WEEK 102--some basic ideas of CRAFT---part 2

It is true majority of "BEER drinkers" don't know/ never heard of craft beer---here's part 2 of the basic ideas series:-

CRAFT BEER让啤酒的世界很精彩，只可惜知道，听过，懂得欣赏的人太少，本期再来聊些基本概念：-

1) So MANY choices--where to start? how to drink?

There is no fixed method of how one should start craft drinking.

One of the easier way to start is perhaps by picking beer flavour which is similar to taste profile you like in food/fruits or dessert--that way you can minimize chances of drinking something "unpleasant" right from the start--which might caused some to have the wrong idea about craft and make a hasty conclusion that craft beer is just gimmicky-unpleasant-awful...

1) 那么多不同类别啤酒选择 怎么喝？

没有固定方程式说一定要怎么开始喝。

比较保守方式是，开始阶段可避开平时食物中不喜欢的味道，先挑合适自己口味啤酒，找到对味啤酒後，再逐步延伸探索其他不熟悉类型风格。

比如说可以从最浅白易喝风格开始，低度Pilsner，Pale Ale--然后再试IPA，Porter，Stouts等类型，不过，要是想随心所欲的看到什么试什么开始，也未尝不可，自由发挥是Craft文化精神之一。

重点，喝上一段时间後，别再只是根据平时食物喜欢味道挑着喝，是时候离开“舒适区”，多点尝试不同类别口味，包括自己不熟悉或自觉可能“不是那杯茶”的类型，多些训练味蕾，提高鉴赏力。

Once you decided on the flavour profile---the next step is to either follow the "safer" path of starting from lighter, lower abv beers--and then slowly moving onto "heavier" ones----or you could just go with whichever you fancy--regardless of the "lighter to heavier" order.

The Key point? it's all about tasting--finding a flavour or two or three that you like initially and take it from there. BUT--do not stay too long in a certain comfort zone--meaning if you like IPA--don't just keep drinking IPAs for ages--one should try other styles too--even those you think you won't like or can't accept due to certain misconception/precast ideas---just try them out--try a few good ones for a particular styles--and you will be surprised how different taste profile would give so much pleasure you never thought possible from these "perceived not my cup of beer/mead"

2)MACRO BEER most familiar with are mostly around 5%--there's a lot of above 6%--even above 10-20% abv craft beer--with ABV that high--wouldn't it full of strong alcohol smell? awful to drink?

Whether or not a beer is full of alcohol smell has got NO direct link with how low of how high ABV it has got.

The deciding factor is about how well a beer is brewed.

In truth--a beer with only 5% abv can smell and taste so awful if badly brewed--and a beer with over 20% abv can be so tasty one can hardly taste or smell the alcohol influence.

2) 一般大厂啤酒都是5度左右，Craft类型中超过6度到10多20多度啤酒不少，酒精那么高会不会难闻难喝？

首先，一支啤酒是不是酒精味很明显或杀口感很重跟酒精度高低没有直接关系，意思是说，不是说20多度就一定难喝，5度就一定易喝。

听起来奇怪？这样说吧，一支啤酒是不是喝起来香润顺爽主要取决于酿酒师功力，一支很均衡佳酿就算20多度，喝起来很可能一点都感受不到酒精味，香醇美味易喝。相反的，酿得差的啤酒，就算只有5，6度，会是酒精味刺鼻，难闻难喝得很。

3)How to avoid "stumbling into" a badly brewed beer?

Part of the fun of craft drinking is about discovering nice brew-awesome brew--it is the journey most(if not all) geeks goes through--stumbling upon some bad beers is part of the game--though with better judgement one can lessen that chances--but it's all good--drinking a few bad ones along the way would only serve as stepping stones to finding a lot more better ones...

3) 怎么避免喝到难喝啤酒？

喝Craft的乐趣是多尝试不同品牌不同类别风格啤酒，喝自己没喝过的，有时难免会喝到不是那么好或难喝的，这是无可避免，每位啤迷都经历过，也可能会再遇上。喝到难喝啤酒固然气人，某个程度上也是味蕾训练，更是喝到一支佳酿时幸福感洋溢的动力来源.

4) Is there some form of Guide or References--to avoid bad beers all together?

There are lots of information about beer on wwwsocial media--and among those sea of information--RateBeer, Beer Advocate & Untappd are widely used for references/guide --it is no denying that by checking on ratings/others opinion--one could lessen the chances of bumping into a bad brew--BUT--do remember--it's still other people's opinion--you would have to drink it yourself to find out if you really like it or other wise.

The choice is yours--let others decide for you--or decide yourself.

4) 有什么管道可以了解多些啤酒资讯，减低喝到难喝啤酒几率？

关于啤酒的资讯很多，除了可以看书，网络和手机程式也有一些适用的，包括很多人用来查看个别啤酒评价，类别风格，酒精度，风味特色等基本资讯的RateBeer, Beer Advocate和Untappd等，通过这些资讯，特别是个别啤酒评价，有时候可以减低喝到难喝啤酒几率，只是，要注意不能一直只是完全根据网上评价决定喝不喝某支啤酒，毕竟那都是别人意见，还是要自己喝过才能决定心中评价。

      5) Is there a Sommelier for beer which one can ask for recommendations?

There's something similar to that in the world of craft beer--one can take up the courses/examinations to become a Cicerone.

However--it is NOT a common scenario where craft beer places would have in-house Cicerone to recommend beers to customers like a restaurant would with wine serving sommelier.
In ASIA--most craft beer places would have someone to recommend choices to newbies when asked--and they are usually either owners/staff or regulars/geeks.

5) 啤酒有没有像葡萄酒那样，就听认证侍酒师（Sommelier）介绍喝算了？

Craft 的世界有类似侍酒师那样的国际认证考核资格，不过因为Craft在亚洲是起步中，没有像欧美餐厅聘请葡萄酒侍酒师的普及化，现阶段来说，喝啤酒靠的是店长店员或啤迷朋友介绍推荐

6) So Beer also got International Courses & Examination?

That's right--besides Cicerone there's another International body running BJCP courses for those intended in becoming international beer judges. And obviously there are beer related courses run by universities in and around US/EUROPE.

6) 啤酒也有国际认证考试？

是的，Craft的世界不同类别啤酒繁多，就像葡萄酒有侍酒师，啤酒也有国际认证课程Cicerone考核不同级别啤酒师。另外，各种啤酒国际比赛的出现，有另一个啤酒裁判认证课程(BJCP)让有心人报读考核成为国际认可的啤酒考官。

7) is Beer that COMPLICATED?

there's 2 side to a coin--it might seem complicated to some with all those various beer styles--different serving temperatures--different serving glasses--not to mentioned all those technical terms involved if one were to brew or intending to take up exams.

7) 啤酒有那么复杂？

要说复杂可以，也可以一点都不复杂，喝啤酒最主要出发点和最终目标很明确，就是为了味蕾享受，就像欣赏美食甜点品茶喝咖啡那样，可以浅尝细味，任何跟你说喝啤酒只是为了买醉喝爆的，都不懂得啤酒真谛。

BUT--beer can be very simple really--at least 1 thing is clear--the reason why geeks go nuts about craft beer is simple--in search of Palate Enjoyment.

Anyone who tells you BEER is only something to gulp/to get wasted--they obviously don't bloody know what Beer is.