WEEK 185---2020 Most Memorable Beer List---Part 2/2---by ct (KL)

Here's the final part of  my last year list :-

上期回顾了几款不同类型风味啤酒，以下是去年喝到让人较有记忆点的其他风味酒款：-

IPA/NEIPA

Other Half  Double Pontoon Juice

Cloud Water TIPA NZ Hops 01

Black Iris Don't Fear The NEIPA

thanks to local geek friends who seek for these cans from overseas via beer mail---i was able to sample a few really fresh cans during the past year (between 2-4 weeks from canned date)---among the few cans tasted--these 3 were the standouts --the OH brew was smelling really intense--so much so that a geek friend sharing blurted out the word "durian-y"--referring to how intense the nose of this NEIPA caught his senses---while the CW TIPA was quite different from what some of us has come to expect--there was more bitter tone of hops than the "expected" fruity/juicy mouth feel, not West Coast though not really very NE.   As for Black Iris---it was my first ever can from this UK brewery was very pleasant--no cloying issue that some might find in a NEIPA---and the beer name was worth a smile if you have heard complaints from hardcore traditional West Coast IPA lovers.

在类果汁印度淡啤（NEIPA）近几年蔚为风潮大受欢迎之後，IPA一直以来只能是苦哈哈的既有刻板印象已被颠覆，NEIPA类似果汁甚至近乎果味奶昔的酒体外观风味口感让原本可能因为苦味让一些新朋友味蕾受惊吓的印度淡陴变得香甜醇鲜平易近人，但这样的反差也出现一些酿坊作品让啤迷觉得过甜腻口的缺点。

虽变身成类果汁，但NEIPA依然是展现不同类型啤酒花新鲜风味酒款，喝的时候啤酒新鲜程度依旧是绝对关键因素，时间/温度/储藏/运送条件好坏等外在因素都会对啤酒花鲜香表现造成决定性影响，基本来说一款NEIPA（传统苦味IPA也一样）的最佳赏味期是装瓶/装罐日期三个月内。当然过了三个月之后也能喝，但就最佳赏味角度来说，已错过可以最大程度品味啤酒应有风味表现时间点。

去年在本地喝到以上三款分别来自美国纽约酿坊，英国曼彻斯特酿坊和诺丁汉酿坊，三款分别喝到时基本都少于或介于一个月左右，也算是以自己方式暂时解渴长期以来在本地难以喝到真正新鲜IPA/NEIPA的问题，三款不同作品中，来自纽约酿坊的Double Pontoon Juice最浓郁香醇，让一起分享的啤迷朋友甚至觉得有点“类似榴莲香味”的错觉，品酒感受来说是满有趣的评语。第一次接触的英国Black Iris 酿坊Don't Fear The NEIPA除了酒名称幽了那些只认可传统苦哈哈IPA风味啤迷一默，关键是喝起来舒适没有NEIPA过甜过腻问题，而英国最为人知的Cloud Water酿坊三倍作品不太像酿坊为人知的类果汁风格而是果汁感中带出啤酒花苦韵，可以在顶级新鲜啤酒花作品匮乏的本地喝到这些不错作品是乐事。

Pastry Stouts

Evil Twin  This Must Be Top 10….

Anchorage  Blessed 

Other Half   2020 Green City Imperial Stouts V1

the idea of making your stouts as pastry or dessert possible is the in trend among brewers in recent time---people were willing to pay crazy secondary prices for those with big hypes/reputations too.

the past 1 year with no international travelling--as well very limited sharing sessions--it was only natural that i have not sample much stouts at all( as i hardly ever crack a stouts to drink alone)---the 3 mentioned above were all from the very few sharing sessions---though comparatively these 3 are not the biggest/hyped pastry names but they are all really tasty ones

---with interesting green bananas flavours very noticeable in brews from Evil Twins and Other Half--as for the relatively "bigger" hyped Blessed from Anchorage---it was real nice but not something which makes me go wow--thought the alcohol hints can be better hidden--as well lacking in that silky smoothness.

直接翻译就是“糕点甜点黑啤”，是近年大行其道的黑啤类型，跟字面上意思那样是比一般黑啤更倾向呈现“糕点甜点”特色的黑啤。

在黑啤中添加如咖啡香草巧克力之类食材增加啤酒风味层次是存在已久酿酒师常用的手法，pastry stouts意味着加倍翻倍投放心中想呈现食材风味，简单来说就是大手笔加倍投入，为的就是让黑啤更接近“糕点甜点”风味层次。

如果以稀有难寻/高评价追捧角度来看的话，个人喝到的上述三款美国酿坊作品可说平平无奇，不过喝酒这回事就是喝到什么就是什么，去想象自己原本可以或还没喝到的“高评价”盛名啤酒是不切实际的，换个角度看，能通过啤迷朋友自身找酒方式在本地喝到上述三款各有特点黑啤还是爽的，特别是其中两款不约而同都有突出香蕉风味特点。

Sour Beer

Wild Flower St.Florence 2018 : Sauvignon Blanc

3 Fonteinen + Brouwerij Lotebol :  Tuverbol

sour beer is one of my personal favourite beer styles---but only for the ones with finesse/balance---not in your face sort of sour but nicely layered/delicate ones---away from Belgium Lambic--these 2 above were 2 nice ones sampled last year---Wild Flower brew for how the adding of wine grade grapes in a barrel aging process has turned a Lager base beer into something really nice and layered---while the 3 Fonteinen collab though used some lambic to blend with triple blond beer---it was not the usual 3F lambic we are familiar with---the blending did turned the whole beer into something else--it was more sweet sour than a typical lambic profile--very interesting nice and easy yet delicate enough to want to slowly savour. 

酿得好均衡有层次的酸啤，无论是比利时天然发酵酸啤（Lambic）还是其他欧美澳纽酿坊的各式野生菌发酵酸啤是个人比较喜欢啤酒类型。去年由于疫情影响原计划好的布鲁塞尔和哥本哈根被迫取消意味着少喝了很多精彩酿品，特别是能在布鲁塞尔喝到的一些较难寻或只能在当地酿坊品饮室/特定酒吧开喝的Lambic作品。不过，喝craft beer也不只是追逐难寻稀有酿品，能喝到虽不算盛名难寻稀有类型但均衡好喝或风味呈现有惊喜趣味的作品是能让啤迷开心的事，比如这次酒单中澳洲酿坊和比利时酿坊两款，其中，澳洲酿坊作品是将淡啤（LAGER）使用葡萄酒品种级别葡萄桶陈浸泡时间工序将原本只是清爽解渴的基本啤酒变得层次分明均衡可口。而比利时两家酿坊合作酒款则使用比利时三倍棕啤（TRIPLE BLOND）混合天然发酵酸啤（LAMBIC）而成，作品展现了两者之间融合特色，酸中带类似烤麦芽甜风味表现，易喝有趣。

Worth Mentioning

Omnipollo Double Karpologi

a fruited sour using pineapples, peaches, passion fruits with addition of vanilla---it might come as too sweet too sour at the same time for some during the first 2 sips--but once the palate overcome the initial sensation--and especially after the beer gets warmer--its a nice light sweet sour sips.

北欧水果酸味啤酒，加入凤梨桃子百香果和香草，开始喝可能会觉得过甜过酸，一旦味蕾适应加上回温效果，会觉得有趣好喝。

Antidoot L'illumine Kriek Framboos

had this one during a sharing session earlier in the year--could be sue to 'distractions" from other beers during that session--it did not hit me ( in fact another Antidoot did)---then cracked this one last day of 2020 at home---it was different this time--really tasty--more jammy with sour cherries goodness--really nice.

第一次喝时是去年早前分享会朋友带来--或许因为有其他更深印象的酒“干扰”当时觉得只是不错--但年底在家喝时明显酸樱桃气息口感浓郁--让人改观。

3 Fonteinen Cuvee Armand & Gaston 

obviously there are many different variants of 3F---as well some perceived "higher/more complex/delicious ones"---this one though was really balance with plenty of oak influence coming through--sometimes we do overlook the seemingly right in the cellar type of bottles---this one did caught up with my palate attention.

或许不是3F最显眼的瓶子---但这次再喝倒是留了印象--均衡好喝木桶影响明显。

WEEK 184---2020 Most Memorable Beer List---PART 1/2----by ct (KL)

With newspaper column space constraint---decided to split my last year's list into 2 parts---though relatively speaking last year was a year with no International travelling + very few tasting sessions in between--meaning relatively very limited choices available to pick from---personally felt this is a list which of course could have been very different---but then again this list is also to factually reflect what i have had during a year in lock down---rather than thinking/imagining what nicer/ more awesome beers might have been shared or drank.

2020年是相对来说品酒贫乏的一年，疫情带来的旅游聚会限制让个人在过去十二个月最有印象酒单选择有限，不能出国参与啤酒节庆和寥寥无几的本地瓶子分享会让原本可以品嚐到的美味啤酒骤然少了很多，有限选择让去年酒单感觉比较像是“有印象”而不是往年意义上的“最有印象”酒单。

以下是个人的去年酒单：-

here's the list--with a certain mead in the mix:-

Antidoot Wilde Fermenten

– L’lllumine (Perzik Nectarine)- Natchvan de Geit- Analogia (apple/white druif)

Lock down kind of make you do something "unusual" at times---the urge to drink something real nice is stronger than normal---as well partly due to lack of varieties/choices at home---been having quite a few different styles bottles from this members only Belgium small brewery--from the very old school Gruit to farmhouse style beer tp bitter/sour ale to beer wine hybrid as well as barrel aged cider---there is nothing to dislike about what Antidoot been doing---through last year i have had 7 different styles of bottles from them--some shared with geek friends in those very few occasions when gathering still allowed--some at home---though i have yet to find a bottle so awesome it knock me off my chair( so to speak)--but there's certainly NO soso beer whatsoever---they are all nice-very good ones.

* a side note---though they are wild fermentation brew--but Antidoot is not about Lambic---so anyone using Lambic yardstick to judge would be unfair/wrong

if i really need to pick out the ones that immediately trigger my memory--then those are the 3 ---Nectarine for it's high palate familiarity/likeability, Geit for it's interesting use of old school herbs/plants/leaves, and Analogia for how a commonly perceived straight forward Cider can be turned into something very different with wild fermentation and barrel aging treatment.

算是个人去年喝得比较多的比利时新贵酿坊，有幸成为会员所以可以买到三次配售的一些酒，去年喝了7款不同类型作品。这家田园酿坊多面性酿造，除了自然发酵啤酒，也酿自然葡萄酒（natural wine)，苹果酒（cider），同时也玩混合啤酒葡萄酒或苹果酒的混合型啤酒（hybrid beer)等不同风格酿品。

个人去年喝过不同作品包括以橙酒（orange wine也称amber wine)手法（以白葡萄果皮浸泡）酿造的琥珀啤酒（Amber），混合自然葡萄酒和啤酒的混酒（Hybrid Beer），经桶陈时间工序处理的苹果酒（Cider），以及或加入桃子或酸樱桃或葡萄或草本根茎浸泡提味的啤酒，不同风味类型作品风格内敛含蓄不哗众取宠，各有特色，真要挑的话上述三款比较会第一时间挑起味蕾好奇或让味蕾觉得熟悉舒适。

*(值得一提的是，虽是野生自然发酵但这家酿的不是Lambic，基酒更多是Saison，Golden Ale之类风格啤酒，第一次喝的新朋友要排除对Lambic既定风味印象以免错误解读或不公平对比。)

Bokke Vlierbloesem

one of the bottles secured during after event private sale after MBCT 18--been keeping it for a while and finally cracked open during someone's birthday evening---not the most impressive Bokke i have had---was more sourish than expected--and surprisingly lacking that delicate balance---could be due to the condition it was kept or perhaps should be cracking it earlier---that said--cracking a Bokke during lock down (or any other time really) especially here in KL is a nice feeling.

另一家公开市场一瓶难求的比利时当红作坊，不同于Antidoot的是这家专攻Lambic（天然发酵酸啤酒）混合桶陈工序，通过或加入蔬果草本食材（简称添加物）方式在既有酸啤酒基础上或以基酒配搭比例或以添加方式让Lambic焕发属于Bokke混酒手法的风味。

2018年東京第一次主办哥本哈根啤酒庆典（MBCC）亚洲迷你版（MBCT18）结束时主理人选择性在会场私下配售买到两支其中一款以德国白葡萄带渣浸泡的作品，收了一阵子，喝起来整体表现比较偏酸，少了些果酸木桶麦芽之间平衡风味，是比较可惜的一点，但能在本地安坐家中开喝一支Bokke还是很难得的。

Berliner Weisse/ Gose

Omnipollo Bianca Blueberry Blackberry Raspberry Strawberry Maple Pancake Lassi Gose

Omnipollo Bianca Blueberry Chocolate Peanut Butter Pancake Lassi Gose

Trillium Twice the Daily Serving( black currants-blackberry-boysenberry)

These two German originated beer styles been popping up in the craft beer world with quite some different facets---some brewers do keep with the "easier drinking" tradition/styles while some like the above 3 had some very heavy handed treatment from the brewers to make them thick/heavy/unique, almost "unrecognizable" from it's original styles.

Of the 3 --the two Omnipollo version of fruited Gose can be a love it or hate it kind of strong characteristic brew for some---it's certainly not your usual easy drinking Gose but rather slow sippers with almost slushie/smoothie like thick body---while the Trillium version of Berliner is sweet for a Berliner per se---considering that much fruits thrown in---but once that initial "palate shock/sensation" is smoothen--then it's actually a nice and "easier' sipper.

咸酸啤和柏林酸麦芽啤（Gose & Berliner Weisse）都是很有代表性的德式风格啤酒，在craft beer世界中有很多酿酒师都有这两个版本作品，有的酿酒师基于传统风格稍作修改但基本保持原有的易喝性，有的则大手大脚的大玩颠覆手法，比如上述三款来自瑞典和美国酿坊的作品就是以大量投放水果/食材方式让酒体风味变得厚重，让一些人惊呼根本就是接近奶昔的“非啤酒”作品（特别是Omnipollo两款），虽那样，慢慢喝还是相当有趣可口的。

MEAD

Schramm’s Indigo 

a nice bottle gifted by a geek friend during a Tokyo session back in 2019---there's no doubting the ability of Schramm's especially when it comes to playing around with fruits & honey--this one is mix of ripe blueberries and tart black currants--all blending nicely with orange blossom honey---no hints of 14% alcohol--was tasting jammy and layered---such a delicious one.

美国大师级蜜酒酿坊这款作品是将橙花蜂蜜连同蓝莓还有酸味黑加仑子一起酿造，是前年去东京参与啤迷瓶子分享会时啤迷朋友赠予的佳酿。喝起来层次丰富，上述三种酿造食材美妙融合，完全没有一些怕甜味朋友先入为主觉得蜜酒一定甜腻腻的错觉。实际上，酿得很好蜜酒也可以是甜中带果酸韵味（以及更多其他风味，视酿造/提味食材的组合/手法而定）。