WEEK 199---2021Most Memorable Beer List--by CT (KL)--Part 3

 

The last part of last year's memorable beer list is about session beer, neipa, and a few 'other styles"--here's some which left quite an impression on my palate memories last year:-

上两期分别聊了去年喝过最有印象的黑啤/农场风格啤酒/比利时天然发酵酸啤，这期聊聊一些易喝性高类型啤酒，以及近几年风行到让很多新朋友都不知道IPA（传统印度淡啤）是什么的NEIPA（类果汁印度淡啤），最後还有几款必须提及的其他类型酒。

Session beer

meaning easy drinking, lower abv beer, but by no means straight forward or only thirst quenching yellow alcoholic drinks.

while the list includes a Wheat Blanc from  Hillfarmstead(oak barrel influences was obvious, light malts, stone fruits, passion fruits, it's more saison boundary than a simple wheat beer)---there were also totally unexpected pleasant surprises  from a fairly new UK brewery--both Kiss from a Rose(pilsner brewed with rose bud -rose petal-lemongrass-hemp) & Leave town with an Orange(wheat beer brewed with orange blossom + orange blossom honey) from Fallen Acorn were easy drinking with subtle gentle nuances--certainly a pleasure to have met both.

Also had the opportunity to sample both Mary(pilsner with hints of malts-clove-honey undertone--light sourish dry finishing) & Marie(lager with nose of honey as well a gentle back end spiky stink) from Hills--both were obviusly easy drinking but never dull.

Session Beer指的是易喝性很高啤酒类型，比如皮尔浅啤pilsner，拉格lager，小麦啤酒wheat beer等酒精度较低浅白易喝酿品。或许“浅白易喝”字面上意思会让人觉得就是直截了当没什么层次的啤酒，要那么想就大错特错了，酿得好的虽说易喝但一点也不会单调，反之可以非常美味有层次。

去年喝到作品中，很有惊喜的是英国新酿坊Fallen Acorn的两款，Kiss from a Rose是加入玫瑰花苞玫瑰果酿造的浅啤，Leave Town with an Orange则是以橙花和橙花蜂蜜提味的小麦啤酒，浅白易喝但都很有层次余韵。

再来是美国Hill Farmstead酿坊的白葡萄旧桶陈放小麦啤酒Wheat Blanc，味道层次基本已超乎单纯小麦啤酒更接近Saison范畴，简单好喝有层次。

另外两款摆明车马浅啤作品Marie和Mary都走德式风格，前者拉格后者皮尔浅啤，很忠实的反映出浅白易喝特色但也不流于单向无趣。

NEIPA

for the uninitiated---before NEIPA--there were only IPA---if NEIPA made things juicy---then what IPA used to be were in very simplistic form about bitterness level---hence the west coast-east coast divide. Personally i would prefer to stand in the middle of the NEIPA-IPA dividing line as i dislike bitter attacking IPA or thick sweet cloying NE.

Of course the NO.1 rule of ipa drinking be it traditional style or NE style ipa is about how fresh the brew can be when it hits your palate---thanks to guys in the tasting group who made efforts to source/fly in directly from the States & UK--was able to sample some fresh ones(2-6 weeks can date) here in KL.

some of the memorable ones:-

Cloud Water x The Veil -Chubbles( almost like a crush sweet mango pie-slight hints of alcohol when warmer) + Chubbles Enhanced(guava & pineapples--green yet sweet but balance out by hops bitterness when warmer--a nicer one)

Monkish---The 405 Exit 38B(dangerously drinkable with no hints of alcohol at all--lots of fresh hops coming through upon opening--like weed juice) & Bomb Atomically(tropical fruits all over--not the sweet type--hops bitterness was evident--in a nice way--enjoyed this one)

Tree House---Droppleganger( not the first time drinking this--though on the same session there was a bigger name/more hyped KingJuliusss--still much prefer the balance smoothness of this one) & Juice Poject- Citra & Galaxy(hops galare-pineapple-light sweet with bitterness coming through--slight hop burn but all good)

类果汁印度淡啤近几年可说是市场大潮，把原本强调啤酒花苦韵的IPA（传统印度淡啤）市场搅得七零八落，因为太流行让一些较近期才开始喝的新朋友根本不知道什么是IPA原有面貌。当然，市场流行不意味着传统IPA就此没落，喜欢原本苦哈哈口味传统印度淡啤的还是大有人在，个人来说比较选择站在两类IPA中间点，既不喜欢太强调啤酒花苦味攻击的传统IPA，也不喜欢过于强调果汁浓稠感或甜度类果汁IPA。

虽然风味上有迥然不同感受，但无论是传统还是类果汁，IPA都有一个关键词叫新鲜，基于啤酒类型风味主轴是强调啤酒花的鲜香甘苦韵味，所以需要在酿坊设定最佳赏味期限内喝才能真正领会什么是IPA最佳状态下的真实味蕾感受（当然还有一个很重要前提是从酿坊装瓶/装罐，或上到你所在城市酒吧啤酒泵到被喝入口中是不是都有被好好冷藏照顾好）， 因为这样，能在本地喝到一些新鲜（多得啤迷朋友自发找酒空运直送/装罐时间介于2到6星期之内）美国顶级酿坊作品是难得的事。

去年喝过一些鲜香类果汁作品有来自美国Electric,  Green Cheek, Monkish, Other Half, Tree House以及英国Cloud Water, Deya, 等酿坊，最有印象的几款：-

Cloud Water x The Veil的两款英美合酿Chubbles以及Chubbles Enhanced。

Monkish 的The 405 Exit 38B及Bomb Atomically。

Tree House的Doppelganger(虽然同场喝到的还有更被追捧的Kingjjuliusss)及Juice Project Citra & Galaxy。

Other Styles:-

Antidoot---Vernal Wood-- beer brewed with currant shrubs then added quina bark & juniper berries--very pleasant--like a light sourish & bitter saison.

比利时酿坊Antidoot的 Vernal Wood。使用奎宁树皮杜松子入酒的酸涩草本水果啤酒，喝起来像是带些甘苦韵味的农场风格啤酒，非常舒适。

Starvecrow Cider--BA Bourbon---this one will change your perception that cider is just sweet sour apple juice--bourbon barrel influence changed all that yet not ovrpowering what a cider should be.

英国Starvecrow Cider的波本桶陈版本苹果酒Starvecrow Bourbon Barrel，喝起来能明显感受到旧酒桶风味影响但不抢不呛，如果觉得苹果酒只是酸甜果汁水，这款会让人改观。

Schramm's --Medaline---once again showing their skills of making really tasty and balance melomel--blending boysenberry & honey in harmony.

美国大师级蜜酒酿坊Schramm’s的波森莓蜜酒作品Madeline，均衡融和果酸香和蜜糖甜，喝起来完全不会感觉甜腻。