friends visited--indeed a rare one since it's a one-off brew from Young Master --the nice work of barrel makes the aroma and flavours of malt-rye-oak blended smoothly, you would not think it's 11.5% sipping it.
香港啤迷朋友带来吉隆坡分享的限量版瓶子,满是麦芽威士忌香味的均衡啤酒。
Moonzen Giesha
If you like coffee in a beer or rather a coffee in a beer form--not those very strong/pungent type of coffee --but rather like a hint of coffee aroma with light fruity bittersweet--i could relate this to a very mild flat white(though there's no milk in play here). Thanks to another Hk geek for sharing this.
像是微甜带点果香的咖啡,完全不是一般印象中的咖味啤酒,微香易喝。
Kyoto Brewing
Visited them on a Saturday afternoon sometime back in April this year--quite a search since it's located inside a small neighborhood away from any obvious big building or landmark--the reward of finding the brewery after some walking? nice selection of some seasonal brew--and you can't beat drinking fresh from the brewery.
坐在酿坊喝绝对新鲜的啤酒是乐事,当然,啤酒水准要有一定水平,这家绝对没问题。
Sharing awesome gift bottles:-
18th Street BA Bitches Bank imperial stout
this is second year in a row KL tasting group got to taste this delicious bottle received from Drew in CBC--this is truly one awesome stout--the only problem? where to find another or some more?
连续两年受到酿酒师DREW的赠瓶--同样跟本地品酒会啤迷分享,再次喝还是那么美味。
Superstition Framboesa Atando
A limited bottle--gifted by Jeff --shared this in KL with the tasting group guys as well as 4 visiting Singapore Geeks--what's better than sharing this beauty with people who knows how to appreciate it?
Xmas Blend
yesterday afternoon--a small tasting session was held with the guys--with what now has became a customary Dark Lord + other beers session--but yesterday the game went up a notch or two--with toasted coconut "coffee press" adding some flavours to the beer--and not stopping there--a coconut & bourbon/maple Hunapuhs was made too...
第二年连续在圣诞节聚餐,当然分享瓶子还是重点--今年不例外的开了2014年份DARK LORD--然后也玩了点提味游戏,用挤压方式把一部分黑啤惨入烤椰丝,效果很好,啤酒中明显有椰香味。之后再加码,把同样加椰香的HUNAPUHS再加美国波本酒和枫糖酱, 玩出不同风味.