Saturday, February 22, 2020

WEEK 164--Most Memorable Beer & Mead List--by ct (KL) Part 2/2

个人的2019清单下半部--列了几款值得一提但没有写入专栏的
Here's the second part of my 2019 list---with a few beers not mentioned in the newspaper column added under ' special mention" category below:-
Cantillon Lou Pepe Kriek 2011
Got this bottle from a Belgian friend some years ago( along with some other goodies)---been keeping it for few years though never really thought would end up cracking this in Tokyo during a bottle share---well in a way i feel more and more these past few years that whether you get to drink a beer or otherwise is at times about timing and so called "fate" too ---8 years is quite some wait to taste this one---was tasting amazing--with very nicely rounded layers of sour--hints of nutty/almond---a master piece which you would only want to slowly sip and enjoy while there's still some in a glass...
比利时天然发酵果酸啤酒(Lambic)对很多啤迷来说是酸啤类型中绝对的至尊,众多酸啤酿坊/作坊品牌中,这家是毋庸置疑的大师级别,在这家的好多不同款作品中,Lou Pepe系列属于较稀有难寻,由于果树果实的供应数量有限,这款以特定酸樱桃入酒的算是同系列三个不同风味中比较稀有难买的。
8年的时间让这款果酸啤酒更有韵味,层次非常圆润丰富,果酸美味中带有些杏仁坚果类风味,是让人只想慢慢尝味只怕喝完就再也没有的享受。

Baladin Xyauyu.Fume 2014
Barley Wine is something some people always thought of as a beer which is heavy on the sweet side as well as ABV---in simple terms its not a style easy on the palate as well as alcohol tolerance---but all those perception would be totally changed with this lovely brew from the Xyauyu series of barley wine---with smoky tone from the Islay Whisky barrel influence as well notes of bacon, cigar--this is one hell of a barley wine--really enjoyed this one.
至今喝过几款这家意大利酿坊酿造的大麦酒(barley wine),一定程度上来说,大麦酒普遍给人印象就是高酒精口感偏甜酒体偏薄的“重口”啤酒,不过,虽然啤迷对这家酿坊的其他类型啤酒评价不怎么样,但是对大麦酒还是很有一手,喝过这家的不同桶陈风味作品中,以这款非常有别于一般既定认知的最有印象,入口就有非常明显烟熏威士忌桶陈,培根,雪茄等风味,翻转一般对大麦酒单调印象,也是有趣美味的一款

Schramm's Nutmeg
The fruit Nutmeg is something most Malaysians( especially if you lived/been to Penang) are familiar with---from processed snack of Nutmeg to Nutmeg drinks to even Nutmeg medicinal oil--this really is a fruit i know of---and the first question i asked myself was how would Schramm's decrease the overly cloying/discomforting "burning sensation like" mouth feel associated with Nutmeg---and how well the mead master came out with a winning formula to harmonized the blend of Nutmeg and Honey---and best demonstrated by a glass which a geek friend has left for around/over an hour---it was tasting even more "thicker' in aroma and taste---nice balance of honey and Nutmeg--really impressed with this one.
豆蔻是马来西亚人熟悉的,特别是如果去过槟城的应该都有吃过买过腌制豆蔻零食或豆蔻油之类的。
这款美国顶级蜜酒酿坊的作品用的主要提味食材就是豆蔻,或许嚐过原味豆蔻的会知道这种果实会有让人感觉不是那么愉快的过腻刹口感或涩感,但这支豆蔻蜜酒完全没有出现任何豆蔻可能导致的负面口感,呈现出来的是豆蔻味道无误,蜜糖为基点的酿造方法突出了豆蔻香甜但喝多几口都不会让人感觉过腻。厉害的是,分享会中有朋友的杯子放了超过一个小时後再喝时,感觉整体豆蔻蜜酒的香气口感变得更醇厚好喝,当今世上少数最佳蜜酒酿坊之一的功力的确没话说。

Mills Running Beer
A bottle gifted by a UK geek friend and hand carried back by another geek friend to KL---this is of course a quite recent "hyped" brewery since bottles are limited and hard to come by---shared this during the annual 'customary" Xmas bottle session---did not expect much from this one really since in a way also do not know what to expect---tasting light sour with nice little 'bubble-ish" mouth feel--the wine oak barrel influence is obvious--there's some funk notes coming through--finishing with some dry tone but still pleasing.
英国啤迷朋友赠与的意外惊喜,这是一家近期被少数啤迷追捧的小酿坊,主攻天然发酵酸啤和农场风格啤酒,因为量少也因为被追捧,作品在英国境内已是难寻,所以非常感激啤迷朋友千里之外无私送酒的动作。
在本地啤迷朋友每年一次的圣诞重点瓶子分享会上开瓶时,对这支稀有瓶子并没有高期望,主要因为要对比利时境外的天然发酵酸啤抱持高期望值很可能是苛求也是不公平的,在没有预设期待情况下,一入口,酒的气味满满的是橡木桶影响,微酸带些细致气泡口感中浮现天然发酵特有异香,尾韵倾向干涩但不过份。

Cloud Water CY18 Citra
Thanks to John who been consistently bringing back some fresh UK cans for the past year--something really lacking in craft desert KL--obviously this town has seen quite some cloud water cans including this series of single hop IPA---had the opportunity to sample a few different single hop creation under this hand picked hops series--though Mosaic was really nice as well but personally for me this Citra one was really up there--nothing overly sweet/cloying for a NE-ish ipa---tasty, easy drinking with some depth---very nice.
虽然一直以来只要说到印度淡啤或者说近两三年大行其道的类果汁印度淡陴一定离不开美国酿坊,不过,这家来自曼彻斯特的英国酿坊绝对是NEIPA类果汁印度淡陴风行的代表酿坊品牌之一。
CY18系列标榜手选啤酒花,使用不同单一啤酒花酿造不同风味口感,通过不同啤酒花独有的香鲜甘苦或类似花草或类似香料等不同特质展现特选啤酒花的魅力。
这系列中共有六款,因为英国啤迷朋友的分享,有幸喝到其中几款不同单一啤酒花作品,每款都有高水平表现,个人觉得Citra啤酒花风味是系列中最让人回味的一款。

Side Project Smooth
The very first time this town has seen any sort of Side Project bottles---had this during the Xmas share---a fruited sour beer aged in French Oak barrel--was smelling and tasting Nectarine/Peaches --some funky tone with fruit skin like sour notes---probably not over-stating to say this is almost like a carbonated white wine with peaches.
第一次在本地出现的美国盛名酿坊果酸啤酒作品,这家位于密苏里州的酿坊原本只是主创酿酒师在帮另一家盛名酿坊工作时的业余酿造计划,但过人的酿酒实力让Side Project很快变成了不再是副业的盛名酿坊。
虽然有让啤迷追逐的厉害黑啤作品,这家酿坊主力还是酿造酸啤和农场风格啤酒,比如这款使用法国橡木桶加入密苏里油桃浸泡熟成的美式酸啤就是水准之作,入杯即散发桃子香气,类似果皮的微酸涩感中带点发酵异香,要说成是带点气泡的桃子白葡萄酒也无不可。
Grimm Stargazer
Had a few Grimm's sour beers on tap while in Tokyo--personally not impressed with some of those which i have had from this brewery more known for their hops based creation---but i was pleasantly proven wrong with this Gose---a typically sour and salty beer---with the play of raspberry and lemon--this one was tasting nicely sourish with appropriate salty note---but the big surprise was when a friend left his glass for far too long whereby the beer was tasting warmer than it should--but it became even more tastier with stronger notes of the fruits used with lingering after tone---what a pleasant surprise.....
以一家主要以印度淡陴作品闯出名堂的酿坊来说,这的确是让人感觉有点意外的美国酿坊低酒精度德式酸咸啤作品,以覆盆子加入柠檬,口感除了德式酸咸啤应有的酸味之外,尾韵也带出一点咸味,属于美味易喝类型,由于一起分享的啤迷朋友因为把自己那杯保留了好长一段时间,意味着啤酒已经回温到已经有点过温的程度情况下再喝,让我惊喜的是,酒的果香味非但没有挥发散掉反而变得浓郁,喝起来的感觉更有韵味,不由的对这款酿品所表现出来的果味层次感刮目相看。

Special Mention/特别提及
Speciation Spontaneous Generation
The first 100% spontaneously brewed beer from this "gypsy" brewery---for Lambic lovers this might sound either as a welcome note or the opposite since the Belgium masters has set such a high standards---anyway--if you have had some beers from Black Project before--then it's not surprising to know why this former brewer of B.P. would do a Lambic tone American sour beer.
Had this during a share in Tokyo while there were quite a few big big names bottle at the same session---but this one held it's ground--was tasting really nice---almost like a very low profile good sour hidden somewhere in the cellar awaiting for the right people to discover. 
美国新晋“吉普赛”酿酒师效仿比利时天然发酵果酸啤酒的作品,如果知道酿酒师自己出来之前是在另一家以酿造酸啤为人知的美国酿坊Black Project练功那就可以理解为什么这支酸啤是第一次通过全自然发酵方式进行,有幸在东京啤迷聚会上喝到,虽然同一个分享会上有着其他更具盛名的酸啤,但这支喝起来并不逊色,均衡的层次喝起来带微酸,没有特别抢的点,更像是一款扎实内敛的好喝酸啤。

Neon Raptor Total Eclipse(Jaffa Cake Stouts) & Star Play(DDH Pale Ale)
No doubt one of the rising stars from the UK craft scene---well demonstrated with those two( among others) that they can execute not only hops based beer but also other styles like stouts.
英国后起之秀酿坊,两款风格迥异的黑啤和啤酒花淡啤都酿得出色,是近期值得关注的英伦新晋酿造品牌之一

Hops Hog Reefer Hogs
An Ipa brewed from Thailand brewed by a 'farang" brewer---during the same session there were a few other IPAs from big names American breweries but this one really impressed with it's balance of hops and malt goodness---one thing to note is that geek friend who brought this one back said he had some beers including this same one on tap in Bangkok but it was not tasting as good---so you might want to take note that there might be some inconsistency issue with beers from this one.....
本地分享会喝到的泰国品牌作品(虽然酿酒师是老外),让人意外的均衡了啤酒花甘香苦涩和类果汁印度淡啤的果汁感。不过,带来分享的朋友说之前喝过其他不怎么样的作品,看来作品稳定度还有大力改进空间。

1 comment:

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