WEEK 176---the basics of "beer chasing"

It is common to hear someone was "chasing after" more beer/wine/cocktails/whisky and so on while drinking---this could be due to the state of mind of the drinker or simply because he/she was in the mood for more alcoholic beverages.....

提起追酒一词，绝大部分喝酒人都会一致认为意指“喝酒时因为觉得不够喉所以一直追加更多酒”的行为，某种意义上，追酒跟贪吃是相同的，指的是抵不过口腹之欲的行为。不过，今天这里说的追酒跟上述一般人观念中的贪杯追酒喝一点关系都没有，craft beer世界中，追酒行为指的是啤迷追寻求购某款特定酿坊作品，简单来说，跟球鞋迷瞄准某款鞋或手表迷一定要买到某特定款手表那样，都是一种目标明确的指定商品追逐行为。

BUT NO--the "beer chasing" act here has got nothing to do with what's mentioned above--here we are talking about geeks chasing after a particular bottle/styles of beer be it via original release or diving into the very much hyped up/ at times very much profits driven secondary market---all in the name of wanting to own/taste a certain beers.

In an ideal world---geeks who are seeking out for a particular bottle/s can either buy at the breweries not far from where he/she lives---but things certainly don't work out that way most of the time--especially if you live in ASIA and crave for some European/US brew--then things can become quite tricky where you probably won't be able to buy directly via web-shop(either run by the brewery or appointed shop)---which leaves you with only 1 other choice---which is to either trade bottle/s with those who have got what you wanted and willing to exchange for what you have---or lastly you would have to look at paying some silly money( if you really wanted to) to buy from at times very greedy re-seller/s bottle/s you desire.....

craft beer世界的追酒可通过几个不同方式完成，去所在城市酒吧瓶子店买到喝到想要的酒款是最简单方式，问题是很多时候自己所在城市没能找到想要酒款，这时就必须向外寻求，这多数意味着必须在欧美市场寻找，如果无法通过欧美酿坊首卖时买到的话，那就只能或通过特定欧美网店/瓶子店试图购买，再不然就只能是进到二手市场或灰黑市场用物物交换方式又或是二三四手高价求购。或许，一些新朋友对追酒，特别是跨国界海外追酒这件事并不太明了个中奥妙，以下是几个并没有明文规定的基本游戏规则：-

If you are a newbie---these are some of the basics when it comes to the game of beer chasing:-

1) Equal trade is essential

This is quite a "mutual understanding" kind of basic rules---because no one can tell you exactly which beer is of equal value/deliciousness to another---but there are somehow some common ground where beer geeks would agree upon---it's kind of like in the footballing world---if you want MESSI in your team---then you probably have to trade C.Ronaldo as exchange to constitute a seemingly "equal trade"--or just fork out hundreds of millions -you obviously cannot just throw any other player/s to Barcelona and say give me MESSI.....

So "equality"--or rather beers which are perceived as worthy of a trade is the first basic rules--for newbies wanting to join the beer trading/chasing game--perhaps one way to understanding the basics is to look at some traded record of some classics beers---as well as what's going on/trending currently---that way you would not commit the silly act of trying to ask for MESSI with a non-league player trade......

1）对等交易是基本守则

用以前人话说的话，就是要门当户对，用足球明星打个比喻的话，意思是如果想要得到梅西的话，那大概只能用C罗来交换，再不然就准备用几亿欧元来买断吧。

上述例子放在craft beer追酒行为中或许显得很抽象，因为没有人可以很准确无异议的说服大家什么酒是梅西C罗级别的，虽然那样，大部份啤迷心中都有一些“抽象共识”知道并接受什么算是属于顶级酒款，什么是比较次级的，当然都很难用一个绝对权威标准去确定，因为更多时候一款酒的“江湖地位”取决于口碑，追逐热度，稀有程度，当然也包括美味程度，但这些都是因人而异的客观条件，很难准确的说一款酒是不是梅西C罗级别或真正值得多少钱或怎么物物交换才算对等。

话虽那样说，但新朋友如果要玩追酒游戏的话，首要条件是要至少知道一些经典知名款的市场价值，然后要进一步逐渐了解什么是市场上被热捧新贵的物物交换或灰黑市场价格，这样才不会闹出比如说想以“低级别联赛球员”一对一换梅西或C罗的笑话。

2) Inequality trade does exist

This is sounding a bit silly but that's how the world works---there are people who are willing to pay really silly money for a very hyped up limited brew---or say willing to give up 10-11 perfectly fine bottles in exchange of ONE bloody small bottle---yes--however you look at it these are not equal trade/deals---but people have different wants/perceptions/desires and so long there's a willing buy and a willing seller---trade/deals will be made and no one can say what's right or wrong.

2）不对等交易也是存在的

听起来很矛盾，但craft beer社区是不同地区啤迷聚集而成，难免会有文化价值观差异，就算在强调对等为游戏规则首要条件情况下，不少时候还是会出现不对等追酒交易。

首先，追酒行为本身就有着一点“买方渴望仰视，卖方居高俯瞰”的意味，供不应求所以奇货可居的市场供需原理是清楚不过的游戏规则，这时候找酒人和有酒人相互之间的心理状态会是关键，如果想通过物物交换或灰黑市价追到心目中酒款的找酒人急切渴望的话，那就非常可能出现不对等交易，例如最近有一家名不经传的美国酿坊5周年黑啤因为市面上只有绝对非常限量首卖出去加上好口碑，一下子成为不少啤迷趋之若鹜的梅西C罗级别稀货，有人为了一求尝鲜，提出以11-12支知名酿坊绝对好酒交换一支的疯狂条件，灰黑市价更是去到接近千元美金一支。（注：一般来说美国上好啤酒首卖价从十多二十美金起跳但只有绝对极少数几家能接近100美金水平）

一款酒是不是值得用十多支其他酿坊好酒去换，又或是用那么多美金去求购当然是见仁见智的事，如果抛开个人财力只单纯以酒论述的话，那怎么看都是不对等交易，说白了，那很可能只是找酒人想一探究竟强烈好奇心（甚至是可悲的虚荣心）作祟驱动导致的，或许世上真确有那么绝少几款啤酒值得去不对等找到，但更多时候追酒还是要理性一点，毕竟世上也只有一位梅西和一位C罗。

3) of course--there are still fair deals to be found

if you need to seek out for beers outside of the first release or web-shop direct deals---there are still some fairly all right trade/deals to be found even in mostly hyped up/profit seeking secondary market so long you do not get too excited or let curiosity cloud your judgement--the point is--no matter how hyped up or how limited a beer can be---it would certainly not worth hundreds of USD or say 10-11 bottles to ONE ratio---remember---sellers can ask for the skies with that beer he/she has got--but if no one is willing to pay that asking price---then no deal will happen---though ticking that ONE beer might be "life-changing" as some put it---but it's all in the mind really---end of the day you are the one to decide for yourself if you need that beer or otherwise.

3）还是有合理交易的

无论是物物交换还是以钱换酒，什么是合理交易很大程度上依然是个人观点，但确实有一些寻求换酒或卖酒的并不是以暴利为目标，虽然不会是绝对稀货级别啤酒但肯定是值得一探究竟的上好佳酿，所以个人始终觉得，找酒人要找的什么是决定关键，因为如果没人愿意做不对等交易的话，有酒人还是只能空喊价而没能成交。

"beer chasing" can be a fun process of discovering more deliciousness( or otherwise) though it would inevitably cost you time/energy and money---for newbies---it is very important to understand that NOT all HYPED BEERS( or at times very expensive ones) will automatically taste awesome to to your taste---beer is after all about personal taste and palate tasting ability/appreciation level.   As for the question of "to chase or not to chase"--that's really up to individual's wisdom.

简单来说，追酒行为是一个因为对啤酒不同美味层次渴求的行动力表现，这是个可能让啤迷乐此不疲的无止境寻求尝鲜过程，过程免不了花时间金钱，但只要是在个人能力范围内，追酒可以是乐趣更可以是提升个人味蕾鉴赏力的一个过程，当然，很重要的是，不是稀有难寻或高价买到就代表绝对无敌好喝，这点认知一定要有。至于追到什么时候是个头，那就只能个人智慧决定了。