WEEK 162----TOKYO 19----Bottle Share Part 2/2

Part 2 of some memorable ones from Tokyo trip bottle sharing sessions back in Oct 19

去年十月时在东京喝了好些相对不错的啤酒/蜜酒，其中包括几支肯定是年度最有印象的酒（这里就先省略不提等写年度清单时候再列入），以下是另外几款值得一提的好酒：-

1) Three Years Dessert

Demoersleutel

A dessert stout made for the Alkmaar based brewery's 3rd year anniversary---applying the freeze distilling technique to enhance the flavours/body of the beer---as well inevitably upping the ABV to a rather dangerous 17%--though the beer is still somehow tasting a little thin body wise but that does not affect the deliciousness of the beer---it was very fitting as a dessert stout with no hints of alcohol taste even with this high ABV---a dangerously tasty one.

来自荷兰北部城市阿尔克马尔新锐酿坊的庆祝三周年作品，利用急冻提炼方式提升这款香草甜品黑啤的层次口感，虽然急冻技术也意味着酒精度随着急剧提高到17度，但喝起来醇香顺滑一点煞风景的酒精味都没有，酒体虽然稍显单薄但却是带着危险美味的佳酿

2）Kriek Premier

De Garde

With the Kriek word---expectation is quite clear with this sour cherry BA American sour---the first hurdle is always not to taste too straight in your face puckering---well, it did not--in a way it was tasting rather nicely sour with some layering--a good one but not outstanding.

美式酸啤中受到众多啤迷推崇的酿坊品牌之一，这款是酸樱桃版本桶陈酸啤，单看酒名中Kriek就有向比利时Lambic Kriek致敬的意味。以美国酸啤本质上的先天条件不足情况来说， 这是层次均衡的一支，没有酸掉牙问题，但也没有让人感觉惊喜之处。

3) 4th D Barrel Aged

Kuhnhenn

Had both the original base beer version and this BA version---in fact first had the base version a day or two earlier then this one---while not all beers going through BA process will taste any better than base beer--this one did---the process of letting it mature in a bourbon barrel did brought about nicer flavours with very evident dark fruits goodness coming through....

美国旧式桶陈黑啤，喝到这款之前在另一场瓶子分享会中喝到了同一款没有经过桶陈这一道时间工序的原酒，相比之下，带着使用过美国波本木桶余韵影响的这支酒体酒香都更显浓郁圆润，黑色果实的美味更加突出。

4) Swimming Giants

Burnt Mill + Finback

A collab brew by an English brewery with a US brewery both quite known for their hops brew among others---though labelled as a double ipa---it was tasting quite smooth with obvious NEIPA influences rather than a double ipa would be.

来自英国和美国酿坊的合酿作品，是酒精度稍高的双倍印度淡啤（DIPA），喝起来口感顺滑，没有恼人的酒精感，更多的是热带水果芳香，感觉更接近当今盛行的类果汁NEIPA多过类型标示的DIPA。

5) Red Stonington

Trillium

A wild sour beer using raspberries and oak barrel during a year's maturation process---one gets the fruits sourness along with some nutty flavours--back end with rather dry note. 

美国盛名酿坊标志性带酸农村风格啤酒作品之一，使用果园中自然滋生的葡萄皮微菌发酵，再投放覆盆子在橡木桶经过一年时间熟成，果味香酸中有着类似果仁麦香口感，尾韵倾向干爽。

6) This Land

Burning Sky

A saison brew from the rather sought after English brewery lately--a grape and grape skin influenced beer--light sour--slightly dry finishing but rather pleasant easy sipping one.

近期开始受到更多啤迷关注的英国酿坊，主力倾向酿造农场风格啤酒和酸啤，这款农场风格啤酒是通过使用葡萄皮和葡萄果汁浸泡发酵而成，易喝中带微酸，尾韵略呈干涩但不是让人感觉不愉快那种。

7) Awaken My Love

Creature Comforts

What could be wrong with a stout basing on cinnamon, coffee? At 12 % this one was tasting quite smooth with no alcohol burn--full of dark chocolate---roasted malt flavours---a good one to slow sip.

美国酿坊的咖啡肉桂乳糖黑啤。喝起来并没有预期中那么厚实，口感除了之前提到三种食材影响之外也带黑巧克力和烤麦香，12%的酒精度算是控管的不错，相当不错的一款美式黑啤。

8) White Picked Fence

Bellwoods

An interesting brew from the Canadian brewery---blending a brew using 3 different types of barley (which went through half a year's aging) with a newly brewed saison---and then dry hopping it---not getting much of the dry hopping influences --tasting rather refreshing, light sour with hints of malty goodness....

以酸啤和易喝农场风格啤酒的加拿大新锐酿坊标志性作品之一，通过使用三种不同类型特性的麦芽/燕麦/黑麦酿造熟成半年後再用另一款新酿农村风格啤酒调和，经过后期投放啤酒花而成，口感清爽微酸中带麦香，酸啤来说属于易喝性高的一款。

WEEK 161 ---TOKYO 19 ---Bottle Share Part 1/2

This is part 1 of 2 of a very #latergram sort of post while awaiting to publish the annual "most memorable beer/mead list" from invited geeks friends as well as my own list on a later date.

As some of you might have seen on FB post---i was in Tokyo back in OCT and instead of 1 prearranged bottle sharing session--it went further to a few more during that 1 week trip--thanks to Tokyo beer friends for the love.....

去年十月东京行，时间点早已过了九月的第二届东京啤酒庆典（MBCT），到的那个星期城中也没什么特别的啤酒活动，不过整体来说还是有喝到不少佳酿或亚洲比较难寻作品。

来稍稍回看喝了些什么（号码只是随心，当然无关排名先后次序）：-

Some really good ones were shared during the few bottle sharing sessions---in fact a few made it to my 2019 most memorable list---but now let's just see what were some which did not made it to the annual most memorable list but still very much worthy of mentioning:-

1) Brewers Bridge

Brasserie Dupont  + Allagash

A collaboration brew by the Belgian Master and an American counterpart who is known for their love of American version of Belgian style brew---a nice blend of Belgian saison with some American hops--easy sips with depth---had this while visiting the new brewery of Yorocco--thanks to the generosity of Kento san who pulled out his personal bottle to share.

比利时酿坊Dupont的农场风格啤酒（Saison）是公认的指标性作品，而美国酿坊Allagash则是以酿造美式比利时风格啤酒为人知，这支是两者之间合酿，结合了比利时酵母和美国啤酒花风味，属于易喝性很高的佳作，是在探访Yorocco新酿坊时酿酒师Kento拿出分享的私人藏酒，在一家并没有对外开放让人喝酒的日本酿坊内喝到来自比利时酿坊和美国酿坊的强强合酿作品，也算是craft beer社群的魅力和趣味展现吧。

2）After Dinner Decadence

Hidden Spring Ale Works + Equilibrium

What could possibly go wrong when a stout is brewed with chocolate, coffee, cherry, marshmallow, graham crackers? Well unless the brewer fxxked up big time this combo on its own already sounding delicious for a stout----and yes it beer did not disappoint though in a way both HSAW and Equilibrium are not famous for their dark brew---the body is not really thick enough for a stout in my opinion--but this does not affect it's smoothness and deliciousness---not cloying not overly sweet not decadence to the extent of making one losing the urge for more---just nicely making you wanting the next sip....

3）35 Years

Side Project

This is a bottle side project specially brewed for  a wine and cheese place owned by their friend for a special occasion---and this is also the very first time Side Project started barrel aging beer with oak barrel previously containing sherry wine as well rye whiskey---one could say this is quite a special limited version by Side Project---however---not sure if due to first time using those barrels---this one was lacking in what Side Project brew is known for--balance layering of depth---though still good but it was tasting more towards an American sour rather than a well balanced Side Project signature brew.

对一些啤迷来说，不管何时何地要是看到这家美国密苏里酿坊的酿品是没什么需要考虑的，只要不放过就对了，因为水平高因为量少难找，从酸啤，农场风格啤酒到黑啤，Side Project都备受推崇的作品。

这是酿坊为密苏里当地一家卖奶酪和酒的好朋友店铺特别酿造的限量版，也是酿坊第一次尝试用已使用过旧烈酒桶让啤酒熟陈，桶起初是陈放雪梨酒，再之后装了黑麦威士忌，等到清空完啤酒入桶时木桶本身已兼具雪梨酒和黑麦威士忌留下风味。

不过，比较可惜的是，或许是因为这是酿坊第一次尝试利用旧烈酒桶熟成提味，这支算是个人喝过有限数量的side project作品中最能展现美式酸啤缺点那种直截了当酸味当头的一支，酒并不难喝，但没有做到酿坊其他优秀作品那种让人赞叹的均衡优雅水平，无奈论如何还是要感谢朋友的朋友特意挑了这支私人珍藏分享。

4）Tiramisu

Trillium + J.Wakefield

How do one makes a famous Italian dessert tasting like how it should be in a beer? that question alone is already quite intriguing in itself---and when the two breweries collaborating on this one are such famous names---the curiosity level automatically went up...

Out of the ingredients used---I was most intrigued by the use of Lady Fingers as the idea of this vege in a Tiramisu is quite interesting to say the least----i could very much relate to the use of brown sugar-coffee-Madagascar vanilla beans or materials from a bakery--but Lady Fingers was unexpectedly.

Overall---this is one which i did not find similar to Tiramisu( thought some would point out that there are many different versions of actual Tiramisu)--was tasting a little thin and lacking in depth--one which did not satisfy the slightly higher curiosity of mine.

两家赫赫有名的美国酿坊诠释意大利著名甜点，怎么通过酿造黑啤呈现提拉米苏风味当然是个不小的挑战，一定程度上这算是一支比较难寻的作品，能在东京分享会中喝到当然是啤迷福利。

酿造过程中用了大量羊角豆（是的你没看错我也没写错），马达斯加香草豆，黑糖和咖啡，喝起来的确有香甜黑啤感受，至于是不是神似提拉米苏，个人感觉并不像（当然也可能有人说实体的提拉米苏也有不同风味版本），整体来说，酒体感觉没有期待中醇厚，喝起来感觉比较单薄，味蕾感受比期待值低。

5）Juicy Bits---Mosaic DHH

WeldWerks Brewing

The name kinda says it quite clearly---it's juicy NEIPA with lots of dry hopping done---as we all know all well made hops focus beer is about how fresh when one is drinking---this one brought in by hand from the States was still very much within the freshness period--full of tropical fruity goodness-not over-done-easy sipping good one.

新鲜啤酒花能为Ipa类型啤酒带来的美好影响可以是巨大的，类果汁类型啤酒的风行让酿酒师们更大量的在啤酒酿造收尾期投放啤酒花以更鲜明的突出NEIPA的类果汁效应特色。这次喝到的美国新锐酿坊作品仍在一定新鲜期内，喝起来不会让人感觉过腻，是舒适可口的一款。

6）Odd Breed Brewing---4 different bottles

Sometimes meeting a beer is about timing---or in another word---whether or not one gets to drink a certain beer at times it's about fate---just like these 4---it so happened that the guy who was visiting from the States is a member of this particular small brewery--so he brought a few members only bottles to share--i have never met this guy before--but we all know at times this is how geeks sharing session goes.....

The bottles are mainly about going the Belgian Lambic way of brewing---there were mostly sours---fruited or barrel play---overall the brew were of a good level but not causing one to "wow' .

拜一位刚好从美国到访东京的啤迷朋友的朋友所赐，一次过喝到这家酿坊好几款会员制瓶子，这家位于弗罗里达的小酿坊崇尚比利时天然发酵酸啤，所以主力酿美式天然发酵酸啤和农场风格啤酒。这次喝到四款作品中有李子酸啤，红加仑加樱桃酸啤，加入樱桃和覆盆子的斯佩尔特小麦（Spelt）农场风格啤酒，以及一款勾芡自家不同作品的黑色混合啤酒，整体来说水平很不错但不至于让人惊艳。

其实，了解到酿坊所崇尚酿酒方向，喝的时候可以比较客观看待，当然不能以比利时酸啤的要求看待美国酸啤酿坊作品，喜爱比利时天然发酵果酸啤酒的啤迷都知道比利时LAMBIC大师级酿坊水平是很高指标，其他欧美酿坊很难做到那种顶级水准，毕竟拿不同水果之间作比较是不对的。