After conversations with some non-craft drinking friends---decided perhaps an easy entry level Q & A in layman terms would hopefully be helpful for new people who are about to or newly getting into the big wide world of craft beer, here we go:-
1) What is beer?
beer is essentially an alcoholic drink made from malts + yeast + hops + water(but NOT limited to only these 4) via fermentation process which includes but limited to steps such as boiling--cooling--cellaring/barrel aging(and so on).
1）啤酒是什么？
啤酒是使用麦芽，酵母，啤酒花和水经过熬煮，冷却，陈放等等酿造步骤酿成的酒精饮料。
2) So all beers are the same then?
NOPE---far from it---even if only using the 4 main ingredients mentioned above and nothing else added---beer A can be VERY different from beer B or beer C---for examples the ABV(alcohol by volume) of each beer can be very different---and of course the deliciousness of beer A beer B can be so vastly different as to heaven and earth.
In fact---in the world of beer there is such a divide as to MACRO BEER and craft beer. Also there are many different beer styles which is why craft beer can be so much more exciting.
2）所以啤酒都是一样的？
啤酒主要使用上述4个主要原料酿成，但并不意味着所有啤酒都一样，比如酒精度就可以很不一样，比如美味程度可以差天差地，啤酒世界也有大厂啤酒和craft beer之分，更有不同类别风格（beer styles）之分。
3) what is MACRO BEER?
in simple words---MACRO BEER are essentially some very famous household brands of alcoholic drinks mass produced and controlled by a few International Giants---Basically there's NO nuances or delicate taste profile to speak of---it's basically available everywhere at places like super market, convenience store, coffee shop, gas stations and so on ---you don't have to worry about not being able to get hold of a dozen anytime.
3）什么是大厂啤酒?
最简单说法，由几个国际大公司控制，每年非常巨大量生产的好些“家喻户晓”品牌单调口味啤酒，没什么美味层次可言，基本从不怕断货，无论超市便利店咖啡店餐厅夜店，可以说随处可买到，要多少有多少。
4) what is craft beer
in contrast---the craft scene is made up of tens of thousands of small scale/nano breweries located in different parts of the world---the primary focus is about deliciousness of a beer---due to the small scale production nature, as well as difficulties created by geographical /logistic issues---it's very common for you to NOT being able to buy a certain beer anytime you love to.
In Asia generally speaking---one usually would need to visit a craft beer bar or bottle shop to get what's available since craft beer is still not commonly available in most general shopping places.
4）什么是craft beer?
浅白说，由成千上万家不同小型微型酿坊小量生产，注重不同味道层次表现的啤酒。因为量少，因为地理位置差异和供应链规模所限，很多时候有钱未必买得到酒，亚洲来说，很多时候要去专卖吧或瓶子店才喝得到。
5) what is different beer styles?
It's kinda like when listening to music there are different genre of music such as hip hop/ rap/ reggae/ jazz/ rock/ ballad and so on---in the world of craft beer there are also many different styles of beers displaying different taste profile/nuances a beer can bring---for examples Pilsner, Pale Ale, IPA, Saison, Porter, Stouts, Table Beer, Weisse Beer, Gose, Berliner Weisse and so on......
5）什么是不同类型风味之分？
举例说，就像流行音乐可以有嘻哈饶舌雷鬼爵士摇滚慢摇情歌之类不同曲风，啤酒也会以不同风味面貌出现，比如说plisner，pale
ale，ipa，saison，porter，stouts，table beer，weisse beer，gose，berliner weisse等等等。
6) Why so many different styles？
Just like when eating food there are different flavours of sweet/ sour/ spicy / salty and so on---craft beer is essentially about tasting different falvours in a beer---in fact a well made beer is indeed delicious food in a beer form.
6）为什么要分那么多不同类型风味？
就像吃东西会有酸甜苦辣鲜香等等不同味道选择，啤酒其实绝对可以像美食那样有不同味道风貌表现，说白了，酿得好的啤酒就是不同味道液体美食。
7) Can i buy craft beer anywhere like convenience store?
In Asia---the answer is no---MACRO BEER is still the dominating forces at these places ---also due to the unique nature of craft beer being small volume production and in fact best to have a fairly knowledgeable person stationed in store to help out newbies--craft beer is understandably not commonly available in places like super market or convenience store.
7）所有啤酒超市便利店买得到吗？
亚洲来说，能在超市便利店买到的啤酒绝对大多数都只能是单调无趣大厂啤酒，craft
beer由于产量少及不同类型风格繁多特性，以及店里最好有具备一定啤酒知识专人介绍酒关系，没能大量出现在超市便利店是可以理解现象。
8) Can i drink straight from a bottle？
If you notice how different Belgium beers would suggest using different glassware for different beer---it shows that how important a glass can be to beer drinking---there might be some who think that all these are part of the marketing gimmicks or simply being fussy--the fact is that glasses do help in "expanding/ preserving/ awaking" beer flavours in one way or another----Most importantly---the need for a glass is essentially about appreciation of beer flavours---pour it down to a beer glass would help you to first enjoy the nose of a beer( smell the aroma) before sipping to slowly enjoy a beer while it warms up---NEVER gulp down like you would do to a tasteless MACRO.
8）开瓶後直接拿着喝不行吗?
如果有注意到比利时啤酒很多不同酿坊/牌子的啤酒都有搭配自家杯子就知道比利时喝啤酒多么讲究用杯子这回事，或许有人会觉得这只是一种市场营销手法又或是装模作样而已，其实喝啤酒用杯子确实可以一定程度上起到辅助啤酒更好发挥风味层次表现作用。还有就是，喝啤酒应该用被子先嗅味道再小口喝细味品嚐，不是咕噜咕噜一口气灌进肚。
9) A glass meaning an Ice-Cold one?
Nope---generally speaking you don't need an iced-cold glass when drinking craft beer---a room temperature glass is good enough to help the beer slowly warms up from chilled condition to better demonstrate it's full potential of nuances/layers still hidden when cold.
Do take note that unless you are reminded by the brewery to " drink from can" like The Alchemist did with some of their famous ipas--a glass is still the best companion of a beer before drinking.
9）喝啤酒一定要用冷却杯？
不是的，要看喝的是什么类型风味，基本来说喝craft beer并不需要用冷杯子，室温杯子可以更好的让已经冷藏的酒体逐渐回温展现应有的味道层次。
此外。也有少数特定啤酒并不需要杯子，酿酒师鼓励拿着罐子直接喝，因为那样可以展现跟倒入杯子很不同的风味。
10) what is "beer needs to warm up" all about?
It is "common knowledge" that beer needed to be drank cold---but that's the wrong impression cultivated through years of MACRO BEER marketing ploy---the truth is ---beer is a little bit like wine--if people talk about wine needing some time to "wake up"/ "breath" then it is the same for beers though most beers DON'T need a decanter---give a beer roughly 10-30 minutes time in a glass after pouring-while slowly sipping/drinking---you will get to taste/feel the differences brought upon by temperatures changes---some in a very delicate way--some in quite obvious way....
10）啤酒需要回温是什么概念？
不同类型风味啤酒有不同味道风貌表现，虽然啤酒需要冷藏，也一贯被认为一定要冷的时候才好喝，实际上啤酒需要一些时间回温以让啤酒中蕴含的所有味道层次可以“苏醒”後让喝酒人可以更好的品嚐享受到酿酒师像带来的风味。虽说不同类型啤酒需要的回温时间一些差异，除非酒标贴纸上有说明一定要让酒回温多久，一般来说，回温时间没有硬性规定，开喝後一边慢慢小口喝一边感受酒体回温是不少啤迷会做的事，一般来说入杯後十分钟到半小时之间可以感受不同温度带来变化。
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