WEEK 136----2018 Most Memorable Beer & Mead---by ct (Malaysia) Part 1 of 2

It's that time of the year----looking back at some most memorable ones drank since beginning of the year---this is part 1 of 2.

2018年已到尾声，至今喝过一些酿坊作品来说，是很不错的一年，长期身在craft beer沙漠偶尔有机会通过外出或朋友分享喝到好些精彩酿品是啤迷乐事。

 今年最有印象酒单如下：-

Living here in craft desert KL with limited choices--it is inevitable all of the chosen ones were found outside of  KL or brought back from overseas with geeks friends help---some might think this is going too far fetch for "beer"---but is only natural for geeks who are seeking to explore a deeper depth/wider width/new horizon of craft beer/mead world out there

here's the list:-

1) 3 Fonteinen Zen Y Frontera

Undoubtedly the one which hit the palate real hard with first sip( in an incredible nice way)---the width and depth of this one is just mind blowing--influence of sherry wine barrel/only adds to the beauty of this one--nothing overpowering---with first two sips it's already gone straight up to personal TOP 3 list of Lambic ever tasted (amid a limited number of lambic/ sours so far but this one is just awesome tasty).

毫无疑问是至今喝过这家酿坊作品中个人最喜欢的，通过两款不同风味陈年雪莉酒桶（一较干，一较甜）熟陈而成，这款天然发酵果酸啤酒的美味层次是至今喝过所有酸啤三甲之一，美好层次是超乎想象的深沉宽阔。

2) 3 Sons BA Scoop

Hands down the best stouts for me during MBCC 2018---this is one which does not show the at times very overpowering influence of bourbon barrels---it's rich and smooth---chocolaty/light sweet---easy drinking & pleasing( if only the pour is much BIGGER:) ---who says BA imperial stouts would mostly be in your face overpowering?

波本桶陈版本黑啤，醇香甜美得很，完全没有一些桶陈黑啤会出现被烈酒气息沾染掩盖问题，就算刚倒入杯比较冷酒体风味还未回温所以没能完全发挥展现所有风味还是能让人喝前面一两口就感觉惊艳，完全是高手出招就知有没有。

3) Bokkereyder Mutana Gueuze

If you like dark coffee---and you love lambic---this one is a perfect one----with neither covering another up but nicely blending yet showing each characteristics---sipping this during MBCC 2018 ---perhaps the only thing missing is to drink it with a freshly baked croissant and some salted butter.

喜欢手冲咖啡又爱比利时天然发酵果酸啤酒啤迷绝对不会拒绝的实验性酿品，喝起来咖啡果酸啤酒相互融和，谁也没有掩盖谁的特色，如果说配个热腾腾刚出炉面包当早餐，会是美味有趣的一次配餐经验。

4) The Veil Sleeping Forever BA Frederiksdal Cherrywine

Totally surprised by how delicious this one was---had a small sip from a shared glass and was very pleasantly called to attention---it's basically sipping on liquid cherry chocolate--it's rich/ it's thick but not to the extent of few sips and you want to stop---in fact it was so delicious that for once in a long long while i ordered a full glass to slowly enjoy it all by myself.

美国新贵酿坊The Veil利用丹麦樱桃酒木桶陈放熟成的黑啤，喝第一口就能感受到香浓甜美黑巧克力和樱桃酒桶气息，风味口感接近让人觉得是在享受低糖甜点，完全不像喝着高酒精度黑啤，因为很对味，少有的要多一杯慢慢细味。

5) Side Project Pulling Nials (batch 7)

The easier way of saying this is --it's a sour beer which is very chardonnay---since it's a blend of different beers aged in chardonnay barrel and soaked with Missouri Chardonnay grapes---but in truth this is not just a beer resembling or trying to be a Chardonnay wine like beer---it's a beer with it's own character and elegantly easy drinking well balanced "not so sour" beer.

美国密苏里州酿坊Side Project名作（之一），本质上是美国酸啤，通过混合自家不同桶陈酸啤，再倒入白葡萄酒(Chardonnay)橡木桶加入美国本土白葡萄浸泡桶陈，让时间把酒变得更圆润更富有层次，是易喝性高的优雅作品。

6) Tired Hands Communication is The Key Lime Pie

This is a Double IPA which tasted more like a key lime pie---it's unlike the hard hitting ---hops in your face types of ipa most people would imagine---with interesting food items added including vanilla beans and graham crackers---this one is a pleasant surprise knowing it's an ipa but not knowing how it has been playfully  twisted.

喝起来完全不像刻板印象中的双份印度淡陴（double ipa)，就像啤酒名称说的，这比较像是个柠檬派啤酒，在使用啤酒花酿出ipa啤酒基础上加入柠檬皮，柠檬汁，马达加斯香草豆以及全麦饼干浸泡添加不同风味，是会让人觉得有意外惊喜的一款另类印度淡陴。

7) Jester King Spon Peach & Apricot (2016)

The ode to lambic series from Jester King---this one is obvious from the name---the influences of the fruits is evident---yes the 'lambic" part is unlike the Belgium ones( which of course is expected and understandable)---but this is a sour beer which is quite different from the usual American sours for sure--smooth and easy with width and depth---a nice one to enjoy.  

Spon系列是这家以低度易喝美式酸啤/SAISON/TABLE BEER为人知的美国德州酿坊向比利时天然发酵果酸啤酒（LAMBIC）致意的作品，这系列的啤酒效仿比利时做法通过天然发酵方式并加入大量水果让啤酒在橡木桶浸泡熟成。因为区域地理环境的不同，美国天然发酵啤酒缺乏比利时酸啤那种明显的发酵带来特有风味，以美国式酸啤来说这是支均衡美味作品，雅致酒味中散发桃子杏子果香。

Some more tasty ones to come in Part 2 of 2 --including some mead too-cheers

2018 Most Memorable Beer & Mead---by Samuel(Singapore)

It's end of another year---as always there will be friends invited to share their list for the year's most memorable beer & mead list ---we start off with Samuel from the other side of the causeway---I have known Samuel since 2016 MBCC in Copenhagen and met again earlier this year during the fest in CPH---it is no wonder some of his bottles picked were from there during that "beer haven on earth" week in May.

很快又到年底了，今年的最有印象啤酒蜜酒清单一样请来一些不同城市啤酒朋友聊聊今年内喝过个人最记得的酒，第一位是新加坡的朋友SAMUEL，自2016年在哥本哈根啤酒庆典认识，今年五月也在同个庆典再见到，以下是SAMUEL的个人清单：

In his own words (except Chinese version)---this year Samuel has picked these 7 as his most memorable ones:-

Cantillon  Lou Pepe Kriek (2015) 

smells of deep tart cherries, some metallic oxidation, tastes of alot of cherry skin, tart cherries, very slight cherry funk, cherry pith, cherry tart acidity aftertaste

比利时天然发酵果酸啤酒大师级酿坊作品------充满酸樱桃果香美味。

Side Project Brewing  Tete' Cuvee (2015)  

smells peach, apricot pith, toasted peanuts, tastes of clean tart nectarine, subtle peach, peach pit and nectarine pit into the back

充满桃/杏和烤花生香气，入口微酸,更多是桃子风味.

3Sons Brewing  BA Scoop  

rich chocolate milkshake, melted chocolate ice-cream

浓郁巧克力奶昔，液化巧克力冰淇淋

Bottle Logic Fundamental Observation  

chocolate, big vanilla, dark chocolate

巧克力,大量香草,和巧克力

Side Project Brewing  Rose Du Ble (blend 1)

smells floral funky, tastes clean floral funk, rosé-ish wine character, white grape skin, funky grape

酸啤特有花香发酵味, 类似玫瑰花酒口感特质,白葡萄皮, 发酵葡萄.  

Tommiesjef Wild Ale  Wijnig  

smells tart berry-grape wine-ish, tastes very burgundy, tart grapes, some tart red currants, mineral, very grape piths and plum piths 

闻香类葡萄酒,口感风味接近勃艮第葡萄酒,带酸,介于葡萄和梅果之间.

Narrow Gauge Brewing  Fallen Flag

huge dank grapefruit and mango, fibrous unripe mango  

大量柚子和芒果气息，口感更接近芒果特质

WEEK 135----When Bitter Hoppy Ones becomes Fruit Juice-like

By now the assumption is that even newbies would have known/ tasted some juicy/fruit juice like NEIPA---it is so popular for the past 1-2 years that almost every breweries which has produced Ipas at any one time would have their own version of hazy/cloudy/juicy NEIPA--which is the short form for New England IPA.

对很多无论是刚接触craft beer或是已喝一段时间啤迷来说，简称IPA(India Pale Ale）的印度淡陴可说是大家一定有喝过类型风格（之一）。某种程度上，说IPA（特别是美国风格IPA)在较早期对craft beer的崛起有着相当大影响，无论是销量和普及程度来说，IPA一直都名列前茅。

不过，近年最热门的IPA不再只是传统意义上的苦哈哈印度淡陴，而是喝起来更接近果汁口味感觉的变奏版---NEIPA (New England IPA)，译成新英伦印度淡啤的话，听起来好像不伦不类，简单说就是酒体浑浊，风味类似果汁版本的IPA，不强调啤酒花苦味而是花果鲜香，绝对程度上扭转了IPA就是大量投放啤酒花加强苦涩口感升级版淡啤的旧观念。

Both NEIPA and your regular IPAs are basically HOPs forward style of beer, the aim is to demonstrate what a particular OR a mixed of few Hops can do to the nose/ taste profile of a beer ---while generally speaking hops in IPA is more about showcasing the hoppy/bitter side of things----NEIPA is more about showing the fruity/floral side of hops.

从最开始只有少数酿坊玩票式酿造类果汁NEIPA到近年几乎所有会酿IPA的都来插上一脚推出自家NEIPA，这个有时候喝起来甜而腻，一点都不像认知中印度淡陴的变奏款无可否认的已自成一格，也造就了比如美国Monkish或Tree House或英国Cloud Water等好多家以酿造类果汁IPA出名酿坊，也让一些听到苦味就远离印度淡啤的饮客有了从另一个不同角度认识不同类型啤酒花特质的机会。

如果要问两者之间分别，最片面说法是，IPA用的是比较浓郁苦味比较厚的啤酒花酿造，而NEIPA则是使用花果香味浓苦味低的啤酒花，加上其他酿造因素差异，造成不单止风味口感喝起来不同，酒体颜色也不一样，看起来酒体浑浊颜色比较鲜艳丰韵就是NEIPA特色之一。

简单来说，两者之间较明显分别是：

some obvious differences between ipa and neipa would be:-

 Taste 

Ipa can be about in your face bitterness

NEIPA is about easy drinking--almost fruit juices like

1）口感

IPA虽公认是苦味代表，但也有比较注重大量投放啤酒花强调苦味和适当投放强调易喝性之分，所以并不是一提到印度淡啤就一定苦哈哈而是会有均衡易喝类型选择。

NEIPA最主要特点表现在一喝就能感受到类似果汁味道/较浓郁鲜明花果气息，偏向展现一些类型啤酒花自身特有花果鲜香味多过凸显传统意义上的啤酒花苦味。

Color/appearance

Genrally Ipa are more about singular color of "thicker" pale ale 

NEIPA would always be more cloudy/hazy--at times looking like fruit juice.

2）酒体颜色

IPA相对来说看起来会比较浅显，当然是比一般PILSNER更厚色些但基本还是属于较清爽浅色系。

NEIPA最大特点就是酒体或轻度或重度浑浊，颜色较鲜艳，有时看起来比较像鲜榨果汁甚至是奶昔多过啤酒，所以也有人以HAZY/CLOUDY称之。

Drinkability

It could be a case of love it or hate it for newbies when trying out a bitter IPA for the first time.

Comparatively---due to it's easier to drink juicy nature--NEIPA  cold be a relatively easier route to craft beer for newbies.

3易喝性

比较起来很多人都会觉得倾向强调凸显啤酒花甘苦味的传统IPA不是那么平易近人，有时苦味会吓跑一些新朋友。但是，如果喝到真正高水准新鲜酿品就会发觉，其实并不一定苦苦的，而会是鲜美甘香。

因为是凸显啤酒花的花果鲜香风味，NEIPA相对来说比较讨喜易喝，但也不是人人都爱，因为会有感觉又甜又腻喝不多问题。

There are opinions out there which thought NEIPA is some form of ANTI-IPA with non-bitter among some of it's main characteristics--which in theory is very unlike traditional IPAs---but since craft beer is about innovation---about choices--about varieties---there is no right or wrong so to speak about NEIPA being ipa or anti-ipa.

在craft beer社区中有意见认为NEIPA的出现其实是反IPA，虽然两者都是展现啤酒花特色，但具体呈现出来的风味口感在一定程度上两极化，一个强调甘苦，一个强调类果汁鲜甜，对很多新朋友来说，如果不是酒标上写着IPA字眼很大可能完全不会把类果汁类型啤酒跟印度淡啤联想到一起。

至今喝过不同酿坊作品来说，NEIPA的确少了那种会让味蕾没准备好新朋友一喝就大皱眉头苦涩味，比较接近果汁风味的特质平易近人，比较不会吓跑第一次尝试craft beer新朋友。不过，严格来说，类果汁NEIPA无论是风味口感都跟大家认知中的IPA有很大不同，加上一些酿品有过于甜腻浓郁果汁感问题，难怪会被认为是反IPA。

Perhaps the one complaint i would have about NEIPA is that some are so juicy/fruity it makes you "dizzy"--wondering what's going on---is it a beer or bloody fruit juice disguising as ipa?

虽是听起来像是两个不同世界的啤酒，NEIPA风味口感也类果汁，但骨子里还是属于强调啤酒花鲜香度啤酒类型，所以跟传统IPA一样需要越新鲜喝越好，对缺乏高水准在地酿坊只能靠进口美国欧洲酿坊作品的好些亚洲城市啤迷来说，怎样才能喝到真正新鲜美味高水平酿品始终是个难解的习题。

WEEK 134---Off Flavours---the unpleasant side of craft beer

Just like any other things in life---there's always differences in quality---same for craft beer in the sense that besides differences in brew quality--there's also this chance of beer gone bad either because of low brewing know how/ bad ingredients used/ or due to bad logistic/handling of good quality beer. 

啤酒是通过酿造而来，酿造过程可以比喻为类似烹饪/煲汤/煮糖水那样，需要讲究对原材料比如食材香料的认识，对不同材料组合能带来影响，还有酿造过程中温度火候调度等等细节的掌握。因为那样，除了原材料等外在因素，就像厨师那样，不同酿酒师的酿酒功力和想法/企图心基本可以决定一款酒会走向美味，平庸或者难喝。

就像所有通过人手去做的事情那样，结果总是会有上佳优良平庸低劣之分，酿酒也一样，就算是整体来说一定比大厂啤酒好喝许多倍的Craft Beer也无可避免会有好喝，一般般或难喝酿品。

When a beer gone bad---there's always signs indicating that mostly by ways of smell/taste and at times visible signs such as strange composite/ no carbonation( for particular style of beers) and so on so forth.

In short----when a beer gone bad---it's always associated with Off-flavours which comes in different taste/smell depending on styles of beers---there's already plenty of information/more in depth write up about this topic hence this newspaper column piece is just a very simple/brief one for newbies.

啤酒难喝的原因可以有很多，简单来说基本可分为两大类，其一是一开始就没酿好所以出现不良风味，其二是酿好後没有被照顾好所以不同程度的退化变差甚至坏掉了，两种情况下，啤酒都会出现不应该有的味道/口感，这些都是不良风味所导致。

啤酒的不良风味具体表现不一，有时候强烈的让人闻一下喝一口就知不妥，但也可能不那么强烈需要细心才能察觉，以下是一些比较常见情况：

To put it very simply---off flavours would occur when a beer is half baked, i.e. badly brewed   OR  some form of contamination happened either during brewing or bottling/canning/tapping from a bar beer pipeline   OR  due to bad logistic arrangements when transferring beer from point A to point BCD or rather the lack of care either during transferring or after that.....

some of the off-flavours mentioned in the articles includes:-

1)Rusty/Metallic

No body likes a beer smelling/tasting that way.

1）铁锈味

这是大家都能理解的不良风味，简单说就是啤酒中带有生锈味，像是喝从生锈水管或铁罐中的水，当然不会好闻好喝。至于为什么会出现铁锈味，具体原因可能是在酿酒阶段时水质有问题又或者桶有生锈问题，也可能是酒酿过程没问题但在装罐装瓶（坏掉瓶盖也可能导致锈味）时出现问题导致。

2)Light-struck

Common problems with bad handling when beer is exposed under direct sunlight/strong lightings

2）晒坏味

任何啤酒只要直接在阳光下暴晒或曝露在强烈紫外线下，基本就会毫无疑问完蛋了，酿酒师想要展现的原有风味都会消失殆尽，剩下的只是日照臭味，啤酒像经过烘烤麦水那样，就算冰冷也感觉像是刚从烘烤炉拿出来那样总有股“温热”异味，喝起来别扭，当然只能倒掉。

3)Oxidization

Kinda like exposing your slice up fruits in direct contact with air---you know it will not end up well--for beer those drink when fresh types of beer will end up bad with every passing days.

3）氧化味

时间会导致啤酒氧化，此外，酿造过程中问题，不适当收藏啤酒比如闷热环境（太过长久收藏需要新鲜喝啤酒情况更明显）等情况都会让啤酒出现氧化情况。如果要问什么是氧化，很简单，试试把香蕉苹果梨子切开让放一旁後就知道，氧化会让切开来的水果变黑，同理来说，氧化也会让啤酒失去应有鲜度（看啤酒类型而定/一些啤酒可收20年以上而且陈年可丰富啤酒风味），氧化会让一些类型啤酒比如IPA/PALE ALE/SAISON/FRUIT BEER等喝起来有过期麦芽苦味，类似湿纸板异味等不良风味。

4)Butterscotch (Diacetyl)

Butterscotch is not really a bad flavour is it? but for beer style which emphasis on clean/clearer taste/smell profile--then it's a bad sign---what's more if it smell/taste like butter way past it's prime.

4) 过期奶油味

啤酒发酵过程中会产生属于可控制问题，但超标就不行，比如说在强调清爽味道为基调的啤酒中出现这种味道，那就是酿造途中出了问题没处理好就把酒拿出来卖。

The fun part about off-flavours is that it's not always a straight forward issue---though the golden rules is that no unsuitable flavours should ever appear in a particular style of beer---say for examples a German Weisse beer would be expected to be malty/sweet/refreshing and smelling clove/banana---any other thing such as funky smell or say tasting sour would be signs of beer gone bad, and the same can be said about IPA/Pale Ale where any signs of Funky smell/Sour taste would be deemed bad signs----but if those two were to be missing from a Lambic then something is deemed very wrong coz funk and sour is a big part of any decent Lambic.

以上只是一些较常见例子，啤酒中会出现的不良风味至少有十多种不同风味表现，那到底不良风味是什么？简单说就是不应该在某类型啤酒中出现的风味，由于Craft Beer不同类型风格酒款繁多，不良风味并不是单指一两样比如说像食物馊掉那样明显的不良气息/味道而已，在不同类别风味Craft Beer中，除了几个通用的（比如晒坏比如铁锈），什么是具体不良风味其实会有不同表现，简单来说，啤酒会出现不良风味有时是因为酿造过程对温度控制不到家，就像烹饪煲汤讲究适当时候用大火中火小火/高温低温那样，一旦酿酒师没掌握好就会出现问题，此外，酵母麦芽等原材料的质素（比如酵母是不是健康，比如麦芽是不是已老旧）也可能导致不良风味出现。

比较有趣的是，在不同类别风味众多的Craft Beer世界中，有时被认为是不良的某种风味到了某个特定款式啤酒中却变成是可以接受甚至是特色，比如说一旦IPA或PALE ALE出现“酸臭味”那会是非常不良风味啤酒变坏证据，但要是换成天然发酵果酸啤酒（LAMBIC）的话，带有类似“酸臭”风味却是这类型啤酒美味特色之一！

不良风味这件事，听起来虽有点复杂意味，但简单原则是不对的风味不能出现，比如清爽带甜的德国麦芽啤酒不可能出现酸涩，大家可通过累积品饮经验慢慢了解什么是什么，有心想弄清楚的也可以上网查找BJCP啤酒裁判课程多了解。

For any of you newbies who wishes to understand more about the topic there are more info to be googled, for examples BJCP site and many more......

WEEK 133---Craft Beer---Make it NICE Make it BAD

Drinking craft beer can be something really nice and tasty( most of the times)-though at times it can be a little annoying/frustrating due to poor quality/taste of what's in the glass(es)---so what makes a beer good? and what makes a beer bad?

喝啤酒可以是件简单愉快的事，特别是如果选喝不同类别风格口味繁多Craft Beer的话，更可以是让味蕾幸福享受的事。

是什麽可以让一般人观念中平平无奇觉得只是难喝酒精冷饮的啤酒变美味？说来也没什么稀奇，最基本不外是水+麦芽+啤酒花+酵母。这之外，还有些方法能让啤酒变更有趣美味，比如说

Essentially--beer is brewed with 4 main basic things namely water+malt+yeast+hops( not necessarily in that sequence)---and then of course there's other ways and means of trying to make a beer taste even better---here's a very layman terms way of looking at what makes a beer taste nice:-

1) Brew it Basic

By using different combinations of water-malt-yeast-hops---a brewer can make varieties of very nice/delicious beers already--it all depends on how a beer is brewed--what style/taste profile the brewer/s wanted the end product to be---even with just those 4 basic ingredients---there's already very many different styles of beers can be created---so long it's brewed right(or to perfection for some) those 4 ingredients can be turned into something smelling/ tasting really beautiful.

In fact there's a lot in common within the brewing and culinary scene where there are brewers/chefs who would always strive for brew/food beyond satisfactory level---Not just happy to sell a few beers/few tables more but seeking to explore ways of making a brew/dishes(be it a basic version or "elevated version") more interesting/more tasty/more complex/more balance.......

1）基本酿造法

是的，啤酒最根本酿法是让麦芽，啤酒花和酵母在适量水里煮热冷却酿造成酒，因为麦芽啤酒花酵母都有非常多不同味道特质选择可以组合，加上不同水质作用，单只是使用这四个最基本酿酒原料就足以酿出很多不同类型风格不同味道啤酒，比如说麦芽可以有原味或类似茶叶或咖啡豆那样不同烘培程度的选择，比如啤酒花可以有比较倾向柑橘类或花香类或辛辣类等等口感选择，当然不同类型酵母也会对啤酒的最终味道层次形成带来重大影响。

虽然四大主要基本酿造原料就足以带来无数多不同类型味道的啤酒，在Craft Beer世界中，这只是美味的基础，酿酒师们对啤酒不同美味极致的好奇心跟美食界大厨们追求是一致的，都在想怎样可以把啤酒再提升味道层次或上达至另一个境界。

2) Adding real food items/spices

This is one common way of trying to make a beer smell/taste even more interesting/closer to the real food item/s or spices used---we are NOT talking about "fake flavours" here but using real items that goes from fruits to vegetables to things like oysters or even lobster--all in the beliefs that whatever added to the base beer would help to create a taste profile/nose that the brewer/s wanted or thought would be achievable or simply experimenting to see what's coming out of it---just like some chefs using things like saffron or truffle to create dishes--some brewers too would use seemingly expensive/hard to obtain food items to play around with their idea/s of an interesting brew---the end result might be a winner or  simply a waste of time and money which failed to achieve anything nicer--of course this is not to say that using expensive food items for beer enhancing is a formula for good/tasty brew---but just an examples of how extreme at times brewers would seek out ways/items to try use in an effort to create something many people still think as nothing more than just fizzy yellow piss....

2)增添/浸泡法 

在酿酒过程中，这是比较常见易懂的方式，把真正食材比如各种水果，比如咖啡茶叶，比如辣椒胡椒香草肉桂巧克力等等数不尽的各式食材选择性加入啤酒中酿造提味，根据酿酒师想要呈现的风格酿成带有或浓或淡原食材特色味道的啤酒。

3) Barrel aging emmmm

Not sure how many non-craft beer drinkers or people really new to craft beer have heard of it---or even thought of it before--that beer actually goes through the process of aging in a barrel---the rational is clear---pour beer into used barrels which contained whisky/bourbon/apple brandy/tequila and so on before---let the beer soak up some barrels characteristics as well as what's left of the previously filled liquid goodness and see how it impact/impart a beer to make it "thicker"/more complex/sweeter/smokier/oaky and so on---Of course the types of used barrel for beer is not limited to hard liquor but includes also wine barrels as well mead barrels too..

( *NOTE--just like brewing a base beer---barrel aging beer would have good ones and so so or even bad ones too---the process of barrel aging is NOT 100% guaranteed to always create better beer---sometimes a base beer would indeed taste better than a BA version)

3)桶陈熟成法 

另一个比较常见让啤酒变美味方式则是将啤酒倒入已使用过酒类木桶比如威士忌比如波本酒比如苹果烈酒比如红葡萄酒或白葡萄酒痛，通过吸收木桶自身特有气息还有桶内浸泡过酒类精华让啤酒变更美好/更不一样。（必须说的是，桶陈版啤酒不一定就打包单肯定会比基本版美味，一切还得看酒和桶配搭成果）

4) Let time be the enhancer

Some beer styles simply needs more time than others to achieve a tastier profile---it is very common to hear the word " too young" after sampling a beer---and it's exactly what the word meant--- a beer is too young hence lack of depth/layering/complexity it should be showing because it was not given the benefits of maturing for another one or two or few more years in the cellar.

(* if you are new to craft beer and would like to know what are some beer styles good to keeping more years before consuming---the general idea is that beers which emphasis on freshness of hops or food items used would be good to drink fresh--while some styles like imperial stouts/lambic/barleywine and so on would be good to keep for a certain time period---for more info go google search--there are plenty of info on that)

4)等时间过去法

有时候，某些类型风格啤酒变美味方式除了以上三个方式，更需要的是耐心和等待，因为太过“年轻”会让一些啤酒缺乏应有层次味道，喝起来不够韵味，是一种浪费，所以有些啤酒需要超过两三年或更长时间酝酿後才面市是常态。值得注意的是，有些啤酒就算酝酿三年後才推出，对一些啤迷来说还是需要再收几年时间，让酒体更圆润平衡之后才会更美味。

If you are new to craft beer scene---one thing you need to know is that drinking craft beer is like going to a restaurant---there are really good ones but there's also some bad ones----while there are many brewers who would seek ways of enhancing/improving a beer's deliciousness---there are also some "brewers" who for some reasons not only brewing below average beers or even bad ones and selling openly---hence the chances of bumping into a bad beer is always there---also the scenario where  some bar/bottle shop owners selling already 'dead" beers due to either poor handling or keeping beers not meant for too long in storage.

BUT--sometimes a perfectly brewed/really tasty beer can taste bad as well under these scenario:-

有趣的是，在Craft Beer的世界，尽管有那么多好喝美味选择，但也是会有些学艺不精就出来卖酒的“酿酒师”，所以有时候难免会遇到难喝啤酒，此外，以下是为什么一些高水平好喝啤酒会变难喝：

1)Blessed by Direct Sunlight/Strong Lights

The biggest enemy of a beer is direct sunlight---a beer will DIE after a certain time period under direct sunlight whatever the beer style might be---it will just perished---if you want your beer to taste how it should be---very simple---avoid direct sunlight or direct strong light indoor.

1）阳光强光加持

阳光强光是啤酒的天敌，无论是罐装瓶装还是酒吧用啤酒桶，只要放在阳光强光下暴晒，就算是世界上最好喝的啤酒也会毫不例外的即刻坏掉变成世上最难喝的东西。

2) Contamination

A nicely brewed beer can go bad easily if there's contamination occurred during canning/bottling---unfortunately when that happened--because it's sealed---there's no way to find out until after opening---it is highly unlikely a brewery would still canned/bottled a beer they already know gone bad because that's idiotic way of killing off their own brand/future businesses. 

Of course--if you are drinking a beer from a bar---sometimes a perfectly good beer can taste bad too---only because the bar never really take good care of the pipelines which sent the beer out of a keg to your glass.

2) 受感染  

要让不是住在酿坊附近的人喝到自家啤酒方法就是把啤酒装瓶装罐运出去，不过有时候偶尔会发生一种情况叫感染，在装瓶装罐过程中发生卫生问题啤酒被感染变坏了。（虽然啤酒也可能在酿造过程中发生感染问题，但那是装瓶装罐前就能发现的，）所以如果是装瓶装罐好之后才发现啤酒感染，那只能是作业过程中发生。（要说会不会有任何酿坊把明知道已经变坏啤酒仍然装瓶装罐卖是不可能的事，因为那只能是直接自毁酿坊招牌的白痴做法）。此外，感染情况也可能发生在没有定时清理输酒管线的酒吧。

3)Your palate simply can't appreciate (yet)

It must be point out that--while beer drinking is a very personal choice/personal taste matter--there is such a thing as palate appreciation ability--in simple words--sometimes a really good beer is deemed bad by a drinker NOT because the beer turned bad--but only for one reason---that drinker did not know how to appreciate the taste profile of the beer---because he/she only drink a limited style/s of beer---because he /she don't understand the essences/nuances of that particular beer---because he/she prefers only certain choice/s of smell/taste( examples dislike smoky/ hates bitterness and so on).....All these factors could make a nice beer taste bad to a person.

In short---it will be a big waste giving a very delicious beer or mead to someone who do not understand it's characteristics or simply do not posses the required level of appreciation ability(yet).

3）个人味蕾问题

不得不说的是，对啤酒类型风格，应有味道呈现不了解，或是个人味蕾领略能力/鉴赏力还不够，加上个人对某种味道偏爱/厌恶/误会都可能让人觉得一些真正高水平啤酒不好喝甚至很难喝

WEEK 132-----A Week in Tokyo (with beers-mead & friends)

Because of first ever in Asia #MBCT2018---went to Tokyo for a week end of Sept.

For the past few years---annual visit to Tokyo or occasional visit to Kansai area has almost always only in either March/April or Oct/Nov when the weather is cooler---nicer to walk around for someone who lives in a country where it's hot or rain 365---but this year because of MBCT the trip was brought forward to September----a month where rain is quite expected and not as cooling as what a month or two later would bring

场景是涉谷一家酒吧，一位来自美国德州的酿酒师刚走进酒吧门口就看到一班亚洲啤迷围着一桌子已喝完或喝到七七八八的啤酒瓶在拍“瓶子团体照”，而这些瓶子（除了一瓶）都是这位美国酿酒师的自家酿坊作品，于是酿酒师也拿起手机开始拍这班亚洲啤迷在拍瓶子的模样，然后亚洲啤迷中有人认出这位笑容可掬的老外其实就是Jester King酿坊主人Jeffrey Stuffings，就那样，来自美国的酿酒师和来自亚洲不同城市的啤迷在東京上演了一出即兴的短暂见面会，这就是craft社区的无形引力。

MBCT啤酒庆典关系，在天气不是下雨就是炎热的九月份去了一趟东京，那个星期的東京飞来了不少台湾香港韩国新马泰啤迷，让无论是已相互认识的或之前只在啤迷社交媒体上或打过招呼或只见过名字照片的都聚在同一个城市，因为那样也跟一些之前没见过面或不认识的啤迷朋友们有了真正意义上的喝酒聊天打招呼机会，就像上述见面会那样，对美味啤酒的共识拉近了原本是陌生人的啤迷/酿酒师之间距离。

Not so pleasing weather aside---the trip to Tokyo was obviously a pleasant one---besides MBCT ---it was a week full of good beers--good food as well meeting up old and new friends---all in the name of craft beer/mead.

MBCT is the reason why geeks/drinkers flew in from Taiwan/Hong Kong/Korea/Singapore/Bangkok & Malaysia---I was also excited for a bottle share session (prearranged before flying out) with some geeks living in Tokyo as well the chance of meeting some people from other cities of Asia whom i have either only known from craft beer community social media but never met in person or some whom i have actually met previously.

啤酒庆典前好几天就到了，这次出行，MBCT两天四场庆典是焦点，加上出发前就和住東京几位外国啤迷朋友约好的瓶子分享会，所以并没有去很多不同酒吧或者说特意找之前没去过的酒吧看看，这次除了因为冲着北欧名牌Omnipollo占领啤酒泵活动去了位于大塚站附近的Titans酒吧瓶子店之外，基本都是去回之前已介绍过的几家店比如很快会搬去三轩茶屋以提供不少美国盛名啤酒为人知的涉谷名店Craftheads，一直盘根在三轩茶屋的欧陆风小店 Pigalle，东京“米吧”等啤点见见朋友喝喝聊聊。

除了在城里几个不同啤点，也跟相识多年的住日英国人啤迷朋友去了一趟距离東京一小时左右火车程逗子市再访一家素食小餐厅兼日本酿坊Yorocco唯一专属品饮室，去的当天，人不多，五个啤酒泵上全都是Saison(农场风格啤酒），听起来一样但依据不同食材水果酿造所以都有着或细微或明显不同之处，和老朋友吃喝聊聊，过了个非常惬意舒适下午。

Bottle share has been my favourite way of "drink less taste more" since discovering the pleasure of tasting some years ago---this time around--- a planned single sharing session became two---the first one was at a geek's home while another session few days later was held at a rather interesting place--a common area/public area inside a high-end commercial building in Tokyo( i can imagine security guards throwing us out if the session were to be held here in KL).

Of the two bottle sharing sessions--of course line up wise the first one was really up there with some exciting ones--some varieties from the likes of Bullfrog(awesome sour) Hillfarmstead(Nelson) Bottle logic(Let The Grain Begin)---plus that "super hyped" Toppling Goliath Mornin Delight--also "hyped" Cantillon Blabaer 2018( which tasted so so fine with blueberry goodness coming through nicely)--and then the much awaited mead of Banana Pancake from Pips(no words really--if you love say cake or pastry or food with banana in it--this one is quite something else--i can't imagine anything with banana in real food term can be this tasty) and also Statement from Schramms which shows why mead lovers treat Schramms in such high regard.

The second bottle sharing session was more of a fun one --no big big names brew but good company with some newly met geeks.

这次行程重点节目之一是动身前就说好的瓶子分享会，说重点节目是因为有不少重量级盛名难寻瓶子。不过第一次分享会后，朋友又建议了另一次跟另外几位不认识的啤迷新朋友分享会，变成了两次趣味迥然不同的瓶子分享会，第一次是在一位啤迷住家进行，另一次则相当有趣的在一栋高级商住大厦的室内公共空间自带冷却袋杯子还有洗杯子的瓶装水等类似野餐聚会的方式瓶子分享会。两次分享会，瓶子阵容以第一次在啤迷家中最精彩，除了有从美国带回来的新鲜类果汁IPA，重点是出现了比如Toppling Goliath酿坊出名难寻黑市炒到几百美金一瓶的咖啡黑啤Mornin Delight，比如Schramms和Pips这两家顶级蜜酒作坊的酿品，也有比如Hillfarmstead，Bottle Logic等盛名美国酿坊作品，加上喝起来出乎意料之外美味的2018年版本比利时大师级酿坊Cantillon蓝莓天然发酵果酸啤酒Blaeber，让分享会水平提到一个新高点。

As it turns out---i did not visit many bars during the week in Tokyo--was mostly going back to bars/bottle shop i been visiting previous trips because some old/new friends were there---for examples the visit to Craftheads Shibuya was to meet up with some "strangers" from Taiwan craft beer community who of course are no longer strangers now. It was an evening pack full of geeks and brewers who came to town for MBCT----shortly after walking in the bar there they were--Drew & Hannah of 18th Street Brewery---as well bumping into geeks from Singapore/Thailand and some Americans/Canadian geeks who lives in Tokyo---and then when Jeffrey Stuffings of Jester King walked in and joined group of mainly Taiwanese Asian geeks who were busy taking group photo of Jester King bottles--it quickly turned into an impromptu meet the brewer session..... 

Also went to Yorocco taproom Beach Muffin in Zhusi( an hour or so by train from Tokyo) with my first Tokyo beer friend Neil whom i always make it a point to share a few beers whenever im in town.And then good time sharing some beers and chat with some known friends/geeks/ newly met friends from Hong Kong/Taiwan and Japan at Pigalle Tokyo, that little beer shop located at Sangenjaya. The only new place( as in i have never visited previously) i went during the week was Titans nearby Otsuka Station because of a certain Omnipollo tap takeover with really good selection both on tap and bottles--and also bumping into some geeks living in Tokyo  as well a geek friend whom i have only met briefly last year in a beer event at Shimokitazawa-- intended short visit to the bar became a much longer stay for the evening.

在東京，去瓶子店看看是少不了的指定动作，有打算买些啤酒回酒店喝或者说结束旅程後带回自己所在城市的啤迷都知道这里好些瓶子店值得一探，比如位于目白站附近转角处卖很多威士忌和其他酒类但也卖不少欧美啤酒特别是每次都会有比利时酸啤瓶子但所有瓶子只能带走不能在店内喝的Tanakaya，比如位于北千住站附近商业街已从之前只是瓶子店变身为有提供啤酒泵版本啤酒可在店内喝的Beer Ma，或者说距离涉谷站走路可到以比利时啤酒为主的可喝可带走瓶子小店Hiranoya，都可以先去走走看看之后再规划/决定接下来几天去哪里喝什么，这次虽说重点放在两天啤酒庆典和瓶子分享会，还是习惯性的第一天就去瓶子店走走看看有什么值得先买点收着的。

Of course---coming from craft desert KL--bottle shop is always a place i would visit upon first day of arriving ---no exception this time though i did not buy much at all at Tanakaya---did not visit Hiranoya this time but end up kinda accidentally visiting Beer Ma nearby Kitasenju station on last day while walking around Asakusa area and bumped into a fast train going that way.

短短一周，虽然几乎天天下雨，再不然就是在两天啤酒庆典少有的大太阳底下几乎烤焦，回看喝过或带回来啤酒/蜜酒收获，还有新旧啤迷/酿酒师朋友聊聊喝喝时光，这次東京行是不理想天气下仍然亮丽的啤旅程。

The weather has not been kind---it was either raining all day mostly or for that two day when MBCT was held---it was burning sun--too hot to handle---but beer wise(and mead too)---be it whatever drank during that week in Tokyo or what was hauled back to KL--it certainly was a really nice beer/mead week with some good company over many different parts of the world coming together in Tokyo in the name of craft beer......