WEEK 160----NOT "must drink before you die"--- IPA

This is not about the cliche type of "xxx must drink/ xxx must visit or xxx must eat BEFORE YOU DIE" kind of "guide"-- but rather a play on those type of titles---it started when a newbie friend asked "with so many different breweries---as well so many different beer styles---what would be some of your preferred ones / recommended ones?"

This is in fact not an easy question to answer simply because more often than not a newbie's choice of beer will always be subjected or limited by what's available in the market--i.e. the city/town he or she is currently residing---but in this piece i have decided to throw that concern out of the window since if someone want a beer badly enough---he or she will somehow find a way to seek out.

有新朋友问， 说craft beer世界那么多不同啤酒类别风格，那么多不同酿坊品牌，有哪些是个人比较推荐的？

这是不太容易回答的问题，主要因为一般来说新朋友的选择会绝大程度上受所住地方市场供应限制，不过，既然问的是个人推荐，那就把亚洲市场是不是有酿坊直接供应这件事抛开不管，反正有心的话总有办法可想看怎么去找酒。

那么多不同类型风格啤酒，就从新朋友一般都会接触到的印度淡啤（IPA)说起，而说到IPA就一定免不了要提美国酿坊，虽说从欧洲到亚洲或澳洲纽西兰都有不同酿坊在酿造不同品牌的印度淡啤又或是近年大行其道的类果汁印度淡陴（NEIPA），但美国有好多以酿造突出啤酒花风味类型啤酒的高手酿酒师是事实，更何况在很大程度上大量投放尽情发挥啤酒花鲜香的美国酿法是早期让IPA在市场发扬光大的主要推动因素。

Let's start with the most commonly accepted/available/consumed style of beer---IPA( as well NEIPA since it is the in-thing)

US Breweries:-

Russian River

there is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that when talking about American IPA---Pliny the Elder immediately comes to mind--this is personally a "palate changing" ipa for me---especially when having this few years back during a period where i was really in a state of feeling sick and tired of those over hoppy( + already not fresh) type of American ipas---with the balance and tasty Pliny--the perception of ipa is only about hop attacks totally changed---this is one hell of a balance ipa if you have yet to try one.

*of course there's also Blind Pig---and the soon to be bottled for the very first time Pliny the Younger.

Russian River

在全球成千上万家不同酿坊品牌印度淡陴中，美国加州这家酿坊的Pliny The Elder可以说是就算最挑剔的啤迷也不能不承认的均衡美味型经典款，在早期众多美国酿坊都大多倾向于推出强调啤酒花苦涩或甘涩攻击力印度淡陴时，这家的IPA是以呈现啤酒花鲜香甘美的均衡性为主轴，是让人耳目一新几时都想喝的佳酿。当然除了这款之外还有Blind Pig以及每年限量发售只能在当地特定专卖吧喝到的Pliny The Younger。

The Alchemist

While Pliny is tasting all smooth and easy---if hop attacks is what you think an ipa should be---then heady topper is a fine examples from this brewery---you get the hop attacks--but in a way which has a nice balance between hops bitterness and malt flavours---comparatively this is the heavy version of Pliny with a bigger punch of hops attack--but in a nice way---way more nicer than the average in your face type of American hoppy ipas.....

* of course there's a lighter-easier version with Focal Banger too.

The Alchemist  

在早期一众强调啤酒花苦涩甘香的美国印度淡陴中，这家的Heady Topper是这类比较强调啤酒花攻击IPA的经典款，虽然有着强烈的啤酒花甘涩口感但也很明显的比其他一般作品更均衡，虽然味蕾会被啤酒花甘涩味”攻击”但一点也不是那种只有苦涩的单调无趣，相反的是会让人在甘涩味中感受到啤酒花鲜香结合麦芽酵母的美味。此外，这家的另一款比较温顺美味的Focal Banger也是非常高水平作品。

Tree House

NEIPA is the in-thing---almost 8 or 9 out of 10 breweries would somehow have their own version of NEIPA---among the many top names famous for their NEIPA--Tree House of course is one famous name---of course there are some other famous ones out there( think Monkish/ Trillium/ Other Half/ and many more)--the reason why i have picked out Tree House is simply because i have  drank many more of their brews than other famous ones (considering the fact that it's hard to obtain fresh ones from these breweries this part of the world).

Tree House

美国酿坊中较早期以类果汁印度淡陴（NEIPA）打响名号的不少，除了这家，同期当然还有其他盛名赫赫的好几家，比如说Trillium，Monkish，Other Half 等等，选择这家并不是因为觉得他们是最好的（因为好几家不同酿坊作品都会有各自精彩或有时候不那么精彩之处），主要是因为个人之前喝得稍微多不同款式作品的就是来自这家，所以就挑了这家，以好几年前NEIPA还没有现如今那么泛滥情况来说，这家的好几款不同作品都各有亮点，数NEIPA高手酿坊的话少不了这家。

BRITISH Breweries 

The Kernel

During a time when NEIPA is the trend---and the fact that this is quite an "old-school" brewery which keep brewing the same beers over the years---some might not think highly of The Kernel for being a modest brewery which don't do crazy/trendy brews( so to speak)--but for me personally it is the unassuming way of this brewery which keep some of their brew clean and simple which actually showcased their strength of doing what's fundamentally nice---and yes--they do have some nice IPAs though perhaps some drinkers might think it is a tad lighter than what he/she are used to.

The Kernel 

这是非常朴实无华的一家英伦酿坊，从农村风格啤酒到"淡如水"的低度易喝的Table Beer都有高水准作品，其中当然也少不了很不错的印度淡陴作品。或许一些对喝惯强调啤酒花攻击力道的美国IPA饮客来说The Kernel的IPA作品会喝起来感觉淡了些甚至觉得平平无奇，但适中均衡才是这家酿造的印度淡啤特色，强烈苦味攻击并不是这家的风格。

Cloud Water

there are mixed opinions about this brewery from Manchester---some think very highly of them---some not so highly or thought their magic been waning with new found fame---whatever your opinion might be---to me this is one British brewery which is synonymous with NEIPA ---like it or not Cloud Water is famous for  their cloudy/juicy/fruity ipas---and having had the chance to sample quite a many fresh cans from this brewery---they are good with what they do--that's quite certain.

Cloud Water

近年能把类果汁印度淡陴（NEIPA）玩得好的新晋英伦酿坊并不少，不过要说最先引起国际啤迷注意然后至今仍然继续有高水准作品出现的英国酿坊则不能不提这家来自曼彻斯特的新贵。虽然严格来说这家的一些类果汁印度淡啤酿品也有过腻过甜或过度投放啤酒花造成刹口感觉问题，不过整体来说如果能喝到保鲜良好装罐三个月鲜美期内的作品，好些作品还是具有一定程度高水平。

Of Course---the world of IPA/NEIPA is not only about the 5 mentioned above---be it the old-er school of American IPA where the likes of Hillfarmstead, Bell's, Toppling Goliath, Maine Beer.Co or say the British new wave of breweries such as Northen Monk, Verdant, Deya, Neon Raptor, Wylam----there are many awesome/ outstanding ones out there---you just need to seek them out if you have yet to find a really good one......

以上提到酿坊的确各有出众之处，但必须说的是，值得尝味的印度淡啤作品当然远远不只这5家，能把IPA或NEIPA酿得精彩的美国或英国酿坊还有相当多，其中包括比如早期就已盛名在外的美国Hillfarnstead, Bell’s, Toppling Goliath, Maine Beer Co.等等， 又或是比如 Northen Monk, Verdant,  Deya, Neon Raptor, Wylam等等近年冒起英国新锐酿坊都有各自精彩之作。

浩瀚啤海中，这5家虽然对个人是具有重要指标意义的酿坊，但也只是沧海一粟做为参考，跟一些网上爱用的“一生必试”/“死前必吃/喝”之类的“绝对权威推荐”没关系。

WEEK 159---Some Impact Breweries/Brands from yesteryear

Again this is a back dated post as I jumped ahead with the Tokyo trip post earlier---but i guess no one really cares about sequences here.

“craft beer不同酿坊品牌那么多，有哪些是早期对个人较有影响，至今仍值得推的？"

这问题，如果问十个啤迷，大概可能会有几十个不同答案，会那样是很自然的，因为craft beer最大特点就是选择很多，除了不同风味类型选择多，不同酿坊品牌选择更是多不胜数。

全世界成千上万不同酿坊中要选出对个人比较有影响，值得推崇的几个品牌其实并不容易，虽然不同酿坊有作品水准高低之分，也有品牌是不是被热捧现象情况，但任何一位啤迷心目中值得推的很可能超过十个以上，也可能不同阶段会有不一样选择，就算只是选几个早期比较有影响的品牌出来有难度，也难免会有遗珠。

If i were to asked which might be some breweries/ brands that has impacted in a significant way during your early days and still remain relevant today---obviously a very subjective topic---the answers is likely to show some differences even among close drinking buddies.

This is a post about which are the few early days names still relevant personally---it is expected that some of the names mentioned here might get you nodding or shaking your head----that's totally understandable since craft beer is about varieties of choices. In fact if we were to conduct a survey or poll--say asking 10 geeks to pick out 10 names each---it is likely that out of 10 geeks--there could be 100 or close to 100 different names mentioned.

虽然我们活在一个弹指间可以买酒，千里之外也可以送到的时代，但是在一定程度上，对啤迷个人有影响力的酿坊品牌还是会受到所住地方市场上能买到喝到酿坊品牌选择的影响，这现象在亚洲更是明显，毕竟不是每个啤迷都会每次劳心伤财的从欧美或亚洲其他城市自行找渴望的酒喝。

以个人早期喝craft经历来说，品牌选择的确受到本地市场当时能接触到品牌影响，以此为据，以下是一些个人至今仍觉得值得推的酿坊品牌：-

While individual preferences will play a part---the result also will be very different from area to area/ cities to cities since what's available in the market will have a big say---unless you only drink own beer mail.

Here's some of breweries which have impacted and still relevant to me:-

The Belgium influence

The first bar( more of a restaurant than bar) i was visiting frequently during the early days was a place serving nice Belgian food with own imported Belgian beers---De La Senne/was a constant here--with occasional Rochefort + Struise making waves with my early days palate.

Of course many years after---Lambic has a big big place among my most preferred Belgian beer styles---but those 3 early impact names would still have a place---don't mind drinking any of those 3 again. 

比利时帮

最早期在吉隆坡出现的比利时啤酒中，Struise，Rochefort，De La Senne可以说是启蒙时期喝得比较多的比利时啤酒，3个不同酿坊品牌各有不同风格深浅不一的作品，既有合适新朋友探索的易喝型，也有需要一定程度理解力鉴赏力的复杂类型，

一定程度上，相对于天然发酵果酸啤酒（LAMBIC）可能比较需要时间适应，上述四家啤酒类型（无论是 stouts，trappist，double，triple，golden ale，belgian wit或belgian ipa）算比较容易接受类型，也是新朋友跨门槛适用的几个酿坊品牌。

The Scandinavian influence

Many years ago--when the first proper dedicated craft beer bar was born here in craft desert KL---it was the names like Mikkeller, To Ol( with then still independent Nogne, plus some Amager) that was most exciting to look forward to.

While the influences of those two are lesser on the preference nowadays---it is no denying Mikkeller still remain one of the most important names though the years til now---in particular what they have done with the awesome CBC or now MBCC---a craft beer festivals which will be eyes/mind/palate opener to any newbies. Also their way of having many interesting/awesome guests beers at their bars(notably during Copenhagen beer week--as well usually seen at Bangkok/ Tokyo and so on) is way more interesting than some bars which only focus on own house brew or a few regularly seen imported brew. 

北欧帮

北欧酿坊品牌大约六年前就在本地专卖吧出现，其中以Mikeller和To Ol(那时候也还有Nogne和Amager)最让人期待，多样化的酿品和抢眼的酒标设计都让人印象深刻。

除了高水准酿品，Mikkeller至今已办了好些年的哥本哈根啤酒庆典(MBCC)也是让人推崇的主因之一，套句做生意人说的“哪有把厉害对手都引来跟自家啤酒竞争的道理？"，可是Mikkeller品牌的过人之处就是跟很多不同酿坊品牌合作，除了每年都办的当今世上最好craft beet“啤酒节”（之一）外，自家酒吧更是常会有别家酿坊作品出现，并没有那种关起门来只是硬销自家啤酒那种生意手法。

The US influence

It is hard to pick since there was hardly any really outstanding names in the local market( i know some might disagree--but it's about individual preferences anyway)---personally i would point to Three Floyds( during tap takeover in Bangkok as well bottles from a bar in Tokyo), The Lost Abbey & Hair of The Dog( though friend's sharing as well when travelling mainly to Tokyo)---as well Modern Times & Priarie( via small batch import from Singapore or when travelling to Spore/Bangkok/Tokyo)

美国派

美国的厉害酿坊，被追捧品牌真的很多，要取舍有难度，个人来说，要以较早期在曼谷东京等地喝的Three Flyods, The Lost Abbey，Hair of The Dog 为主，还有就是通过新加坡进来本地昙花一现过的Modern Times和Prairie等美国酿坊。这几个品牌都有高水准作品，也各有所长，从易喝性高的pale ale到ipa到stouts到barley wine到old ale到saison到sour都有水准之作。

某种程度来说，会被啤迷无私推崇的酿坊品牌一定有水准之作，这也意味着酿坊品牌可以是作品水准高低指南针，不过，享有盛名并不意味着就一定永远厉害，有时候酿坊作品水准会随着不同因素而波动，比如卖给其他投资者（包括大厂）後下跌，有时因为主要酿酒师不玩了或跳槽或自立门户，有时因为变更酿酒方式等等不一而足，简而言之，确保一个盛名酿坊作品是不是一直保持高水平的方法还是需要每隔一段时间再喝喝看才能知道。

浩瀚啤酒海中，不同酿坊品牌代表着选择，虽然会有盛名酿坊和默默无闻之分，但重点还是不能一味“以貌取人”，酿品水准高低，不能只是靠品牌名声断定，酒始终必须喝过尝味过才能了解个中滋味。

WEEK 158---Tokyo 19 Beer Trip

Went to Tokyo back in mid October---unlike last year's trip for the inaugural MBCT, this time it was not due to any particular beer fest related motivation---rather it's more of a chill trip---though having said so--beer visit to bars & bottle shops were still a big part of the trip---as well a prearranged bottle share session(which end up being more than once).

最近去了一趟东京，和去年为了首次搬来亚洲举办的第一届Mikkeller Beer Celebration Tokyo(MBCT)而选在比较热的九月去不一样的是，今年不是奔着任何“啤酒节庆”而去，除了一场早先安排好的瓶子分享会，更多的是见见朋友走走喝喝聊聊。

虽然没有碰上什么精彩的“啤酒节”或厉害酿坊占领啤酒泵活动之类的，但东京作为亚洲为数不多拥有相当多高质量不同类型啤酒选择的城市之一还是比本地市场远远有趣的多，以下是这趟东京行的一些点滴：-

Here's some notes on the trip:-

The Slop Shop

Heard about this rather new bar & bottle shop located opposite a public park on a slope road in Nakane, Meguro area months ago before trip. It's not big, with 5 taps and some rather nice bottles selection in fridge--the thing about this small place is that the owners do import some of their beers---focusing on some smaller US breweries with well known names(such as GRIMM--the day i went there were some on taps as well some bottles available)---it is easy to see why one of the bar/bottle shop owner commented( prior to me visiting here) that this place is probably the best new thing in town.

The Slop Shop

算是东京最新啤点，开在目黑区中根公园对面斜坡路的小小酒吧兼瓶子店，虽然才开业不久，不过已引起不少东京以外亚洲啤迷注意，可以让同样也是在东京开酒吧/瓶子店的竞争对手说“这家是目前东京最有看点的店”这样的话，当然不会是泛泛之辈。

店里只有5个啤酒泵（不少专卖吧至少十多到三四十个啤酒泵），酒吧规模来说当然很小，不过因为也兼为瓶子店，选酒方面可以用冰柜里的瓶子选择填补不足之处，这家新店之所以能短时间内引起注意是因为店家除了跟日本其他进口商买酒之外，自己也进口一些亚洲至今没出现过的美国酿坊作品，而且有引入好口碑小酿坊作品倾向，会引起亚洲一些啤迷经常关注欧美酿坊的啤迷注意并不出奇。

Yorocco New Brewery

It has somehow became customary to meet up with my fellow beer blogger friend Neil (of Tokyo Beer Drinker blog) every time i visit Tokyo---no different this time--we decided to first visit  Larry and his Beach Muffin vegan restaurant--which if you have already know--is the only dedicated Yorocco taproom in the whole of Japan. Though we did spoke about visiting the new brewery of Yorocco prior to meeting up---it was later revealed that the new place is rather the other side of where we were at---unlike what i thought was more of a nearer location---anyhow--we decided it was a trip worth doing and so we did---The new brewery is located somewhere in a rather outskirt housing area of Kamakura and it is NOT OPEN for Public Visit---but Neil do know people who works there hence a few text messages later--we were on our way.

The new brewery is converted from a small former wood working place---the reason for the location is quite straight forward--because one of the brewers who work for Yorocco--his family owns the land for the former wood working place--since there is a ready place to be utilized---nothing wrong to convert that place into a new beer brewing spot( what's more--Kento san's house is located right next to the brewery itself!).

While there---we had some casual chat as well drank a few beers including saison directly pulled from the tank by Kento san--met the main brewer/owner Akio san who came back briefly---it was a rather short visit since both myself and Neil has got another beer related trip to make other side of town---good thing is we both gotten a bottle or two of their new brew for the next appointment.  

*Note--the new brewery is NOT open for public visit so it will be best to just visit Beach Muffin for some Yorocco beers on tap--plus good news is that with the newly acquired license they now can sell bottles for take away.

Yorocco新酿坊

和住东京英国人啤迷老友Neil在逗子市的Yorocco专卖点Beach Muffin喝喝聊聊，也算是探访餐厅老板朋友後决定半路兼程去探一下位置处于另一端的新酿坊，虽然新酿坊并不开放给人探访参观，不过因为有认识的人，很快就安排好了。

新酿坊位于离大船站或本鄉台站走路大约十多二十分钟一个住宅区内，是由之前的小型木工坊改造而成，选在这里的理由也很顺理成章，因为是酿酒师之一祖传家业，既然木工坊不做了，就换成酿坊，到访当天就是由这位“地主”接待，主创酿酒师Akio先生之后也外出回来，聊聊天也尝味了一两款酒槽内直接抽取的鲜啤酒，临走是买了当天仅有的一两款不同作品瓶子後和朋友各自分开去下一摊。 

有意前往新酿坊的朋友注意，因为基本并不对外开放参观，想喝这家啤酒的还是直接去专属品酒餐馆Beach Muffin好了，最新情况是由于刚已申请到执照，这家餐馆可以有供外带的Yorocco瓶子卖了。

Titans

Went to this bar/ bottle shop after checking what's on tap for that evening--i do know that there was a Omnipollo + 3Sons tap takeover back in Sept when MBCT version 2 hit town--it was a surprise to find a 3sons stouts on tap since Sept event was already quite a while ago.

Knowing Corey the head brewer who attended MBCT did brought along some Vanilla Face bottles to Japan---i was tempted to ask the guy standing behind bar about how one could perhaps see a bottle  or two of this limited release in US appearing somewhere at this bar? Well---it did as the guy pulled out one to show---but that's that--i did now even try to ask if he would consider selling or....sharing ")

Titans

今年九月因为东京啤酒庆典（MBCT），城中一些参与其盛的酒吧都有各自不同的欧美酿坊占领啤酒泵活动，其中最受啤迷注目的活动之一就是在这家酒吧兼瓶子店进行的美国3sons和瑞典Omnipollo联合活动，作为第一次在亚洲出现的美国黑啤爆红新贵，3sons的参与当然引起不少亚洲啤迷的注意。

当然，这次去这家酒吧瓶子店时距离九月的活动已经有好一段时间，不过去的当天意外的12款啤酒中有一款3sons黑啤，也有Omnipollo水果酸啤，然后和站在吧台後的鬼佬酒保聊天询问时，他因为我的问话而拿出了私藏的3sons今年只在美国酿坊限量发售的黑啤Vanilla Face让我望梅止渴。。。。

Bottle Sharing

Prior to making the trip--there was already 1 session of bottle share arranged with a few geeks friends(including some yet to meet in person)--for those in the known it is natural for geeks to want to have a share even though Tokyo can be easily considered as one of the best( if not the best) Asia city with the wider/better selections of craft beer.

Some really nice beers( and a couple of mead too) were had during the sharing session---which actually turned into 'extended version" of not just 1 session as initially planned but more than once......

BOTTLE SHARE with Delicious home made Peruvian food!!!

啤迷瓶子分享会

去之前就和长住东京的啤迷安排好一场私人聚会，重点当然是瓶子分享，虽然听起来有点好笑，去或许有着全亚洲最多不同类型啤酒选择的城市旅行还要自己带酒去，但啤迷有时候就是那样，私人瓶子分享会可以是比去在地酒吧喝更精彩更有趣的经验。

然后其实原本只是一场的瓶子分享会，因为不同朋友的临时起意，后来变成不只是一场，当中也出现了一些精彩佳酿。

在东京一周时间，除了上述点滴，也去了一些其他啤点，比如说第一天一如既往的第一站就去了熟悉的目白站附近田中屋瓶子店看看有没有什么意外惊喜，之间也去了跟北千住店属于同系的神田BeerMa酒吧瓶子店看看有什么收获，这之前也去了三轩茶屋两夫妇开的小店Pigalle坐坐，当然免不了每次一定会去位于涉谷红灯区一角的东京米吧喝上一两杯跟掌舵人打个招呼，其实这里坐坐那里走走的一周很快就过去了。虽然或许因为不够积极走动错过了去另外三家（一家主要以美国进口酒为号召，另外两家是日本在地酿坊品饮吧）探访的机会，这次东京啤酒出游记已有不少亮点，错过就期待下一次吧。

AND also:-

while the above were done during the 1 week trip---there were also some other beer spots visited including:-

1) the usual routine visit to TANAKAYA on the first day of each trip--basically just to see what's available during that period of visit and of course buying a few bottles either to drink during trip or to bring home to craft desert KL 

2) Visiting Hide and Chie at Pigalle Tokyo has also almost been the theme of each visit though honestly the tiny bar/bottle shop can get really packed at times--it was when i visited this time but no big deal---this is a place worth your time if you have yet to visit.

3) BeerMa Kanda---actually found this bar/bottle shop by chance when walking around Kanda area looking for food---i do know there is one such place aside from their Kita-Senju shop which i have been to---quite nice place with bottles/cans selection in fridge upstairs--when you walked in it's the bar area with some food--guess this will be a more preferred location than the further away Kita-Senju shop next time around.

4) Mikkeller Tokyo---yeah--can't be in Tokyo without having to visit this bar known for located in a rather seedy area of Shibuya for once or twice( actually did it twice)----first evening there was a De Garde sour on tap which was quite nice---second visit was more about bumping into Hamilton san who came to visit his own bar--had a chat and got a surprise gift(or two) which was very kind of him....

5) Invited by geeks friend to another geek's house to watch Rugby World Cup and sipping some really quality fresh brew from the host's own home brew---plus a few bottles and nice food--what more can one ask for? A big Arigato to Mr & Mrs Hansen.

A week in Tokyo can go by very quickly---looking back while i did what was mentioned above---was also missing out on 3 places likely worth visiting( 1 is a new bar with different format from it's former self which was famous for some big US beers---another one is a fairly unknown Japanese brew taproom located in Kawasaki---as well another Local brew place headed by Kaijin/s)---well, maybe next time then.