WEEK 185---2020 Most Memorable Beer List---Part 2/2---by ct (KL)

Here's the final part of  my last year list :-

上期回顾了几款不同类型风味啤酒，以下是去年喝到让人较有记忆点的其他风味酒款：-

IPA/NEIPA

Other Half  Double Pontoon Juice

Cloud Water TIPA NZ Hops 01

Black Iris Don't Fear The NEIPA

thanks to local geek friends who seek for these cans from overseas via beer mail---i was able to sample a few really fresh cans during the past year (between 2-4 weeks from canned date)---among the few cans tasted--these 3 were the standouts --the OH brew was smelling really intense--so much so that a geek friend sharing blurted out the word "durian-y"--referring to how intense the nose of this NEIPA caught his senses---while the CW TIPA was quite different from what some of us has come to expect--there was more bitter tone of hops than the "expected" fruity/juicy mouth feel, not West Coast though not really very NE.   As for Black Iris---it was my first ever can from this UK brewery was very pleasant--no cloying issue that some might find in a NEIPA---and the beer name was worth a smile if you have heard complaints from hardcore traditional West Coast IPA lovers.

在类果汁印度淡啤（NEIPA）近几年蔚为风潮大受欢迎之後，IPA一直以来只能是苦哈哈的既有刻板印象已被颠覆，NEIPA类似果汁甚至近乎果味奶昔的酒体外观风味口感让原本可能因为苦味让一些新朋友味蕾受惊吓的印度淡陴变得香甜醇鲜平易近人，但这样的反差也出现一些酿坊作品让啤迷觉得过甜腻口的缺点。

虽变身成类果汁，但NEIPA依然是展现不同类型啤酒花新鲜风味酒款，喝的时候啤酒新鲜程度依旧是绝对关键因素，时间/温度/储藏/运送条件好坏等外在因素都会对啤酒花鲜香表现造成决定性影响，基本来说一款NEIPA（传统苦味IPA也一样）的最佳赏味期是装瓶/装罐日期三个月内。当然过了三个月之后也能喝，但就最佳赏味角度来说，已错过可以最大程度品味啤酒应有风味表现时间点。

去年在本地喝到以上三款分别来自美国纽约酿坊，英国曼彻斯特酿坊和诺丁汉酿坊，三款分别喝到时基本都少于或介于一个月左右，也算是以自己方式暂时解渴长期以来在本地难以喝到真正新鲜IPA/NEIPA的问题，三款不同作品中，来自纽约酿坊的Double Pontoon Juice最浓郁香醇，让一起分享的啤迷朋友甚至觉得有点“类似榴莲香味”的错觉，品酒感受来说是满有趣的评语。第一次接触的英国Black Iris 酿坊Don't Fear The NEIPA除了酒名称幽了那些只认可传统苦哈哈IPA风味啤迷一默，关键是喝起来舒适没有NEIPA过甜过腻问题，而英国最为人知的Cloud Water酿坊三倍作品不太像酿坊为人知的类果汁风格而是果汁感中带出啤酒花苦韵，可以在顶级新鲜啤酒花作品匮乏的本地喝到这些不错作品是乐事。

Pastry Stouts

Evil Twin  This Must Be Top 10….

Anchorage  Blessed 

Other Half   2020 Green City Imperial Stouts V1

the idea of making your stouts as pastry or dessert possible is the in trend among brewers in recent time---people were willing to pay crazy secondary prices for those with big hypes/reputations too.

the past 1 year with no international travelling--as well very limited sharing sessions--it was only natural that i have not sample much stouts at all( as i hardly ever crack a stouts to drink alone)---the 3 mentioned above were all from the very few sharing sessions---though comparatively these 3 are not the biggest/hyped pastry names but they are all really tasty ones

---with interesting green bananas flavours very noticeable in brews from Evil Twins and Other Half--as for the relatively "bigger" hyped Blessed from Anchorage---it was real nice but not something which makes me go wow--thought the alcohol hints can be better hidden--as well lacking in that silky smoothness.

直接翻译就是“糕点甜点黑啤”，是近年大行其道的黑啤类型，跟字面上意思那样是比一般黑啤更倾向呈现“糕点甜点”特色的黑啤。

在黑啤中添加如咖啡香草巧克力之类食材增加啤酒风味层次是存在已久酿酒师常用的手法，pastry stouts意味着加倍翻倍投放心中想呈现食材风味，简单来说就是大手笔加倍投入，为的就是让黑啤更接近“糕点甜点”风味层次。

如果以稀有难寻/高评价追捧角度来看的话，个人喝到的上述三款美国酿坊作品可说平平无奇，不过喝酒这回事就是喝到什么就是什么，去想象自己原本可以或还没喝到的“高评价”盛名啤酒是不切实际的，换个角度看，能通过啤迷朋友自身找酒方式在本地喝到上述三款各有特点黑啤还是爽的，特别是其中两款不约而同都有突出香蕉风味特点。

Sour Beer

Wild Flower St.Florence 2018 : Sauvignon Blanc

3 Fonteinen + Brouwerij Lotebol :  Tuverbol

sour beer is one of my personal favourite beer styles---but only for the ones with finesse/balance---not in your face sort of sour but nicely layered/delicate ones---away from Belgium Lambic--these 2 above were 2 nice ones sampled last year---Wild Flower brew for how the adding of wine grade grapes in a barrel aging process has turned a Lager base beer into something really nice and layered---while the 3 Fonteinen collab though used some lambic to blend with triple blond beer---it was not the usual 3F lambic we are familiar with---the blending did turned the whole beer into something else--it was more sweet sour than a typical lambic profile--very interesting nice and easy yet delicate enough to want to slowly savour. 

酿得好均衡有层次的酸啤，无论是比利时天然发酵酸啤（Lambic）还是其他欧美澳纽酿坊的各式野生菌发酵酸啤是个人比较喜欢啤酒类型。去年由于疫情影响原计划好的布鲁塞尔和哥本哈根被迫取消意味着少喝了很多精彩酿品，特别是能在布鲁塞尔喝到的一些较难寻或只能在当地酿坊品饮室/特定酒吧开喝的Lambic作品。不过，喝craft beer也不只是追逐难寻稀有酿品，能喝到虽不算盛名难寻稀有类型但均衡好喝或风味呈现有惊喜趣味的作品是能让啤迷开心的事，比如这次酒单中澳洲酿坊和比利时酿坊两款，其中，澳洲酿坊作品是将淡啤（LAGER）使用葡萄酒品种级别葡萄桶陈浸泡时间工序将原本只是清爽解渴的基本啤酒变得层次分明均衡可口。而比利时两家酿坊合作酒款则使用比利时三倍棕啤（TRIPLE BLOND）混合天然发酵酸啤（LAMBIC）而成，作品展现了两者之间融合特色，酸中带类似烤麦芽甜风味表现，易喝有趣。

Worth Mentioning

Omnipollo Double Karpologi

a fruited sour using pineapples, peaches, passion fruits with addition of vanilla---it might come as too sweet too sour at the same time for some during the first 2 sips--but once the palate overcome the initial sensation--and especially after the beer gets warmer--its a nice light sweet sour sips.

北欧水果酸味啤酒，加入凤梨桃子百香果和香草，开始喝可能会觉得过甜过酸，一旦味蕾适应加上回温效果，会觉得有趣好喝。

Antidoot L'illumine Kriek Framboos

had this one during a sharing session earlier in the year--could be sue to 'distractions" from other beers during that session--it did not hit me ( in fact another Antidoot did)---then cracked this one last day of 2020 at home---it was different this time--really tasty--more jammy with sour cherries goodness--really nice.

第一次喝时是去年早前分享会朋友带来--或许因为有其他更深印象的酒“干扰”当时觉得只是不错--但年底在家喝时明显酸樱桃气息口感浓郁--让人改观。

3 Fonteinen Cuvee Armand & Gaston 

obviously there are many different variants of 3F---as well some perceived "higher/more complex/delicious ones"---this one though was really balance with plenty of oak influence coming through--sometimes we do overlook the seemingly right in the cellar type of bottles---this one did caught up with my palate attention.

或许不是3F最显眼的瓶子---但这次再喝倒是留了印象--均衡好喝木桶影响明显。

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）。

WEEK 183---2020 Most Memorable Beer List---from Samuel ( SG )

The most memorable beer list from last year continues with a list from Samuel of Singapore---due to travelling restrictions caused by the pandemic, beer mail from overseas became some form of much needed salvation for some geek friends living in different cities of Asia---in fact Samuel ( with a few of his friends) been getting quite a lot of beer mails---in particular for pastry stouts from the States --hence it's no surprises Sam's list for last year consist mainly of stouts--not just any stouts but some big/hyped ones......

疫情影响下大家基本都不能出国---自行从海外特别是欧美地区找酒进来成为好些亚洲不同城啤迷“坐困家中”的慰藉---这期最有印象酒单的新加坡朋友SAMUEL就和几位同城啤迷朋友从美国找了相当多“啤酒邮包"，当中包括一些极富盛名的黑啤作品，所以SAM的酒单主要以近年大热的“糕点/甜点黑啤”选择为主。以下是他的去年酒单（英文原文来自SAMUEL）

here's the list according to Samuel--with English version by Sam while Chinese transcript by me ：-

SAM'S TOP STOUTS

Weldworks Brewing Starry Noche

smells so much hazelnut, toasted hazelnut, tastes hazelnuts for days, mashed hazelnuts, hazelnut spread, hazelnut religious experience, toasted coconut, Super chocolatey rich hazelnut when warm, some bourbon at the back, heavy motoroil slick body, aftertaste is still rich aromatic hazelnut chocolate bourbon that finishes so slowly

充满榛子洪烤果香的黑啤，如果榛子是你的心头好，这支新贵黑啤是让人赞叹的体会，榛子之外也有椰香，巧克力和波本，风味层次丰厚，余韵悠长。

American Solera Horus Aged Ales BA Distraction’s Grasp

smells rich vanilla bean cream for days, coconut, tastes of rich vanilla bean custard for days, also hazelnuts for days, cocoa butter, coconut, solid motoroil medium body, rich vanilla hazelnut coconut aftertaste finishes enjoyingly slow

另一家黑啤新贵的合酿作品，满满香草豆香，椰子，榛子，可可脂，让人快乐的慢慢品饮。

Angry Chair Brewing Prodigious

smells like jamming a brownie and fudgy chocolate cake with neapolitian ice cream into a blender, subtle barrel, tastes rich dark chocolate fudgqiaokel1e for days, rock road, vanilla, bourbon, cocoa, silky medium body, dark chocolate cocoa aftertaste finishes slow, easily the most chocolate beer for miles 

感觉像是把浓郁巧克力布朗尼和三色冰淇淋（香草/草莓/巧克力）丢进搅拌机混合一样，带点桶陈气息，入口尽是巧克力软糖香草波本可可，收尾是黑巧克力，是喝过最富含巧克力风味的黑啤。

 

North Park Brewing co  Wild Thai Banana Macaroons Before Dying

smells goreng pisang (fried caramelized banana fritter) for days, chocolate fudge, coffee roast, tastes caramelized banana for days, chocolate fudge, nuanced coffee and toasted coconut, caramelized banana made into a macarons filling, medium body, caramelized banana vanilla aftertaste finishes moderately slow

闻起来像是东南亚街边小吃炸香蕉，巧克力软糖和烤咖啡豆，入口是焦糖化的香蕉，烤椰香，咖啡和巧克力，整体感觉像是焦糖香蕉口味马卡龙，余韵带香草。

 

Toppling Goliath Brewing Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout 2019

smells of rich coffee Affogato chocolate, chocolate ice cream coffee ice cream vanilla ice cream all melted and blended, tastes rich dark chocolate rich espresso coffee, some vanilla, very rich dark chocolate when warm, nuanced whiskey at the back, motoroil medium body, aftertaste is rich dark chocolate espresso that finishes so slow

闻香是加了巧克力香草味冰淇淋的意大利浓缩咖啡（阿芙佳朵），入口是浓郁咖啡，带香草香味，回温後是浓郁黑巧克力带威士忌余韵。

HONORABLE MENTION/ 值得一提

Pulpit Rock Brewing co Sticker Shock

smells like salted almonds, toasted coconut for days, tastes toasted coconut for days, almonds, chocolate syrup, coconut candy Klondike bar, solid motor oil medium body, toasted coconut almond chocolate finish is enjoyingly slow

开瓶是盐味杏仁果和烤椰香，喝起来满是烤椰杏仁巧克力糖浆椰子软糖, 余韵仍是椰香杏仁巧克力.

 

Phase Three Brewing Eunoia B1

smells peanut butter and marshmallow, hazelnut, tastes fudgy peanut butter chocolate, Reese’s peanut butter cups for days, vanilla, a lot of hazelnut similar to starry noche, solid motoroil body, aftertaste is hazelnut peanut butter that finishes slow

闻香是花生酱，棉花糖，榛子，喝起来是浓郁的巧克力花生酱，香草，非常明显榛子，近似另一家酿坊的盛名黑啤starry noche，余韵是满满的榛子花生酱。

SAM’S TOP MEAD

Pips Meadery There’s a Snake in My Shews

smells of cashew nut, vanilla, floral nuanced blueberry, tastes huge floral vanilla honey, cashew, huge floral quality, juicy blueberries, floral blueberries at the back, body is wine-silky, aftertaste is cashews and big floral vanilla that finishes moderately, maybe the best mead so far

腰豆，香草，花香蓝莓气息，入口丝滑尽是香草花香蜜，腰豆，带花香蓝莓果汁，或许是个人至今喝过最佳蜜酒。

SAM’S TOP IPA

electric brewing occult chemistry

smells peach, mango, floral, strawberries when warm, tastes of dank fruit juice, nuanced pine resin, juicy peach mango strawberry salad, juicy light-medium body, aftertaste is the same peach-mango-strawberry that finishes moderately fast

回温後充满桃子芒果草莓花香，浓郁果汁感，松香，余韵以果香收尾。

WEEK 182----2020 Most Memorable Beer List--from Ronda ( HK/US)

WEEK 181---2020 beer matters

We all know how 2020 went---to many it was a year lost/stolen or much more than that---in beer terms personally--2020 was a year where some planned beer trips/visits were cancelled---as well local tasting sessions with the guys was almost close to non-existent with concerns over gatherings---it was kind of more losses than gains in terms of beer tasting/sharing opportunities but there was some light during those dark hours too-----here's how 2020 went:-

过去一年对很多人来说是被偷掉的一年，疫情肆虐下，很多理所当然的事情都变得不再轻易能行，比如啤酒节庆活动比如瓶子分享/啤迷聚会等都成为被迫取消一时半会做不了的事。

个人来说2020是有失有得的一年，旅游禁令不能出行让原本计划好的比利时和丹麦之行被迫取消，也错失了和東京啤迷朋友年度聚会以及去曼谷米吧出席活动的可能，一定程度上在本地跟几位固定啤迷朋友的不定期瓶子分享会也因疫情影响变得更少，比如每年一定聚首的圣诞节年度重点分享会也被迫取消。不过，失之余也有一些得，以下是个人年度啤酒事件记录：-

Europe trip which was cancelled

2020 was supposed to be an exciting year for the few of us here in Kl tasting group---i first went to Copenhagen for CBC(Copenhagen Beer Celebration) back in 2015---then 2 guys from the group joined up and the 3 of us went in 2016 for the newly named MBCC(Mikkeller Beer Celebration Copenhagen) and went again in 2018---last year was supposed to be the 4 of us from the group with the youngest member joining and going to a fest of such magnitude for the very first time---you could imagine the excitement when fest ticket /flight ticket/logistic were booked and plans were made---the thought of bars hopping during that crazy delicious 1 week or so in Copenhagen--sharing beers and meeting old and new friends/brewers--all these of course never happened with the fest forced to cancelled....

Personally--- i was planning to visit Brussels( and it's surrounding areas)--mainly for long overdue pilgrimage again to the land of Lambic---plans were made to visit during the time when Cantillon would be holding it's Quintessence with Russian River( and Alagash) joining hands---though i did not get the ticket to main event at Cantillon tasting room---some essential bars such as Moeder Lambic and such will be provided with delicious brews from the event----i was also wanting to visit places like Gebrande Winning, 3 Fonteinen taproom, Antidoot and Bokke (if permitted) among others---it would have been a long awaited visit coming to fruition---too bad--Covid decided that's not to be the case.

没去成的欧洲行

计划中，原定去年五月进行的哥本哈根啤酒庆典（MBCC20）会是年度重点活动，18年和两位本地啤迷朋友去过後19年没去，原本会有另一位从没去过的本地啤迷朋友一起组成四人团，期望在啤酒天堂渡过的精彩一周因为疫情成了泡影。

与此同时，哥本哈根庆典之前想先去布鲁塞尔周边大概十天左右拜访几家大师级天然发酵酸啤酿坊，去专卖吧/佩酒餐厅见见啤迷朋友的计划也只能取消。比利时之行时间点有对上Cantillon和美国大师级酿坊Russian River年度特别活动，虽然没买到在酿坊进行的活动门票，但主办方会给布鲁塞尔市内特定几家专卖吧提供一些酒款，让没能买到票的啤迷也有机会尝尝鲜，当然，这些都成了没能在去年实现的计划。

Asia trips which never took off

Bangkok and Tokyo are 2 Asia cities i like visiting whenever possible---personally these two always been on the forefront of craft scene here in Asia (though some other cities such as Shanghai-Hong Kong-Singapore as well Taiwan been catching up too)---craft beer aside--the food and logistic in and around Bangkok & Tokyo are the supporting reasons why they are my FAVs cities in Asia.

In Bangkok--there is no doubt that Mikkeller Bangkok has been on the front foot in terms of introducing First in Asia( at times only exclusive to BKK) kind of imported breweries since the first year they set up shop in a garden bungalow at Ekkamai---for examples in November they flown in Hill Farmstead---with taps as well some bottles available for drink in---and a week or so before that in Nov they had fresh cans of Other Half---not to mentioned earlier in the year they already had a 3 taps Hill Farmstead--some Finback & Grimm, Baghaven and so on.

As for Tokyo---it has seen even more new names being imported in recent months---when i last visited late 2019 there were already some Grimm on taps+bottles---as well names like Ale Apothecary, De Garde, Othe Half and so on----more recently breweries such as Trillium, Side Project, Cellador Ales as well Mills from the UK been popping up---very nice to note for geeks living in and around Tokyo,

Apart from the joy of visting bars/bottle shop---since 2018 Tokyo has somehow became a once a year (whenever possible) nice bottle sharing venue for me personally with some geeks/friends living in Tokyo showing warm hospitality.

Not sure if 2021 second half would see a return to some normalcy in terms of international travelling---but for sure Bangkok and Tokyo would be high on my list of cities to visit once normalcy return.

没能去的亚洲行

曼谷和東京是个人喜欢的亚洲craft beer城市，因为两个城市本身有非常好（有时候是亚洲首卖或独家）的啤酒类型和特定酿坊酒款选择。

今年在曼谷出现的酒单非常精彩，特别是多年来一直不定期有让人惊喜酒单出现的曼谷米吧11月就再次引进众多啤迷公认为绝对顶级酿坊Hill Farmstead的好多款不同类型啤酒，桶装之外也提供一些瓶子选择（当然都只能在酒吧开喝不能外带），而在这之前米吧则是把纽约盛名在外的类果汁印度淡啤/印度淡啤酿坊Other Half的多款作品空运进曼谷，尊崇啤酒花啤酒尽量新鲜喝的做法值得赞赏。此外，曼谷也出现了比如丹麦Baghaven，美国Finback, Grimm,Fifty Fifty，Superstition蜜酒等高手酿坊作品。

说到亚洲可能首次出现的高水平酿坊品牌作品不能不提東京，特别是近两年，東京出现了不少之前亚洲看不到的几家欧美小型酿坊作品，比如英国新贵酿坊Mills，美国高手酿坊包括Cellador，Grimm，Other Half以及Side Project等等都是啤迷乐见出现亚洲的酿坊品牌。在東京除了去专卖吧瓶子店之外还有一个让人期待的重头活动，那就是跟一些住東京外国啤迷朋友的瓶子分享会，因为大家都有一些不同的精彩酿坊作品可以分享，某种程度上有时候酒单会比去专卖吧喝更精彩。只是，疫情让很多国境关闭，哪都飞不了，曼谷和東京只能期待明年情况好转的话再去了。

Not all doom & gloom

Though generally 2020 was a year with lots of missed opportunities for what would have been a far more better year with many nice beer tasting sessions overseas and perhaps locally too---but it was in some way still a year to remember---personally i was struck down by a mosquito and had to be admitted to hospital because Dengue can be fatal though i was lucky to NOT feel any terrible sickness from this one---then came good news of automatic renewal for ANTIDOOT membership for another year to 2021---and then the biggest pleasant surprise has had to be this one---BOKKE XMAS PACK( where the inside joke of if you get 2 Giradin then your box get to filled with 10 Bokke originated from)---it was certainly a joyful moment to received the notice saying you are entitled to purchase A BOX.

( yes my box of Bokke is still in Belgium as i did not chose the DHL Express coz it sucks here to get DHL for beer mail since they insist one need to apply for an importing permit( which will take long time and energy to apply and pray that the authority approve---but who would complain knowing a box of Bokke would come home on a later date? I know for sure I WON'T)

还好有惊喜

疫情很大程度上让个人的2020年酒单显得相当贫瘠，没能出行特别是丹麦比利时意味着错失品嚐很多好酒机会，在本地和特定几位啤迷朋友的瓶子分享会也非常少，基本来说是乏善可陈的一年，除了个人或几位啤迷朋友近几个月偶尔从欧美找些好酒寄过来之外，今年最大的啤酒喜事大概就是得以继续更新比利时新贵Antidoot年度会员资格，还有最大惊喜就是自2016年第一次出现在哥本哈根啤酒庆典之后爆红的比利时酸啤作坊Bokke捎来的圣诞极少数限定“秘密配售”通知，因为这家基本不对啤迷个人开卖，几乎可说是钱没处买的情况下，10支Bokke加2支Giradin每人只限一箱的绝对惊喜让贫乏的一年有了意料之外的大大亮点