WEEK 8-"chit chat with Mikkel"

这算是“顽啤主张”第一次以访谈/聊聊形式尝试让不太熟悉CRAFT BEER品牌的新朋友认识品牌背后小故事，以及品牌灵魂人物对一些事情的看法/想法。

本期登场的是撞意啤酒界大明星MIKKEL。

接下来的月份还会有包括TO OL, BREWDOG, NOGNE等这些吉隆坡比较能常喝到品牌在内酿酒师的聊天记。

This is the first ever "chit chat" article with a brewer for the newspaper weekly column.

The idea is to intro craft beer brand/s, as well as the soul behind( or in front) of the brand/s  to new friends who are not so familiar with craft beer brands out there.

For the benefit of friends who don't read Mandarin, here's the content of the weekly article-----"chit chat with Mikkel"

First thing first---why BKK for the only Mikkeller Bar in Asia?( was it because of your friends & co-owners of the bar, Jakob & Mike been & still living in Bangkok?)

Yes. This and the fact that i like Thailand and have been there often on vacation with my family. Bangkok needed a great beer bar.

Mikkel has a liking for Asia, or in his own words "I love Asia.. Love the food, the produce and the climate.    "

What kind of Asia food items, as well any influences on beer brewed lately?

A lot! Chinese Dim Sum, Japanese sushi, Thai street food, everything. I get inspired a lot by it. We used the japanese citrus fruit Yuzu a lot lately..

Mikkel has been to many places in Asia as well have brewed some beers with brewers in Japan, Shanghai, Hong Kong...any thoughts of maybe brew something in South East Asia region?

No plans at the moment. We need to see an improve in raw maetrial (hops etc) before we start exploring these opportunities.

What's his view on Asia's craft scene, particularly South East Asia?

It’s a growing scene. therefore interesting. It is still in its very immature stages, but a lot is happening these days. I am sure we will see more western breweries move into these areas.

Mikkeller has grown in popularity, and at times invited unwanted comments from some drinkers who think Mikkeller is becoming sort of "main stream' now..what's your view?

Not really. We are still very small. Of course we grow - all popular things do. But you can be sure our quality won't change.

One of the main feature about Mikkeller is the sheer number of different beers produced in the past few years.

So, say on a scale of 100, how many marks do you give yourself for remembering beers you have done so far?

100. I remember all the names. Not the hops varieties used though.

What you would tell a first time craft drinker?

Be open minded. And critical. Craft beer isn't good just because it is craft beer.

And to those who are happy with factory beer, or reluctant to try craft because it's something new, something they are not familiar with?

You are missing out...

Relating to my own drinking experiences, in particular an encounter with a bottle of Three Flyod Dark Lord 2009 , I wanted to know for a brewer like Mikkel who is more or less seen all, tasted all--what kind of beers he enjoy nowadays....

I hardly ever drink these strong black beers any more. I am more for low abv session beers with a lot of flavor these days.

Lastly--this is not included in the weekly column---if any of you living in Asia is curious about if there would be a second Mikkeller Bar somewhere in Asia within the next 1-2 years...this is what Mikkel replied:-

Maybe...:)

So, that's that.

NOTE:-There will be more "chit chat" articles coming this way in the next 2 months or so....( already lining up are TO OL, Brewdog, Nogne...)

WEEK 7-Intro to Mikkeller & the brewer who play in the kitchen

这是MIKKELLER和MIKKEL的介绍。

不算正式，比较是侧写。

下星期会有MIKKEL的聊天记，不是什么正经八百的访谈，只是聊聊亚洲，聊聊东南亚的一些CRAFT BEER事。


this week's column is about Mikkeller, and of course, the man behind( or should i say in front?) of the brand.

this is more of an intro piece while waiting for Next week's chit chat with Mikkel.

The Mandarin title is a play of word:-
"ME(as in me)--渴(pronounced as KE)--了(pronounced as LER)
so--the CHINESE version sounded like "mikkeller" but the moniker kind of mean----"I am Thirsty"

Quotes:-
"not too long ago, there was this very short video posted on FB, it showed a pot filled with something like coconut "meat" as well as some dried spices including something that looks like Mexican chili..a bottle of beer poured....end of video"

"the video is titled playing in the kitchen.."

"the one who posted the video goes by the name of Mikkel...after some good minutes...a photo was showed, with a reddish color liquid inside a glass...with the caption saying---"it works..."

"to write about Mikkeller & Mikkel can be very easy, as well as very difficult---easy because there's many previous interviews, articles done---difficult---how do you find new angles to write about...."


"Mikkel "brew" beers by sending "recipe list" out to brewery he works with ---it's a bit like a chef.."

"it kind of reminds me of the documentary "El Bulli" made few years ago on celebrity chef---Ferran Adria who is famous with his innovative "molecular gastronomy"---in one particular scene, he just sat on the side of a frantically busy kitchen with all his chefs, staffs busy cooking new dishes----he would just try out a little bit of what's presented on his table, take a look and sometimes have a long pause....not giving out any verdict...and it felt as if the whole kitchen is holding it's breath.....just waiting for a glance, a nod, or a word....."

"while Mikkeller has gone on to bigger playgrounds around the world, deep down, Mikkel would probably felt most at home playing in the kitchen just as he did when first started many years ago.." 

NEXT WEEK---"chit chat" with Mikkel

WEEK 6 Column----Finding "Mi Bar"

MIKKELLER是丹麦明星品牌。

是吉隆坡可以比较常喝到的北欧啤酒之一。

对喜欢这个品牌啤酒的朋友来说，去一回MIKKELLER BAR“米吧”（个人选择简称）是必须的。

因为曼谷“米吧”的存在，亚洲朋友不必大老远跑到丹麦，瑞典，或美国三藩市去朝拜。

这期说的只是一些个人感观。“米吧”的魅力，要自己去才有所体会。

*另外---CNN.com刚刚发表了他们选出的亚洲10家喝撞意啤酒最好的酒吧(附上全文链接）。“米吧”名列第一。而吉隆坡的TAPS BEER BAR也入选。最好玩的是，很久没在本地出现了的MIKKELLER BEER GEEK BREAKFAST现在上了TAPS的啤酒泵---不过，数量非常有限。

CNN.COM ASIA'S TOP 10 BARS:-

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/08/travel/asia-best-beer-bars/index.html

It is pure coincidence that CNN.com listed Mikkeller Bar as the No.1 beer bar in Asia, and amongst the Top 10 beer bars listed by CNN.com, Taps Beer Bar KL is also in the list. And, the best part is( well at least to me)---Taps Beer Bar is currently having Beer Geek Breakfast from Mikkeller  ON TAPS…(though in very very limited volume only!)

This week is about “Rice Bar” in Bangkok---it’s a Chinese language “moniker”---Mikkeller Bar in short is pronounced as “Mi米 Bar吧” in Mandarin--- the sound of “Mi”—is the pronunciation for the word “米”---meaning “Rice”--hence“米吧”。

Mikkeller is one of few European craft beers available on a quite regular basis here in KL, so there’s no surprise that there’s a sort of fans base here.

Thanks to the opening of Mikkeller Bar Bangkok, those of us who are in Asia (and better still if you live in KL or Penang where there’s daily direct flights out to BKK)—at least we don’t have to look at Copenhagen, San Francisco and Stockholm and wonder when to fly out there for  the 4 other Mikkeller Bar there is now in the www….

This week’s column is just my observations and a peep into what Mikkeller BKK is like.

The best way to discover the charms of the bar is still….fly out to BKK, find the place, get a beer and slowly feel the place….

Quotes:-

“the bar is HIDDEN in a secluded housing area…if not for signage at the gate,  the lush greenery around the bungalow with nostalgic charms looks more like a home to some middle upper class Thai family than a chic beer bar…”

“the location of the bar kind of reflects the mentality of craft beer---low key, not following mass business norm(for examples setting up in a shopping mall or crowded places with ready walk in crowd)

"the man behind Mikkeller( or i should say in front of ?)--super star brew master Mikkel was in the BKK bar when i visited---just like the music, movie or book scene---there's "meet the fans"session as well for beer geeks....ever low key, Mikkel looks more like a regualr guy visiting the bar for some drinks than the super star fans came to meet.... "

NEXT WEEK's column--- a side note/intro on Mikkeller & the man himself---Mikkel Borg Bjergsø

WEEK 5 intro to IPA(2/2)

这期继续聊IPA。

不聊过于技术性层面，尽量浅白说说IPA是什么概念。

反正，到最后，了解一瓶酒或一杯酒最好的方式只有一个动作。。拿起来。。慢慢品尝。

Week 5, this is part 2/2 of intro to IPA.

nothing technical or real in depth, just basic info, simple things about IPA.

after all, the best way to understand a beer is still one simple movement---raise your glass. try it, taste it.

quotes:-

"some people might prefer to look at IBU first before deciding on which IPA to drink...while IBU is an interesting benchmark for "measuring" bitterness, it is also somewhat debatable...as there are many arguments about how bitter can a human tongue actually taste"

"Do not take the IBU figures too seriously..only way to find out if you like it or not is to try the beer"

"to say if one has never tried an IPA is not considered having tasted craft beer probably sounds too critical( even rude or naive)---but the truth is, you will never miss out IPA---it is like an underground band making it so big to main stream music scene that it is almost impossible to miss it...." 

"IPA is suitable for all, be it newbie or season drinkers--you can start with it, or drink it mid way to change mouth feel---or as end game drink..."

NEXT WEEK COLUMN---Mikkeller Bar BKK