Sunday, May 22, 2016

WEEK 75--Side Note--Copenhagen Beer Week 2016

and so--it's over--the madness/awesomeness (or however you wanna call it)of Copenhagen Beer Week( 8-15 May)).
2016哥本哈根啤酒庆典(CBC2016)刚在上星期(515日)结束。
这是让从世界不同角落特意飞来很多啤迷感觉忙不过来的一周。
作为5周年版本,今年的CBCCopenhagen Beer Celebration)换了新场地,从之前的体育馆换到大几倍,更接近市中心的老旧展会中心。当然,啤迷最关心的不会是场地,而是有什么酿坊出席。
玩了4CBC,主办方MIKKELLER当然知道啤迷关注点,今年连续7Copenhagen Beer Week,从8号开始,每天几家相关专卖吧都有不同酿坊“占领啤酒泵”活动,一直到1314两天4个不同场次,每场5小时所有参展酿坊约200种不同啤酒任你喝庆典高潮後,15日还有后续活动,再加上城里其他专卖吧也有自家不同酿坊活动,这7天简直是让啤迷又期待又怕受伤害。
整个星期的哥本哈根就像奥运村,你随时可以在城里好几家专卖酒吧碰到赫赫有名或后起之秀酿酒师,又或是出名品酒人,部落客等等,情况就像随时可以和世界级选手或教练同坐一吧,聊聊几句。到了1314两天啤酒庆典时,那些平时只在媒体或社交网络见过的酿酒师会亲自在各自啤酒摊位为啤迷拉酒,有追星情意结的话,这简直星光闪耀到不行。

7天众多活动中,让很多啤迷关注的不少,个人口味:-
it's a full week of almost non-stop action for geeks who flew in from all corners of the world--all in the name of drinking some good shit...
here's a little summary of what happened during that week--more like a personal note of what's went on...
7 days of Copenhagen Beer Week--it's no wonder that Mikkeller has line up a host of activities throughout the week --just to ensure that all geeks has got something to drink or look forward to each day...
Of course there's also other bars in town which kept themselves busy by lining up tap-takeovers or special events in conjunction with the beer week...
I did not attend all--obviously--was just taking it at own pace--and here's some of the events i went to:-
1) Three Floyds tap takeover @ Mikkeller Bar Victoriagade
it's known that people would line up for FFF during CBC--so when a tap takeover is there before CBC--why not just drink emmm and save your palate for others during CBC.
美国摇滚级别酿坊THREE FLOYDS的占领啤酒泵,因为DARK LORD的盛名,每年不同版本,特别是用其他烈酒食材桶陈过的升级版更是啤迷关注点。在1314日的两天正式啤酒庆典中,经常出现长龙的肯定有为黑魔王而排的一条,所以,先喝为快不失最好。
there's a line too for the beers at the bar--but just a short one so it's fairly smooth and quick to get your fill of DARK LORDs and your Zombie Dust and so on....

2) Hillfarmstead Day@ Warpigs

when it was announced that Hillfarmstead will be in for CBC2016, i had a feeling that a tap takeover would happened--but did not think it would be of this scale--it was like fxxking Vermont came to town--so yeah--you could imagine the excitements among geeks lining up before noon that day--there's 2 spot where yo could line up for beers--1 outside with 7 taps-- 1 inside with 22 taps...
今年最让啤迷期待的是被誉为世界最佳酿坊的HILLFARMSTEAD的参与,当主办方宣布会在12日把WARPIGS酒吧完全让给HILLFARMSTEAD上所有啤酒泵时,那种期待程度是不真实的,因为地处偏远美国加拿大边界农村,加上主创酿酒师一点都不在乎满足来自世界各地的需求,HILLFARMSTEAD只很少量供应酿坊周边酒吧,瓶子更是难求,所以,当知道这家美国小酿坊的绝大多数啤酒都会出现在哥本哈根时,啤迷期待值的上升是难以想象的。果真,12日当天中午12点还没到就有啤迷开始排队,少量不同瓶子限量每一组啤迷只限买一支,反正就是人头涌涌,满桌不同啤酒,大家都冲着世界第一而来。

it took quite a while to reach the bar to get your beers--limit to 5 beers on tap per person and only 1 bottle purchase(strictly to be consumed on site only).
There's no wonder most tables were full of various glasses consisting majority or ALL of the 29 beers on tap!
and yes--if you a fan of Shaun the man--he was in the da house--brewing with the guys of Warpigs.
special thanks to a group of Sweden geeks for sharing this- thanks Hans.

3) Spontan tap takeover@Mikkeller & Friends + Bokkereyder tap takeover@ Koelschip
These two events happened on different days at 2 bars which is basically housed in the same building--the spontan event is about 40taps of all things spontan--majority of beers from Mikkeller, To Ol ...
比利时天然发酵果酸啤酒后起之秀BOKKEREYDER,这是一家很小很少产,比利时境内都没什么人喝过的“混酒作坊”。无论是啤酒庆典之前的小型占领啤酒泵活动或1314日两天喝到的作品,都让人期待后续产量会不会提高或限量卖出一些瓶子。
While the smaller scale Bokkereyder tap takeover was something i was really looking forward to since there's no way i could sample anything from this "blender" where i am located--and yes--from what's sampled during the mini tap takeover--and subsequently during CBC--i would say this loud and clear-- i'm a FAN :)

#apart from the above mentioned--was also at other places like Ramen to Biru to try and buy a can of Heady Topper to go with ramen--but no luck as the HT was no where to be seen--also went to Mikkeller & Friends bottle shop at Torvehalleme to look see and pay visit to Mette.
Will write a more complete one for next newspaper column on some other places i went--including Himmeringet, Olbutikken & Fermentoren.....
WHAT ABOUT CBC 2016?
Into 5th edition-it's being held in a much bigger hall than previous years--with some of the best breweries on show--as well many up and coming ones--more like the onus on geeks to find out what you like, and perhaps some hidden gems among the sea of beers available. The funny thing is--with that much beers on show--inside the hall it felt like a gathering of old and new friends savouring some kind of gourmet food/dessert--it did not really feels like a hall full of drunken people at all---NOPE--NOT AT ALL.
Throughout the week--many places in Copenhagen felt like an mini Olympic village--you will bump into some of the many brewers in town for CBC--or sit at the same bar sipping beers with brewers you probably only heard of/seen on social media.
至于大家大老远从世界不同角落飞来的1314两天啤酒庆典,今年有什么吸引的?
个人感觉,这场两天的啤酒飨宴,整个会场每场次几千人聚在一起或坐或不停走动取酒的感觉是非常和谐融洽的,没有一般人想象中乱糟糟场面。或许可以这样看,与其说是场啤酒飨宴,CBC给人感觉更像是新老朋友的美食甜点聚会,因为有太多不同酿坊,不同类别啤酒限时几小时内喝,大家都很自制的只是小喝两三口(绝对喜爱的会例外喝完非常小半杯)然后转向下一个目标。
有人问说大老远花钱去那么贵的北欧城市喝啤酒是不是值得,我想说,如果你是CRAFT BEER爱好者,那是会改变你的啤酒态度,眼界,味蕾,鉴赏力甚至素养的一周。
And the the fact that you are getting your beers poured and delivered by the same brewer who did the brew --maybe have a small chat during CBC is quite an experience--if some of you were star struck--that's quite understandable.
IN CONCLUSION--if anyone were to ask me--that flying all the way from Asia just for beers--and most likely breaking your bank account in doing so---is it worth it?
my answer is quite simple:-
"if you love craftbeer--that 1 week in CPH would transform your attitude-taste-palate-appreciation level and views about craftbeer.." 

*for more CBC 2016 related photos--do check out the previous post.

Friday, May 20, 2016

SIGHTING CBC2016--awesome beers & nice people

While waiting for the newspaper column about Copenhagen Beer Week publishing this coming Sunday....here's a little photo story of CBC 2016--just some random pics taken while strolling the hall with a glass in hand/or backpack...see if you are here:-

new venue--same excitement 
long line of people before 10am local time--but it's worth the little wait..ONCE inside--that's beer heaven opening up....
There's 2 session per day--so you basically have 4-5 hours to drink all you want if you only in for 1 session--10 hours if you are on PINK ticket( all session)
The question would always be--how do you plan your drinks? do you go with the flow as you walk, or have a list ready in hand and stick to it, or have a few drinking partners to share the load? ...
of course there's always those who came fully prepared--especially those who are very active user of ratebeer-untappd-beer advocates
there's not just beers--if you fancy a tattoo--you can get it right here, or if you need some food--coffee--even do some shopping--or simply sit and chill with old or new found friends--take a break from beers--that option is available

but if beer is all you need..so be it...there's just too many to choose from

More beers perhaps?
It's been 2 days full of awesome beers--and nice people around--if you love awesome beers, and nice people--maybe you should starts planning for some CBC awesomeness come next year.....