WEEK232--2024 Most Memorable Beer & Mead List(part 2/3)--by ct(KL)

Part 2 of what were some memorable ones from last year list, as mentioned earlier last year was rather limited in terms of sharing sessions or travelling for beer--while early part of year trip to Bangkok was more of a chill trip--the year end trip to Tokyo was much more of a beer centric trip in terms of sharing as well visiting local bars.

去年是既没什么出游也很少在本地和分享会成员们见面开喝的一年，啤酒探索意义上比较重要的出游是东京行，至于去年初的曼谷行实际上并没有遇到什么让人印象深刻的啤酒，这也意味着去年总体来说喝的作品数量不多，不过对啤迷来说craft beer更注重的是质量而不是数量，整体来说过去十二个月个人还是有喝到好些不同酿坊高质作品。

 一如既往以下是只随意排序没有排名先后的去年最有印象酒单另一部份酒单：-

Hill Farmstead- Works of Love 2019 & Anna Montmorency

Had 2 of these beauties at different time & places--the former was locally shared by member of the tasting group--as geeks would know this the collab series from the brewery--working with different brewers/breweries each time when it comes to making a new one--this version of Works of Love had cherries & black berries added & brought together Russian River + The Lost Abby into the frame--while it says dark farmstead ale--the color is more of deep ruby red tha dark--flavours & mouth feel was one which full of cherries & berries goodness--with hint of funk too--how fine it turned out to be was in a way beyond expectation of the bottle owner.

Anna Montmorency is also a fruited beer--brought this one to Tokyo to share--also a pleasant surprise in that it has became one which is very different from the base beer--the cherries definitely added depth and flavours.

Works of Love是美国顶尖酿坊Hill Farmstead和美国境内或以外的其他不同友好酿坊/酿酒师合作的“常态合酿款”，这款放入樱桃和黑莓浸泡提味的农场风格啤酒是和美国两大经典酿坊Russian River以及The Lost Abbey合酿的作品，牌面上绝对是重量级联手，实际上作品喝起来也丝毫没让人失望，反之陈放的葡萄酒桶和水果风味都为易喝型的这款作品带来犹如比利时果酸啤酒般的风味表现和层次感，

Anna是酿坊的“普通常态款”，而Anna Montmerency  则是使用了当地农场采摘的蒙默伦西酸樱桃（Montmorency Cherries）浸泡，加入从不同葡萄酒旧桶中选出的Anna 原酒放置超过两个月提味而成，带去东京分享时啤迷朋友有点惊讶于这款水果变奏版作品的整体表现，微酸甘香的风味层次让味蕾很是享受。

Concious Ale-Cuvee Ami Int Edition

This is more of a geeks blend rather than a particular brewery's beer--had this in Tokyo with the man himself who made this blend--a blend of sour ale with 2 different types of saison--was a very pleasant tart one with hints of funk even though it's a saison rather than Lambic inspired sour ale.

美国啤迷朋友和另外两位朋友合作的农场风格啤酒，严格来说更像是啤迷间试炼的作品多过于正式酿坊作品，虽那样却一点不逊色，实际上喝起来的口感和整体风味表现相当出色，带有一点类似天然发酵酸啤的气息味道，属于有层次的易喝类型啤酒，是东京分享会中喝到感觉有意外惊喜的一款。

Pips- There's a Snake in My Bluet

Any geeks who follow Pips would know what Blue Suede Shews stand for in terms of how delicious a mead can be (blueberries-cashew nuts & orange blossom mead)--did not expect to encountered with this one--Bourbon barrel aged versionn of BSS--thanks to geek friend who kindly shared this--obviously got bourbon barrel influence--if bourbon- blueberries & cashew is your thing--then no questions asked--this one is top notch--though personally if i had to pick then would prefer the Original version of BSS.

酿坊的Blue Suede Shews绝对是个人至今喝过最佳蜜酒之一，充满腰果莓果蜂蜜香味的作品至今让人难忘，这款是放置波本旧桶陈放并加入乌干达香草荚提味的变奏版，换句话说是意图把原有的Blue Suede Shews变得更有波本和其他层次风味。能喝到这款要感谢东京啤迷慷慨分享，整体风味表现来说或许因为个人以原版作品作比较，感觉这次酿坊加法没有让人惊艳，相反地会更想喝到原版腰果莓果蜂蜜融合一体的美好。

Uchu+One Drop- Wassgood

A collab brew between Japanese brewery & a Sydney outskirt small brewery--while Uchu is more popular among geeks with it's Ipas--this fruited sour/smoothie was really nice--thick and very fruit juice like--it's very easy drinking with no hints of alcohol or this technically being a beer.

可说是去年喝到相当有印象的果泥啤酒作品，来自日本山梨县酿坊“宇宙”和澳洲小酿坊的作品，实际上也喝了澳洲这家酿坊的另一款果泥作品，但口感层次都有过甜单薄问题，明显的没有这款合酿作品的浓郁鲜香酸甜中自带均衡的层次表现来得出色，更重要的是这款能让人一口接一口的喝下去而完全不会出现腻口现象。

Side Project-Rye BBT 2022 & 2023 + 10th anniversary double barrel Rye BBT

It's quite hard to imagine having these big ones from Side Project here in KL until quite recently with guys from the tasting group having membership and access to these previously hard to come by beers. Thanks to guys sharing--had 1 of the Rye BBT earlier last year during a steak lunch meet--while another was during Xmas share--hard to pick which is better over the other since there are some differences between 22 & 23 in terms of what it is--but if i had to really pick then perhaps it's 2022 edging slightly.

Also had the 10th annivesary double barrrel Rye BBT--thanks to a US based geek who happened to visit Tokyo same time as my last trip-very much barrel influenced vanilla dark bomb is what i remembered.

去年在本地喝了两款不同年份的密西根顶级酿坊裸麦版本大黑啤，第一次是和分享会成员们的牛扒餐聚，另一次则是圣诞聚会。此外也在东京分享会喝到酿坊庆祝10周年推出的特别版四小瓶（四款不同作品）盒装的双重桶陈裸麦版BBT，一年中得以喝到三款不同桶陈/酿坊不同黑啤勾兑而成的裸麦版BBT真是件乐事。

要是问说个人对于哪一版的更有印象，其实还真的很难选，虽然不同版本因为酿酒师选用的烈酒旧桶和不同黑啤勾兑比例有所不同会带来风味表现上的区别但黑巧克力焦糖香草以及一些旧桶风味包括些微辛辣口感影响是存在的，真要选的话，个人口味会稍微倾向2022版本多一点（纯粹个人口味，无关高低）。

WEEK 231--2024 Most Memorable Beer & Mead List(Part 1/3)---by ct(KL)

First post for 2025--with the "customary" most memorable list from last year--while previously there would be list from geek friends--this time it's only my list as a sort of year end note to look back on what were some which stood out in terms of flavours/overall feel personal palate wise.

今年第一篇文是每到年末会做的“例行公事”--回看一年中喝过让个人留下印象的啤酒/蜜酒--不同于以往会有其他啤迷朋友的酒单--这次只是个人酒单。

Looking back--2024 was a rather quiet year in terms of number of sharing sessions--or travelling for beer--couple with hardly ever drink at home--quantity wise last year been rather small--but craft beer is not about quantity--grateful to have had some nice ones thanks to the limited sharing sessions here in Malaysia as well Japan.

过去十二个月喝了些什么让人留下较深刻印象作品是个人对不同年度craft beer探索总结方式，个人因为并不像好些啤迷朋友那样一旦开喝就会用评酒app留下酒评记录，每次都是看照片回想有哪些是去年让人留下较深刻印象啤酒或蜜酒作品，某种程度也算切题。

去年和本地分享会成员们只有过两次聚会分享而且也不是全员到齐，加上近些年绝少在家独啜，意味着去年试过的不同啤酒/蜜酒数量相对不多，不过以作品水平来看还是喝了好些高质佳酿。

去年喝过最有印象酒单如下（没有先后高低，排序只是信手）：-

here's the list:-

Side Project-Double Barrel Derivation & Derivation Grand Cru

Thanks to KL tasting group guys who have got the membership--it was quite unimaginable 3-4 years ago that we can sample as many high level brews from SP here in KL--Had the double willet double tanzarnian version earlier in the year during a lunch meet--in short it was a vanilla bomb in a stout form.

Had the Grand Cru version during Xmas share--the use of amburana barrel certainly added some unique to this wood aroma apart from the dark choco-vanilla notes.

可以在本地喝到两款不同的密西根顶级酿坊大黑啤作品放在几年前实在是想象不到的事，主要因为Derivation系列作品是会员制才能买或只能在美国酿坊品饮室才有机会买到喝到，去年通过分享会成员的共享喝到这两款大黑啤是啤迷的喜悦时光，虽说是同个系列但两款作品因为不同的桶陈选择以及本质上的混酒区别自然有着不同风味表现，前者香草风味非常浓郁并带有明显波本酒桶风味影响，后者因为用的是巴西木质酒桶，香草中更多带出烤椰子棉花糖风味。

Floodland- Seekers After Light

Courtesy of a geek friend who visited Tokyo same time as i did last year--had this blend of Gin & Sauvignon Blanc barrel aged saison soaked in nectarines & grape pomace at almost half of what brewer's recommended as best sampling date(12months)--fruits aroma evidently active--easy drinking with depth.

适逢跟我同时期到访东京的美国啤迷朋友带来分享的美国小酿坊亚洲难寻农场风格啤酒，佐以酿酒葡萄果渣和油桃浸泡陈放提味而成，由于是在酿酒师酒标建议最佳赏味期间喝，整体水果香气明显，口感轻盈温和中微酸带回甘，是易喝但绝不单调的作品。

Pips-Fade

A gift bottle from a Tokyo geek friend--shared with the guys here during Xmas--the nose upon opening & jamminess on first sip was a very pleasant surprise for everyone--likely the most raspberry flavour forward( & back end) mead encountered by far.

蜜酒可以有很多不同风味表现变化，虽然主要酿造原料一定必须是优质蜂蜜但高质蜜酒作品肯定不会只是单调无趣的一味甜，这款以覆盆子为主轴作品让去年圣诞分享会上喝到的所有人都赞赏作品浓郁的水果蜜糖香味气息以及犹如液体果酱般厚实酒体，以水果入酒的蜜酒作品来说这是稍微“重口”但绝对会带来高质味蕾享受的一款。

Smooj- Pina Colada

ok--this one is technically not a beer--though the maker is a craft beer brewery(Homes brewery)--Hard Seltzer is basically adjuncted alcoholic soda water--though it sounded simple but this one was really tasty & "dangerously" too easy & pleasing to drink-you get coconut-pineapples in a rather thick body soda water & it's delicious.

#had the other variants including strawberry  banana but personally like this the most/ 

技术层面上既不是啤酒也不是蜜酒的作品，这实际上是酒精气泡水(Hard Seltzer)，作品来自美国酿坊Homes旗下副品牌。喝过几款不同水果或鸡尾酒概念作品中以这款凤梨椰汁类果泥气泡水最出色，既有凤梨风味也有明显椰子风味，相对较浓郁酒体也让人感受到有异于一般气泡水那种单薄的泡沫感，让整体口感更丰富厚实。

Test+Root&Branch+Hudsen Valley-Continuum of Infinities

Brought this Triple Hazy Ipa back from Tokyo to share with friends here--was not expecting anything really since this is an imported item and not too sure how much care was given during it's journey from US to Japan--was pleasantly surprised by how tasty & balance this one did with no hint of alcohol at all--given it's hard to get top notch fresh ipas here in KL--this one really stood out.

从东京带回本地分享的美国新酿坊合酿作品，虽然评酒应用程式上评价高但实际开喝前并没有抱什么期望，部份原因在于这是日本进口商从美国带进市场的作品，基于运输和处理过关税过程以及储藏方式都有可能对气候温度更敏感的IPA作品带来退化问题。因为上述考量，开喝时对作品啤酒花鲜香程度，以及身为一不小心就会酒精味涌现的三倍印度淡啤  (Triple IPA)的均衡易喝表现感到惊喜，在少有能在本地喝到高质印度淡啤情况下是去年让人喝了开心的一款啤酒花作品。

 

Cantillon- Lou Pepe Gueuze 1999

for Lambic geek--any of the 3 variants of Lou Pepe appearing in a sharing session is always something to behold--thanks to the kind sharing of a geek friend in Tokyo--this one is still alive with nice balance between notes of sourness-oak-leather & funk.

可以这么说，无论是哪一年或哪一款的Lou Pepe系列作品，对比利时天然发酵酸啤迷来说，能喝到就是幸福时光，除了因为这是相对来说不算常态款系列之外，更重要的是因为这系列无论是酸樱桃/覆盆子还是纯酸啤三个分类作品都是优质作品代名词，能在东京分享会喝到像这款有一定“岁数”作品更是意料之外收获，岁月没有让作品风味大幅减退，相反的酒体气泡表现依然生动，木桶风味和霉香中酸度适中加上类皮革气息，让人自动慢下来的一款。