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。
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