WEEK 140----The early years---beers drank locally(part 1 of 2)

It's been about 10 years( or slightly less than 10) when craft desert KL first saw any sort of craft beer choices available locally---this is like back to the starting point ---looking back at what was available at local craft places(like only a hand full of them anyway) does trigger realization that we did had it quite good back then though there's been very little progression (or more like regression) for the last few years in terms of varieties of styles/choices.

“顽啤主张”每到年底都会写“年度最有印象啤酒/蜜酒”清单，借此回望过去一年碰到过的精彩酿品，算算这几年，虽然长期身在没有太多精彩选择的craft beer沙漠，也算有幸喝到不少顶级作品，但这些很多时候都是或通过啤迷朋友帮忙或出国时候喝到，要说在本地市场有进口能找到的当然不多，但也不是完全没有好喝的，这期就来回看好些年前本地craft beer市场开始阶段碰到的一些酿品，看看喝了些什么:-

Obviously there's been quite a lot of beers consumed in those early days---here's some of those:-

1) Brewdog Dead Pony Club & Punk IPA

to say it bluntly---most geeks would give a damn about Brewdog nowadays---while they have been very successful business wise in expanding to every corner possible be it in the UK or overseas market( word is that KL might see one not too long from now)---the fact is that beers from Brewdog no longer command attentions from geeks---once you past that early years of craft drinking---Brewdog beers became boring----those two were of course pleasant ones 6-7 years ago here in KL---and likely still nice for newbies.

很不客气的说，很多啤迷对近几年的Brewdog完全无感，因为这家当初让很多新朋友感觉惊喜的英国酿坊近几年都忙着扩大营业版图，没有什么值得关注的新作品。不过，话说回来，在大概6年前本地第一次可以喝到这两款酿品时，对吉隆坡这个沙漠来说是件值得高兴的事。虽说如今的Brewdog不怎么样了，不过对新朋友来说这两款（一个低度易喝，一个强调啤酒花效应）还是不错的入门选择，只是一旦过了关，就很难引起一喝再喝兴趣了。

2) De La Senne Zinnerbir

This is one beer which made it's way into KL some 8 years or more ago---thanks to an importer friend who imported in small quantities exclusively for his own Belgium restaurant initially and turned to beer importing after that----it's still available now along with Taras Boulba at certain places in KL nowadays even though the restaurant biz ended few years ago.

比较早期能在本地找到的比利时小酿坊作品（还好现在也是能找到），清爽带水果啤酒花甘香的易喝性高，对刚开始喝比利时大厂啤酒（比如什么H花园）的新朋友来说可能会觉得有苦涩感，不过一旦味蕾接受度被打开，就会了解到真正好喝的比利时啤酒味道长什么样子。

3)St.Bernardus abt 12

A classic no doubt---one which tasted sweet and so smooth it was a dangerous one to drink at that time because newbies don't really look at label for ABV at times---if you are new--do take note that it's a 10% beer.

这是支对新朋友来说可能点危险的啤酒，因为把高酒精藏的很好，不看酒标喝起来顺顺的感受不到10%的“攻击”。在本地算是不定期能找到的比利时经典啤酒之一，虽然一开始感觉喝起来香甜顺滑的，但层次不只有那样，如果新朋友酒力还在进修中，比较保险做法是跟朋友分着来喝比较没有负担。

4)Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast

When KL had it's first ever craft beer bar---it was obvious that the two Danish breweries TO OL and Mikkeller were the star attraction---this particular one has been a personal favourites--booking a few bottles whenever limited new stocks were in has been the norm.

本地第一家craft beer吧开始时，最亮眼的两个北欧品牌就是“米记”和 TO OL（因为当年两家是联合处理物流运输关系，本地进口商每次都会集合两家的作品一拼运来，可惜的是近年本地渐渐少看到这两家作品），“米记”在当时就已多产多变为人知，每年都有很多不同作品出现，那么多作品中，这款较低度“早餐系列”黑啤让人惊喜，是当时看到就会开喝的一款。

5) Yeastie Boys Golden Perch & Rex Attitude

This brewery from NZ is one of my early years favourites with interesting brew such as the very light body but heavily peated(nose) Rex Attitude---the very pleasant Golden Perch(no longer in production)---as well another tea infused one---Gunnamatta(tea in a beer or the other way round) ---sadly we no longer see any NZ beers being brought in here since few years back.

这家纽西兰酿坊有几款有趣好喝作品，这两款趣味完全迥异，一款非常清爽可口，另一款虽然酒质轻盈易喝却散发着不是人人能接受的威士忌泥炭味，是当年喝了再喝的两款，此外，这家还有一款以伯爵茶酿造的“茶啤”，喜欢茶的不会抗拒。可惜的是，这家作品在本地已经很久都看不到了。

6) TO OL Black Maria & Black Ball

These two has been the pick of the lot among some very nice selections of what was available back then locally from this Danish brewery---partly because back then Mikkeller was helping with logistic of TO OL hence the local importer would packed up both in one shipment---sadly TO OL beers been missing from KL for quite a long while since moving it's logistic to Belgium though recently some beers been available locally again.

来自北欧的“双啤”也是多产的，不同类型风格啤酒选择很多，较早期的本地专卖吧有不少精彩作品选择，这其中喝的最多的是黑色印度淡啤（Black Ipa）的Black Maria和虽然是理论上酒体比较薄的Porter但喝起来醇香厚实不输一些stouts的Black Ball。当然这家的精彩作品并不只是这两款，不过以几年前本地能喝到款式来说，这两款确是最受青睐的。