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）。