Monday, August 29, 2016

WEEK 84---NEWBIES RED ALERT 123

Craft Beer is NOT something most consumers familiar with.
Unlike MACRO beer--owned by a few international corporation--funded by big advertising/marketing budget--focusing on just a few core beer--it's very visible to the common folks--it's everywhere, easily accessible.
如何推广消费者完全不熟悉的Craft Beer文化是不同城市业者都面对的共同习题。
财力雄厚的大厂啤酒国际大公司一直通过大量广告行销,围堵市场销售点手法等<烧钱找钱>方式推广几个主要通销品牌,而Craft Beer特点是星罗棋布,供应链来自世界各地非常多不同酿坊或本身没有酿坊的"吉卜赛"酿酒师。
很自然的,Craft Beer酿坊没有大厂啤酒公司那种财力去玩推广游戏,一路来都是靠口口相传方式在宣扬,社交媒体有不少部落客,评酒人等,大家基本都本着自身热情做免费推广。花大钱推广品牌这件事,在Craft Beer界不被推崇,至今也还没看到有哪些比较成功酿坊会那样做。
既是大家本着热情做的闲事,就会是各司各法,不过,就像世上所有事情那样,就算以创意为首,鼓励天马行空的Craft Beer也是有值得新朋友注意的红色警讯。

Craft Beer is the complete opposite--the source of supply is from thousands of small breweries--some not even owning a brewery but merely a "Gypsy" brewer--there's hardly a marketing/advertising budget to speak of---the spreading of craft-culture is mainly via "viva-voce" or word of mouth--nowadays kinda also meaning Social Media---breweries would--drinkers would--bar/bottle shop owners would---basically everyone do say things about craft beer--all trying to promote craft beer in their own way..

How to reach out effectively--sending out the right messages to newbies--potential newbies--is something everyone who cares about craft-culture trying to do --including here in ASIA.

Comparatively--craft culture is still something very new in ASIA-craft beer operators in different cities are doing their part in promoting craft beer as better option to MACRO beer--as everyone is doing/saying things differently--perhaps it's good to look at a few things from a newbie's perspective:-
Let's call these Newbie's RED ALERT:-
RED ALERT 1
It's true that operating a 100% craft beer only bar or bottle shop in ASIA is no easy task--with craft-culture in the starting stage--and various cities having different Government taxes/policy on (imported) alcoholic beverages to contain with.

It is quite common to notice owners/staff  of a craft beer bar or bottle shop rave about/promoting the shop's core line or a certain beer style/s they are selling.
1) 只爱单一性
无论是业者也好,又或单纯喜欢啤酒,了解Craft Beer文化精神的,都不会,也不应该只强调单一风格啤酒类别。无论是基于自身生意通销货,或啤酒来自本身城市酿坊理由,都不成立。
Craft Beer
之所以跟大厂啤酒很不一样就因为不同风格类别繁多,可让味蕾有很多有趣美味享受,如果基于某种自私原因,业者只是一味强调例如IPASTOUT的美好,否决甚至诋毁其他啤酒类别的可试性,那肯定是大红讯号,完全错误示范。
只强调单一啤酒风格类别的人,不会是真正热爱Craft Beer的。
Everyone in business do that--obviously craft beer is still a business once you invested time and money--BUT--in cases where owners/staff keep telling newbies that a particular beer style(which they DON'T SELL) is NOT WORTH trying or a certain brand is TOO GIMMICKY/TOO HYPED to warrant a try(again they DON'T SELL) --then those words can most certainly be concluded as business (rivalry) motivated.

It is ALL RIGHT to PROMOTE what you are selling or your best selling items--but anyone who truly love craft beer would not say bad things about a certain beer style/another brand purely out of business concern---please DON'T MISLEAD newbies.

RED ALERT 2
It's quite often we hear people say--fresh beer is the best.
In the world of craft beer-- this is NOT always right.
We all know--Some beers are much better after AGEING(say Lambic?)
In some cities in ASIA--where the law permit selling of locally brewed beers or opening of Brew Pubs--inevitably there will be voices promoting DRINK LOCAL BEER/ or FRESH from BREW PUB is the best kind of messages.

AGAIN--there is nothing wrong to promote the business you have invested time and money into.
HOWEVER--if the claim is mainly/purely about FRESHNESS of BREW PUB beer being BETTER than IMPORTED ones--then that claim is very much debatable.
2) 过度强调本土或在地或新鲜度
喝啤酒就要喝新鲜酿造的。
这是一般认知,理论上也没错。
不过,在Craft Beer 界,事情不是那么简单,不然也不会出现桶陈熟成啤酒这件事。
的确,一些强调啤酒花功用,注重鲜味啤酒类别比如Pilsner, Pale Ale, IPA是越新鲜越好。
在一些有自家品牌啤酒或小型酿吧(Brew Pub)的亚洲城市,我们有时候会听到一些"支持本土酿造啤酒"或强调只有鲜酿啤酒才是王道的说词。
或许我们可以借镜奥运概念看下什么是什么。
从想象层面来看,说本土酿造啤酒或Brew Pub 鲜酿啤酒是比进口瓶装啤酒新鲜好喝是可以理解的事。不过,这理论对不对,取决于好些因素,例如进口啤酒是不是全程冷冻运送保持鲜度,进口啤酒类别,酿造水平等等。
Let's maybe look things from another angle--say OLYMPICS
we all know Olympics is one of world's highest level sports event--say if we could use that as yardstick---we could perhaps ask this question:-
WHAT IS YOUR LOCAL BREW/ BREW PUB beers level? is it only good to compete at local sports event? can qualify for Olympics? or more than just qualifying for Olympics?

Yes--it's kinda absurd to link Olympics with beer--and we all know whoever competed in Olympics all started from Local tournaments---but say IF a brewer is like a marathon runner--if you don't know the qualifying time for Olympics--or Olympics record--then most likely there's no Olympics coming your way....
It's true craft beer is no Olympics--it's not as straight forward as running a 100m or trying to break Usain Bolt's record to show the world you have arrived--craft beer is perhaps more flexi--DEEPER if you like to put it that way--but then craft beer can be quite straight forward too--any aspiring brewer/brew pub owner would know/want to know what is the expected level of a brew for a certain beer style---world beer competition aside---there's so many good brew out there--one just need to sample some--to at least know what is the LEVEL out there to compete better?
最关键当然是啤酒酿造水准。
就像奥运是其中一个最高水平赛会那样,无论亚洲哪个城市本土啤酒或Brew Pub小型自酿,最关键应该只在一个中心点,你的啤酒水准是本地运动会?符合奥运参赛资格?甚至是拿奖水平?
当然,能参与奥运的选手都是从参加本地运动会开始,啤酒也是那样,重点在于酿酒人知不知道这支酒的同风格指标水平什么程度,就像你至少要知道,入围奥运马拉松比赛最低资格是什么,想拿奖的至少要知道奥运记录,才能设好训练目标。
虽然有点抽象,抛开有啤酒世界杯评审比赛,或是独立评酒网站年度最佳之类的评选作为参考不说,一杯同类别风格啤酒,不同品牌酿坊,是佳酿是难喝,有一定经验品酒人肯定能分辨。
所以,当有人摇旗呐喊说本土啤酒好,或Brew Pub鲜啤是王道时,只要喝上几口,值不值得支持,是王道还是狗屁,味蕾会很诚实的告诉你。
It is totally all right to shout "Support Local"--but then--once openly selling a brew to public--that beer is inevitably competing with rest of the brew out there--and open to scrutiny by paying drinkers.

RED ALERT 3
Some believe that anything IMPORTED must be damn good.
In the case of Imported Craft Beer in ASIA--that notion is very much debatable as well.
We all know Asia is far away from US & EUROPE where most imported beers comes from---that usually mean 1 thing--LOGISTIC cost is high--even HIGHER if imported in COLD CHAINED all the way from breweries to ASIA.
And so the problem of NOT ALL IMPORTED craft beer would be in good condition when it hit the tap-line/shelves in ASIA simply because NOT EVERY IMPORTERS/OPERATORS in ASIA transport beers in necessary temperatures.

3) 进口啤酒一定好?
当今很多上佳/绝佳啤酒都源自欧美酿坊。不过,在不同亚洲城市,不是所有进口欧美啤酒就肯定是好啤酒代名词。
Craft Beer
大多是小量酿造,意味着很多酿坊啤酒供不应求,来到亚洲的不同品牌进口啤酒,水准有高有低,加上不同业者不同运输处理方式,在亚洲有时喝到水准以下进口啤酒不出奇。
欧美啤酒来亚洲的成本不菲,特别全程冷冻运送的话更高,因此,不是所有啤酒进口商都那样做,一定程度上,注重新鲜度的啤酒质素会受影响。也有一些只把进口啤酒当生意,完全不理啤酒要避免阳光照晒或冷藏处理的所谓业者,只会把已变成次货或坏掉的啤酒卖到市场造成伤害。
If you ever tasted beers--be it on tap or from bottle that's kinda weird or felt rotten--that's likely due to some operators who are only in it for the business and did not bother taking good care of beers. (no cold chained transfer--no proper storage like exposed under direct sun light--contaminated or dirty tap line at a bar would be some scenario why a beer taste off or went bad...)
It's a fact that Lots of good beers/awesome beers can be found from the IMPORTED BEERS category--but just a note of caution--you might want to know who and where you are buying from--how to differentiate? perhaps someone who is very passionate-genuinely in love with craft beer-would drink/share/talk about varieties not selling at his/her own place- is someone worth paying your hard earned money to?
*新朋友最需要记得,不是所有冠上Craft Beer标签的就一定是好啤酒,Craft Beer也有不知所谓的酿品,又或是少数无爱商人卖着次货/坏掉啤酒。不过,重点是,无论是喝到难喝的还是买到次货,这些经验都只是探寻美好味蕾享受过程中小插曲,啤海浩翰,好喝的多的是。
To all newbies--craft beer is quite simple--it's all about tasting the good ones, but a long the journey of exploring vast varieties of choices out there--you are bound to taste a few bad ones/off ones/awful ones--just remember--there's far more good ones /awesome ones waiting to be discovered.

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