WEEK 245--2025 Most Memorable Beer & Mead List(by ct)--Part2/2

Part 2 is supposed to be the final part but after revisiting the beer & mead either shared or had in a bar--decided to add 1 final list for up coming newspaper column so this is effectively 2 of 3 list.

这原本是去年酒单下篇-不过重看回去年分享/喝过的啤酒/蜜酒发现还有好些值得一提作品-加了一篇“再选”下期专栏新春佳节期间见报-也意味着这从下篇变成中篇。

刚过去的2025，以作品类型风格来说，来自欧美不同醸坊蜜酒（Mead）是近年来喝较多一次，算了算大概有接近20款不同风格瓶子，要在这些高质蜜酒中取舍其实有点难度，不过既然是印象记就不需要纠结于所谓评酒网站分数高低或是不是备受热捧，个人年度酒单基本就是凭味蕾印象选出，无关排名只是记忆。

Nebuleus--The Winning Ticket

Had this twice within a few months time here in KL which is really something hardly ever happened--thanks to geek friend who brought this back from Seoul Korea and shared with some of us here--first tasted this sometime in Oct 25 and again during Xmas session--in fact first few sips on the first occasion i was already saying this bottle definitely is 1 of the most meorable ones for 2025--having it again during Xmas share only reaffirmed the first impression further--which is harder to achieve in the sense that there is no more first time tasting surprises--i already knew how it taste like--so to be impress again second time running says a lot about the taste profile of this one.

美国波特兰小醸坊的农场风格啤酒，去年通过分享会成员同款作品有幸数月内喝到两次，实际上第一次喝到时已肯定这是年度最有印象作品之一，craft beer有趣之处是有时候同一款之前觉得很出色的作品再喝时可能因为没有了第一次喝到的惊艳感所以味蕾会更客观的审视风味表现，虽那样，第二次入杯喝下的即时结论是依然非常出色，从易喝性，层次感，风味从入杯较冷到回温变化都是味蕾享受。

Pips--Cellar Reserve 001

Thanks to the generosity of my Tokyo geek friend who shared this(and more) rather hard to find bottle--this is a "rougher" version of Pips very famous Blue Suede Shews--with enhanced toasted cashews & intensity of cashew milk--if the original version of BSS is that of cashew "nose bomb" with very silky mouth feel--this reserve version is one with "rougher" mouth feel with very finely grind nuts--chashew on the nose is not as strong relatively speaking but overall nothing to complaint really.

东京啤迷朋友大方分享的限量难寻瓶子，是醸坊盛名作品Blue Suede Shews的“粗犷版”，如果说原版喝起来是丝滑充满腰豆香气的蓝莓蜜酒，这款喝起来有让味蕾感受到类似磨到非常细微的颗粒感，加强的烤腰豆和提高腰果奶密度比例调整让整体风味表现也跟原版不一样，个人是更喜欢原版的细腻感和腰果爆炸性香气表现但这款仍是不折不扣的上佳之作。

Cantillon--Ashanti 2020

A surprise bottle found in a Tokyo restaurant-bar which totally made my day--actually been curious about how pepper/mushroom/toasted coconut would perform in a Lambic for rather long--so to finally have the chance to taste this even though it's pricier (if compare to finding 1 in a bottle shop) is still a no brainer.

Taste was different from what i envisage in that there's more prominent ginger nose than peppery note--sourness was soothing--enoyed it though not so much as imagined how the taste profile would be.

比利时天然发酵酸啤大师醸坊胡椒风味作品，是在东京一家餐酒吧找到的惊喜瓶子，说惊喜是因为虽然这款已从最初Zwanze Day实验性特酿变成“常态款”但在亚洲并不容易找到，也因为个人很早之前就对胡椒风味能在天然发酵酸啤中有什么样的风味表现感到好奇，终于得以一嚐後的味蕾嗅觉感受是预料之外的生姜气息稍显盖过了胡椒风味，虽然并非是想象中那样以胡椒风味表现为主但仍是能喝到就开心的一款。

Schramm's--Pacific Brumble

There is no doubt when it comes to using fruits in a mead that Schramm's always been getting them right--the blend of fruits & honey is more often than not having such compatible harmonious effects on the palate--and this raspberry mead is no different--light sweet-sour with nice fruits aroma.

美国老大哥醸坊的覆盆子蜜酒作品，做为一家擅长并且对入酒水果有高品质/特质要求的醸坊，这款蜜酒使用的是来自太平洋西北地区的覆盆子，在此基础上将自家作品Brumble微调成Pacific Brumble，入口是微甜中带果酸果香气息，要说水果入酒这家一直是心目中绝对高手醸坊，水果和蜂蜜之间的融合感可说每一次都很到味。

Side Project--With Knox

A big stout blended from 3 different bourbon barrels--with coconut flakes-vanilla beans-cocao nibs added which obviously enhanced the flavour profile of this slow sipper--dark chocolate-coconut with obvious notes of bourbon barrel influence--smoother & nicer after warmer.

大黑啤是醸坊拿手好戏，这款是展现三款不同波本旧桶陈放黑啤混酒而成後的风味之作，可可碎香草荚椰丝的加入带来调适风味效应，让作品在波本旧桶气息包裹中带出添加食材带来的不同层次表现，作品保持了醸坊大黑啤一贯厚实酒体，黑巧克力黑糖香草椰香交织一起，是入杯後需要放慢品饮节奏给多些时间让酒回温展现更丰富面貌的作品。

Uchu--Emerald Tablet

Brought 4 cans of ipa from Tokyo directly from the spanking new Toranomon taproom--of the 4 varaints found this to be the more likeable one--hops flavours still very much alive in a smooth way rather than hop attack--very drinkable for a double ipa with no hints of alcohol whatsoever--juicy & nice.

从东京带了醸坊4款不同类果汁印度淡啤（Hazy IPA）回来和啤迷朋友分享，其中双倍IPA的这款以充满啤酒花香口感相对温和的表现让人留下印象，一起分享的啤迷朋友表示这款无论是鲜香度或是平衡点表现都比在本地酒吧喝到的几款欧美醸坊空运作品出色，一定程度来说自己直接从东京品饮室购入带回来有助保持新鲜度，另外也侧面反映出为什么这家山梨县醸坊在海外以高水准类果汁IPA和果泥啤酒为人知。

Marlobobo--Stvensberry

Had this in Tokyo courtesy of a geek friend--my first taste of this Scandinavia meadery's fruited mead--a cherry mead with rather obvious almond aroma plus notes of cinnamon & vanilla--rather than sweet this one is more of a sweet-sour with cherry influence. Probably not the most impressive fruited mead i had in 2025--but for a first taste of what's to come from this brewery in the future--it's worth a note.

近年名声在外的挪威蜜酒醸坊作品，感谢东京啤迷朋友的分享得以喝到个人第一支这家醸坊作品，以北欧特产樱桃Stevnsber入酒，入口蜜酒甜味中有樱桃酸香，间中有杏仁肉桂气息但不会强烈到喧宾夺主，整体风味气息表现来说仍以樱桃和蜂蜜的酸香融和为主轴，换个角度来说这款不是去年喝过最出色的水果蜜酒，不过作为个人喝到的第一支这家北欧醸坊作品印象还是相当不错的。

WEEK 244--2025 Most Memorable Beer & Mead List (by ct)--Part 1/2

2025 went past rather quickly--looking back it was a solid year in terms of beer & mead tasted--met with the KL tasting group guys for either very small or fuller scale share slightly more frequently than past few years--did went to Tokyo to see most of my geek friends there as well did bottle share--so can't complaint much though would have love to do 1 or 2 more Asia cities trips but with very limited travelling budget--just have to be contented with at least being able to do Tokyo.

进入新一年，回看过去十二个月分享会次数可说是近年比较数得上的，2025年新春以及年底圣诞都有跟特定几位本地啤迷朋友聚会，东京分享会也延续了，此外也有几次本地小聚分享，加上为数不多的酒吧探访喝到作品，2025是相当不错的一年。

一如前几年，鉴于在吉隆坡要喝到海外顶尖高手醸坊充满啤酒花鲜香IPA或HAZY IPA作品类型有一定难度，要是没有从海外自行找酒进来的话基本会从缺，所以每年酒单还是以黑啤，天然发酵酸啤，农场风格啤酒，蜜酒等类型风格居多，以下是第一部分酒单

The 2025 list is divided into 2 parts due to limited space with newspaper column--this is first part with a slightly more balance pick of different styles while part 2 would be more mead heavy--in fact last year tasted close to or slightly more than 20 different mead bottles from a few meaderies which was quite a surprise personally speaking.

Here's the list

Antidoot--A North American Raga

Had quite a few different variants of Antidoot last year ranging from fruited sour to barrel-aged cider to blend of beer + wine to wild fermented base beer blended ala lambic style to collab brew like this one--brewed with pomace of apples and then added with fresh apple juice--it's a rather simple sounding beer--light sour--easy drinking--sometimes beer can be simple and nice.

去年喝到这家比利时小醸坊作品有好几个不同款，其中这款以苹果皮及新鲜苹果汁入酒发酵而成的易喝性作品虽然听起来平平无奇不过是易喝中见层次的一款，微酸带些微水果酸香气息，在炎热天喝很适得其所。

 

Cantillon--Magic Lambic 2020

No doubt 1 Cantillon variants which i have been curious for quite some years--finally had it during last Xmas share--saw some comments saying other batch 1 the following batches was sort of hit & miss or down right not nice--personally strongly believe that no matter what are the comments--you need to drink to know how it taste--whatever rated on Untappd or comments by whoever is just other people's opinions--the best way to know how a beer taste like is by drinking it and let your own palate make any judgement if necessary--first 2 sips upon cracking this one instantly affirm that it's a deliciously one--in fact 1 of the group guys just had the same beer on tap during an event in Hong Kong not long ago and said this was different from the one he had from tap in HK--he did not think highly of Magic Lambic until this bottle.

Conclusion--1 of 2 best bottles during Xmas share and personally happy to have tasted this long wanting to try Lambic.

去年圣诞分享会上终于喝到这款加了香草蓝莓的覆盆子天然发酵果酸啤酒，是个人比较好奇风味表现会如何的Cantilllon作品之一，实际上之前看到一些网上评酒留言说第一批次後再出来的Magic Lambic表现不尽如人意，虽那样一点也不影响个人对这款作品的好奇，终于喝到的的结论是分享会当天最佳作品之一，个人信念是酒一定要自己喝过才心里有数，别人意见可以看看但自己味蕾真实感受後才是决定性的。

TDM 1874--Shimokita Carrot Cake

This was a rather unexpected one--was cracking this can during small share in a Tokyo residential public park--this beer was meant to be sort of palate cleanser so we could do the next "big" one--but hang on a minute--this was surprisingly nice--carrot cake in a beer form--easy drinking with light sour + cinnamon spices influence--a pleasant one to drink.日本横滨小醸坊的作品，以胡萝卜，肉桂，豆蔻，香草入酒造出具有萝卜蛋糕风味的啤酒，是在东京和朋友小聚分享时喝到的“过场酒”，意思是在喝下一款““大酒”之前换一下啤酒类型风格同时也“更新“一下味蕾，不过‘喝下第一口後朋友们异口同声说这款酒有意思，香甜带微酸清爽易喝中带出肉桂风味，确实留下了印象。

Side Project--BBT 2023 Pappy Van Winkle

Thanks to group member who is a LaCoterie member--have had the chance to sampled some different years/different variants of BBT( as well other big stouts)--this one was cracked as a celebratory bottle for an occasion--first sip the nose was very bourbon which is to be expected knowing the barrel strength--but as it slowly warm up and open up--the Van Winkle influence still definitely there but the stout was not overwhelmed--what you would expect from a big stout from SP is firmly there with--if anything would say the barrel influence sort of emplified the stouts characteristics rather than anything else.

对美国波本有所了解的都知道Pappy Van Winkle是什么，这次醸坊找来这款波本旧桶作为大黑啤作品BBT的静置提味载体，这是醸坊十周年特别作品之一。本地分享会中有人是这家密苏里高手醸坊会员制一份子，因为那样之前可望不可及的一些Side Project作品都能通过醸坊首卖原价取得，也有幸喝了好几年不同批次的BBT（实际上去年也喝了2024裸麦版的BBT），这次Pappy Van Winkle十年旧桶的桶陈版BBT确实有更强的风味层次表现，波本气息不在话下但不至于抢戏，BBT的浓郁黑啤特质并没有被掩盖，某种程度上甚至可说被放大了。

Standard--BA Side Street

Had this early last year--and then aother variant during Xmas share(BA Back Street)--both are basically bourbon barrel-aged apple mead with difference being Side Street added vanilla+ cinnamonm while Back Street was about walnut+cinnamon--like both and did not there was huge different in taste profile/performance--only thing is of the different adjunct used--personally thought vanilla presence was more obvious than walnut.

去年初本地分享会上喝到，然后年底圣诞分享会喝到同款分支BA Back Street，分别在于Side Street使用了香草和肉桂，而“后街“版本用了核桃和肉桂，两者基酒都是苹果酒加蜂蜜，也都是美国波本旧桶陈放提味，风味表现方面没有巨大差异，基调是美味的煮熟苹果派和肉桂气息，两者比对的话，个人感觉香草的使用比核桃更有显现感。

Uchu--Atom Mango

Went to their taproom at Toranomon Hills twice during last Nov trip to Tokyo mainly because there was no Fruited Sours to be found at almost all of the other places i went--brought back 4 different variants and have to say this Mango juice bomb was really tasty--had it on tap while there as well in can--both version were really nice--in fact would think if pour in a glass and hand it to anyone as a glass of Mango Smoothie--think probably 9 out of 10 would just drink it as thick fruit juice and never think of it as a fruited sour beer.

日本山梨县新贵醸坊”宇宙“的果泥啤酒作品，从罐子设计用色到入杯酒体浓稠度到颜色都非常切题，就是被装在啤酒罐的香浓带酸甜味优质浓郁芒果汁，喝起来完全不像啤酒，也没有任何酒精感，虽然确实是啤酒但真要装在果汁杯子拿给不知就里的人喝的话，大概率是十之八九会觉得就是杯美味果汁。