This is a combination of 3 parts newspaper articles all in one blog post since it's essentially 1 tasting session split into 2 weekends---also it's more of a personal-kltastinggroup's milestone memory--so will keep it short.
Basically the 6 years milestone session is about how the 5 of us beer geeks living in craft desert KL came together from total strangers into a beer tasting group since 6 years+ ago--from loosely sharing beers each would have---to gradually sourcing from overseas---and this recent 6 year's milestone session was a sort of high point for the group with some really nice bottles gathered through everyone's efforts.
here's article 1
it was a session everyone been long looking forward to since the covid situation in KL meant that we were all unable to meet since early this year with bottles piling up for share--hence the scene on that day where guys brought way more bottles needed/possible to drink without wasting beers due to palate fatigue or drunkeness--the varieties on show was quite awesome--though it's essentially stouts focus but there were also nice saison/lambic/sours/fresh ipas in between.
自今年初聚首後，鉴于疫情加剧，啤迷朋友一直没能开分享会，直到前几天终于坐在一起把之前从欧美市场收集到的好些顶级佳酿拿出来分享，做为分享会成立六年多象征意义聚会，这次品酒会出现了好些稀有难寻瓶子，阵容可说是这些年来最大牌的一次，也因为可以分享的顶级大酒选择很多，除了要取舍喝什么不喝什么以避免浪费好酒之外，大酒之间需要的间隔其他类型啤酒也是考量，除了已有的酸啤或SAISON类型啤酒，为了这次本地来说前所未见的顶级瓶子分享，特意从美国临时订了一批新鲜类果汁印度淡陴，重视程度不在话下。
以下是当天部分瓶子：-
here's a few highlights from the session:-
1)Weldwerks Starry Noche(2021)
a rather fresh one--full of hazelnuts/gula melaka/dark chocolate/coconut/bourbon barrel traces--if heavy can at times be a negative--it's totally positive goodness on this one.
近年最被啤迷追捧的美国高手酿坊（之一），拿手好戏是甜点式黑啤（pastry
stout），这是最受推崇的一款，从入杯那刻到开喝第一口，如果说重口味有时候是贬义词的话，这款无论风味气息酒体厚度口感都将重口味一词变成绝对赞美，满满的榛果，马六甲椰糖，黑巧克力，椰香，波本酒桶影响全都融汇一体，浓郁的香气口感可以用侵袭来形容，但这么美味层次的味蕾经历让人一点都不介意美味突袭再三。
2) Toppling Goliath KBBS (2018)
A big name stouts--it's not the newwave pastry--more of a traditional dark brew but with it's own characteristics---in short it's almost one where best of both styles were blended into one--undoubtedly a big big stouts.
毫无疑问是美国大黑啤中这些年来最赫赫有名的一支，就算近年美国有好几家大黑啤新贵酿坊冒起，这一款黑啤的名气地位依然稳如泰山，每年都可以看到不同啤迷为了一嚐个中滋味而愿意付出比平时更多的代价。不同于新兴起的甜点式黑啤，这是一款相对来说传统风味的大黑皮，虽说传统但有相对来说自成一格，喝起来并不霸道，可以说是集传统黑啤优点大成的一款，
3) Side Project Anabasis (B5)
one sip and you would want to sit straighter and get serious with it---nothing of those sweet thin barley wine often associated with the style--it's big and bold--leather/cigar/bourbon/dark fruits--nice.
美国密苏里高手酿坊的美式大麦酒作品，没有一般大麦酒偏薄身偏甜的缺点，这支从一入口就让人觉得需要坐直慢啜，扑鼻而来的是皮革，雪茄，波本酒桶和深色水果香甜，以大麦酒一贯偏甜来说这款非常均衡，酒体厚实风味多层次更迭，大麦酒来说是上乘之作。
4) Horus Aged Ales
there were a few Horus stouts on site that day--first time KL has seen---cracked 3 namely
Double Dose2 Coconut Crown--Planifonia Pur
all good ones---but with 2 big big stouts in between--the Horus ones somehow came up short.
近年来美国最被人追捧的黑啤酿坊(之一)，以复杂的不同酒类旧木桶叠合，加上各种不同食材添加提味手法（特别是榛果咖啡巧克力香草等等）为人知，小量酿造加上采取会员制度，很多作品只卖会员，让这家的黑啤一时之间成为众多啤迷想方设法希望能挤进每年限量开放的会员制。当天开喝的三款不同作品各有千秋，虽说不上让人惊叹连连，考虑到当天面对两款绝对大黑啤对手，三款虽超越不了但都是优质黑啤作品。
5) Bokke Abrikoos Gewurztraminer(2019)
finally got the chance to share a bottle from last Xmas' surprised pack from Bokke---was tasting a litlle harsh/raw upon pouring---got much better after really warming up with apricot and barrels goodness.
终于把去年圣诞惊喜酒邮包其中一款拿出来分享，以杏入酒的天然发酵酸啤作品，刚开瓶喝起来时果酸味道有点生有点呛，像是还没睡醒的杏果味白葡萄酒，再之后特别是隔天中午把剩余的酒再倒出来品嚐时，入口熟透杏果香间中带一点咸味，很到位的展现了杏在酒中特色。
6) Monkish Ipas
it's really hard to get very fresh ipas here in KL--even harder for top notch US ones---guys arranged for a pack of fresh Monkish( with a few Green Cheek & Eletric brewing mix) for the session--a much needed mix of styles which made the session even better.
说起类果汁印度淡啤，这家美国酿坊是很多啤迷公认的个中高手酿坊。
类果汁印度淡陴是近几年的市场大潮流，因为几乎反转了IPA就是苦哈哈代名词的传统观念，更强调水果甜美鲜香风味的New
England IPA(也称Hazy IPA)某种程度上喝起来更平易近人，但同时也有过腻的缺点。
这次分享会有很多黑啤大酒，所以特意订了这批以Monkish酿坊近期新鲜作品为主的类果汁印度淡陴，此外也有另两家，Electric
Brewing及GreenCheek
Brewing作品，新鲜高质啤酒花酿品在黑啤大酒之间隔着来喝，绝对是乐事。
Article 2
due to limited space--the session's worth mentioning bottles were split into 3 articles--here's no.2:-
受疫情影响一直未能聚首的瓶子分享会终于在十月第一个周末实现，“被迫”酝酿了半年的重头分享会上几位啤迷朋友都带来明显超过能喝范围的瓶子数量供选择，比起之前任何一次分享会，更多的需要是选真正好奇想先喝为快瓶子，不相伯仲同类型风格瓶子则尽量留待下次避免浪费好酒，最後出现了朋友们带着好多好酒回家的情况。
由于大家手上都有相当多没能开的好酒，于是决定之后一个周末再聚，以下是“下半场”分享会部分精彩瓶子：-
1) Hill Farmstead BA Dorothy ( B4)
One sip and felt instantly how balance and tasty this one was--makes you automatically want to save whatever is left in the glass--not wanting to drink in big gulp--probably one of the most balance/tasty saison i have had by far.
如果说之前一次分享会最出色的是两支大黑啤，那这次是相对易喝类型，特别是这款通过勾兑方式混合几款自家农场风格啤酒和麦芽淡啤放入旧葡萄酒桶陈手法加持的淡啤作品，整体非常圆润轻盈，美味层度丰厚，让人完全不舍得大口喝生怕喝完就没了。
2) Side Porject Coeur de Cuvee (B6)
another highlights from the session--was a total pleasant surprise with how nicely the blend of peachy and oaky flavours came together--well balance--smooth easy --really nice.
当天让人觉得意外惊喜的美式酸啤，一样也是不同作品勾兑而成混酒作品，闻香是熟透桃子香，入口美味融和程度是出乎意料之外的均衡可口，没有任何明显的酸涩菱角，绝对是佳作。
3) Garagiste Double Barrel MEH
first Garagiste for me--did not expect anything really but with 2 other big names mead in the mix--this one stand out with thick nice berry & honey blend.
相对来说算美国蜜酒新贵，也是个人喝到的这家第一个作品
，在同场还有另一家出名美国蜜酒酿坊大作情况下，更显得这款桶陈梅果蜜酒的厚实底蕴和出色均衡美味，
4) Toppling Goliath Vanilla Bean Assasin (2019)
it's very vanilla dominant dark brew---with dark sugar/chocolate/roasted malt/bourbon in between--smooth drinking for a big stouts.
赫赫有名的大黑啤香草荚桶陈版本，闻香是满满的香草风味，入口是黑糖和香草，加上巧克力烤麦香以及波本酒桶风味做为铺垫，酒体浓厚但不是呛味蕾的霸道，大黑啤来说相对顺滑温和。
5) Cigar City Apple Brandy BA Hunapus
one which is of nostalgic meaning to the group since the base beer Hunapus was one stout which captured our attention during early days of sharing--cinnamon was very evident--with roasted coconut/dark chocolate & hints of spiciness coming though after warmer.
有点怀旧意味的瓶子，Hunapu’s基本款是多年前大家首次喝觉得惊艳的大黑啤，这款苹果白兰地桶陈版本属较难寻瓶子，添加了肉桂，香草，可可豆碎，美洲辣椒，其中肉桂风味最抢，回温后香甜微辣中带烤椰香黑巧克力风味。
6) Homes collab brew
there were 2 here--one with Horus--another with Weldwerks--both big names dark brew masters.Same base beer with different treatment in terms of barrels choices as well adjuncts added--in simple words--the Hawk was like liquid choco-milk--while Noche was more like a thin body banana-choco.
两款分别和美国黑啤新贵Weldwerks以及Horus合酿的甜点黑啤（pastry
stouts），两款都是同样的基酒，分别在于之后的桶陈波本/威士忌旧木桶选择以及添加食材选择上的区别，简单来说Hawk喝起来像液体牛奶巧克力，Noche则是薄身香蕉巧克力。
this is basically a mix of bottles worth mentioning from the 2 sessions:-
上个月前所未见的和几位本地啤迷朋友连续两个周末分享了大家手中好些顶级佳酿，因为好酒很多，之前写了两篇仍意犹未尽，某种程度上来说，可以在本地喝到这些佳酿是相对难得的事，也让人不得不感叹啤迷为了自找好酒不惜付出的时间心力代价。
以下是些非常值得一提的“遗珠”瓶子：-
1) Bottle Logic Hypermash Hydra
The combo of bourbon-coconut-coffee-cinnamon is almost a formula which can't go wrong for a stout--tasting very coconut & coffee dominant with some cinnamon and dark sugar coming through--hints of alcohol but faded quickly so no big minus.
加州高手酿坊备受受关注的大黑啤作品，以波本酒桶为陈放基础，加入椰子咖啡以及肉桂，是非常“美国派”的黑啤手法，某个程度上可说是美味保证的食材添加提味组合 ，整体风味呈现体现了个中高手的实力，层次韵味很到位，丰沛椰香咖啡味中带出一些肉桂及黑糖 ，有酒精闪现但很快消散，并不会影响味蕾美味体验。
2) Boiler Maker Bliss
Roasted malt with dark sugar--a little on the sweet side but not cloying--some caremalized dark sugar with hints of coffee and chocolate--smooth one.
以黑啤作品受啤迷关注的美国酿坊作品，入口闻香是烤麦芽香味为铺垫的黑糖风味，有点甜但并不腻那种，间中带出些许咖啡巧克力以及焦糖椰香韵味，整体喝起来没有负担，是佳作但整体来说并不会让人感觉惊艳。
3) Pips The Monte
was expecting something from a Pips mead since i have had 1 really mind blowing one back in 2019 during Tokyo share---this one though was nothing near--tasting berry and honey goodness but too thin a body really--flavours not sticking out.
很受蜜酒迷推崇的极小型美国顶级酿坊，一直以来都很小量酿造，也不容易买到，是分享会中受期待的一款，个人来说19年有幸在東京分享会喝到这家酿坊其中一款最顶级作品之一所以有一定期待值是自然反应，这是一款将结骨木果实，红加仑子，红鹅莓及香橙蜂蜜结合而成的蜜酒，之后再加香草荚豆放进美国橡木桶浸泡提味，喝起来有梅果和蜂蜜香但口感略显单薄，没有期待中的精彩。
4) Superstition Grand Cru Pistachio
no doubt the white series is well known among mead geeks--and this cuvee of 4 different white series is a sure winner--but unfortunately did not get any of the Pistachio nose or palate wise.
美国顶级蜜酒酿坊只卖100瓶的限量作品，将四款不同梅果酿出的招牌Berry White系列按一对一比例混合而成後再加入榛果浸泡提味，遗憾的是由于之前这瓶在运到本地时莫名被扣在关税局长达半年左右，不知道是不是受到保存情况不佳影响，喝起来闻香虽是满满Berry White固有的厚实梅果蜜香但没能找到明显的榛果气息味道，是美中不足之处。
5) Side Porject Continuance & Genrational
a rather experimental approach from Side Project on both brew---Continuance was about finding "hybrid" tastiness from blending 5 different dark brews from different barrels---while Generational was a collab with Half Acre for an "all malt" barrel aged stouts with no adjunts added--to see how best a 'pure brew" can reach even better tastiness.
密苏里绝对高手酿坊的两款不同风味黑啤作品，前者是混合自家6款不同桶陈黑啤和大麦酒的混酒瓶子，后者则是和另一家美国酿坊Half Acre合酿的“全麦”纯粹桶陈黑啤（意思是不添加任何其他食材比如咖啡巧克力香草等等），一定意义上这两款都有实验性作品意味，前者玩的是怎样混出让人满意的Hybrid（混合型）啤酒，後者则寻求在较纯粹基础上找到黑啤可以呈现的更多美味层次可能性。
6) Antidoot In Christ there is no East or West
a mix of Japanese medlars with beer aged in Pinot Noir barrels--it's refreshing with hints of citrus flavours coming through--nice easy drinking especially in between big dark ones.
比利时新贵酿坊的农场风格类型作品，将日本枇杷加入已经过法国葡萄酒旧木桶陈放过的农场风格啤酒，让原有啤酒增添清爽柑橘风味层次，是易喝类型但绝不单调，在众多大黑啤中做为“间隔酒”喝起来更是惬意。
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