WEEK 22--"Naked Island"--chit chat with KJETIL

“裸岛”是很多朋友都认识的北欧撞意啤酒品牌。

因为跟大马的渊源，主创酿酒师KJETIL来过吉隆坡几次，也有过“酿酒师见面会”活动。

作为北欧撞意啤酒其中一个佼佼者，KJETIL一点都不掩饰美国酿酒师们的“领先”地位。。。近年发展来说，某些程度上，他觉得“美国在领先，欧洲在追赶。。。而亚洲酿酒师有点不知道是要走哪个方向（是学美国那样豪迈？还是学欧洲的传统？）。

听起来有点争议性，不过，作为单纯喝酒人的话，酒来自哪里不是决定性因素，最重要合口味。

This week we talk to Kjetil Jikiun, the man standing tall on "naked island".

Nogne is one of the very early batches of  Scandinavian craft beers available in KL, and has since been widely accepted by many old & new craft beer friends as one of the "go to" beers.

Here's some QUOTES from the weekly column:-

ON craft beer tasting:-
"Remember that life is not only about harmonies. Contrasts and challenges can be charming and enjoyable too!"

"Step out of your comfort zone.
Expect the unexpected.
If the beer takes your palate on a journey, then enjoy the ride; do not resist."

"The world is full of wonderful things. Don't create limits for what you can enjoy or not. Indulge in it all!"----(of course---craft beer is counted as one of the wonderful things in life!)

On Malaysian food & beer

"There is so much great Malaysian food. But not much good beer(at least in east Malaysia). I guess I focus on the food, without pairing it with beer for that reason.

Sayur Manis, Ikan Pari Panggang with Belacan, Hinava, Nasi ayam(hainanese style), dim sum, prawns or lobster fried in butter, fried wan tans, bambangan, beef rendang.......The diversity of the different cuisines is great, and in east Malaysia people of different religion and ethnicity is not so "segregated" as at the semenanjung. "

". I think perhaps that our beers are a bit to malty and rich to fit in the Malaysian climate zone. If I could tailor make some beers for Asia, I would make them lighter in body(but still flavourful). "

On Asia food influence on beer

"We do have a beer we call Asian Pale Ale with orange peel, kafir lime and lemon grass. It is made for the Norwegian market though. Not for Asia.

I have many ideas for how indigenous southeast Asian  ingredients can be used, but have not spent much time on trying them out. "

On the journey so far
"With no doubt fighting with my partners and employees. We are Nøgne Ø, The Uncompromising Brewery. It is easy to understand Nøgne Ø. It is just a matter of making good products and selling them. "

"But it is hard to understand and work with The Uncompromising Brewery. This is about reaching out to people. To dare to be different. To share ideas and recipes. To allow people to come and visit. To brew with other breweries. To tell the average bar that they are not good enough to be allowed to serve Nøgne Ø. This is difficult. You need to think long term/about credibility/about beer culture/about perceived value/about brand building to understand. Most people who think that business is all about transactions, will never understand this."

". I have been fighting so much to make sure that Nøgne Ø did not loose this very important part of its identity. There has been tears. And sudden career changes. Very bad. I hate it!"

THESE WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE NEWSPAPER VERSION:-

On different between US/Europe/Asia brewing/craft beer scene:-
"Very different indeed! USA leads the cultural revolution. Europe is catching on, but is copying a lot from the US.  I guess brewers in Europe has not had time to find their own identity yet. Asia seems to have a hard time to decide whether to go for big brash beers, as in the US, or to stay disciplined and moderate(almost like classic German brewing)."

Still find brewing fun?

"Yes it is. But it is more serious because there is more responsibility. Responsibility for our employees, equipment, share holders and customers."

"Most of the time we have been focused on the same four core values: Quality, Diversity, Integrity and Drinkability. The latter means that a beer should be enjoyable, even if you drink the whole bottle alone. Not too bitter, cloying, roasted, hot, etc. Ideally you would want to have another bottle when the first is finished. So we may be a bit crazy, but always within the frames of those core values."

Looking ahead
"In the next couple of years there will be a lot of barrel aged beers, sours, bret fermented and spontaneously fermented beers coming from Nøgne Ø. This is fun and unpredictable."


NEXT WEEK---the "subtle brew" from HITACHINO

WEEK 21--BARLEY(is not) WINE--Eisbock(got no) ICE

一般人说到喝酒会觉得是在追求酒精。

特别是本身不喝的人，看到别人喝酒时会一副“唉。。喝酒不好“的表情。

本期就很浅白表面的说说两种高度酒精啤酒类别。虽说是高酒精度啤酒，一般程度还是不比烈酒那种。（虽然一些”疯狂“啤酒的酒精度也可以有过之而无不及之处）

一起尝味的撞意啤酒朋友中，有人特爱BARLEY WINE和EISBOCK，有的则不爱，也不太能受得起尝味之后的酒精作用

喝啤酒和吃东西是一样的，哪样比较合自己心意，就那样吧。

不过，对新朋友还是想说下，遇到这两种啤酒类别，记得要慢慢喝，和朋友分享喝。

Drinking beer is the same as eating, it's all about personal choices, some people like it thicker, some people like it lighter..

When it comes to "heavier" beers like Barley Wine( of course it is still 100% beer--despite the name having the "wine" word)--and also Eisbock---both are known for more intense taste, thicker body and higher abv(generally speaking).

Here in KL, the available choices for Barley Wine is a lot more than Eisbock.

Quotes:-
"the name barley wine came about with some history---that the Brits have to brew something high in alcohol to try and replace wine due to war with the French---also--that the word "wine" were used in those days to indicate High Alcohol"

"if you check both ratebeer.com or beeradvocate, the top 50 barley wine are mostly beers with more than 10% abv.."

"according to beeradvocate--there's English style & American style barley wine---but the deciding factors on final outcome of the beer depends on personal preference of a particular brewer--how thick, how intense, how much abv,,."

"If you are a believer/strict follower of "charts"---then you might like Aventinus which is rated as no.1 Eisbock on ratebeer.com"


NEXT WEEK--chit chat with KJETIL(NOGNE)

WEEK 20--of Quirkiness & Tradition--chit chat with Stu Mckinlay

搞怪和传统。（上面这张照片不细心看就会被骗了）

听起来格格不入的。

前者好像玩世不恭，后者固步自封。

一定是那样吗？

在自由发挥的撞意啤酒世界，有人专注研究传统酿法，有人天马行空一心创新，也有人结合传统和新意。

来自纽西兰的YEASTIE BOYS主创酿酒师之一Stu Mckinlay说“我们的啤酒虽然好像很搞怪，其实比想象中更加贴近传统”

This week's title kind of says it all about the beers and the boys from YEASTIE BOYS.（well, if you have not noticed anything "funny" about the FIRST PHOTO--look again)

Or at least that's the impression one would get after tasting the beers and hearing what one half of the boys--Stu Mckinlay has to say.

a confession?
"We're seen as risk takers,because of beers like Rex Attitude and Gunnamatta, but sometimes I do find myself taking a more conservative route than I wished I'd taken when I look back on things. "

"The goal is always to make a beer that I love first and foremost.  Then it's a decision about whether I have the courage to put that out there."

being quirky

"On paper our beers look way off the beaten track but, in reality, they all closer the classic styles than you'd think."

"Knowledge is our greatest asset. We've built our reputation around a very sound knowledge of traditional styles... knowing these styles, and how to go about making them, has been a key to making very drinkable and exciting award winning beers."

why like that?

"Yes. We take our beer seriously but we like to have fun and are so inspired by a variety of artists, musicians, chefs and the like that we're unlikely to start making anything too derivative of the big factory brewers. "

craft-titude

"There is a beer out there for everyone. No other beverage has as wide a range of flavour profiles"

"I liken brewing more to cooking than any other beverage as it has the same potential to create an incredible array of flavours. "

to newbie

"Open your mind... then look, taste, listen and learn.  The more you learn the more you will both understand and question"

"Some of the best tasting notes I've heard are from people who are new to craft beer - when you're fresh you're unconstrained by the set vocabulary that you come to learn as you read more."

"Don't be afraid to voice your thoughts on beer, whether you like it or not, but please be nice.  Remember that brewers are people too!"

craft-spread

"Education and exciting beer is the key in an emerging market. And, to be really successful, this needs to come from the breweries, the beer bars and the media."

"It often takes only a few key people to start the evolution.  Look what Brew Dog have done in the UK - say what you will about their beer or their brand but half of the new breweries I talked to over there said that Brew Dog had opened the door for them."

$$ matters

"It's very exciting to know that people are enjoying our beer in many different countries. I think the hardest thing to adjust to is the fact that people automatically think we are making lots of money or, at least, that we're doing it full time - Sam and I both actually have day jobs to pay all our personal bills. All the money Yeastie Boys makes goes back into growth.  This is a lot smaller business than most people think!" (Stu has gone full time recently)

looking ahead, Stu has this to say "We're only just scratching the surface of where things will go in the next 50 years."

Sort of prophecy or more like the old sayings"learn how to swim, dive in the ocean, realize how much more there's still to learn...'?

WEEK 19--Beers from the land of 'QI YI"

欧美酿酒师的撞意啤酒一直是备受饮客推崇，追捧，喜欢的。

欧美之外酿品选择，个人口味，至今尝试过的很少量纽西兰啤酒，这期介绍的三个品牌酿品类别众多，各有特色，会找到适合自己口味的瓶子。

The word "QI YI" (奇异）in Mandarin means "peculiar/strange"( it can be used in a good way).

and so ( you may have guessed it)--the Chinese word for Kiwi Fruit is 奇异果（QI YI GUO--the last Chinese character is 'fruit/s")

Of course we are not here to talk about fruits--but Kiwi brews.

Some good selection of NZ beers are available here in KL since few months ago, mostly the 3 brands mentioned in this week's newspaper column appearing either on tap or bottles.

here's a summary of this week's column"-
 "Yeastie Boys:-

Gunnamatta --if you like tea--especially Earl Grey--this is one beer that blend in the hops & tea aroma in a nice way. There's an old Chinese saying of " YI CHA DAI JIU"(以茶代酒--using Tea as replacement drink for wine to greet guests)--with this twist--is it just nice to drink tea in a beer now?

Rex Attitude--if you like peat/smoke--and prefer a light body beer--this is a peculiar but nice one.

"8 wired--probably most people know the brand from various IPA bottles they have--but this week we talk about Porter/Stout"

I-Stout--what struck me was the hint of salt at the end--interesting.

The Big Smoke--mouth feel & smell says "smoked salmon" besides dark chocolate/coffee that's usually associated with porter/stout.

"Renaissance:-

"For a barley wine which tend to be "thicker"--Tribute is balance and very drinkable"

"M.P.A. is a double ipa-- it is really hoppy for a NZ brew"

" there's many other NZ brews be it from the 3 mentioned or some other NZ brewers--one thing is for sure---when counting NZ specialties/delicacies--it would certainly be more than just Kiwi fruits & wine...."

NEXT WEEK--chit chat with STU--YEASTIE BOYS

WEEK 18--Chit Chat with JAMES WATT--The Bad Boys from Aberdeen-2/2

最近跟纽西兰YEASTIE BOYS主创酿酒师之一Stu McKinlay聊起借鉴欧美撞意啤酒文化推广本地市场的一些意见时，他认为知识和令人兴奋的酿品是最重要的， 而凝聚酿坊（包括品牌），撞意酒吧（包括瓶子专卖店）还有媒体的力量进行知识分享是绝对有帮助的。

今年初被邀请去英国一个啤酒节当嘉宾酿酒师，STU举例了“酿狗”对英国撞意啤酒文化的影响，他说“不管你对酿狗的酒或品牌（或行销方式）有什么意见，很多我聊天过的英国新晋酿酒师认同一个说法---“酿狗”的出现打开了“撞意门”。。”

一个品牌的成功必然有它的过人之处。

上期约略说了些“酿狗”的故事，今天跟品牌灵魂人物之一JAMES WATT聊聊。

From a recent chit chat with the brew master of NZ craft brew YEASTIE BOYS, Stu McKinlay--one of the things mentioned was about the way forward for craft beer scene here in South East Asia which is rather new market as compared to EUROPE/US.

Stu was invited to UK early this year to brew some beers for a beer festival, having spoken to some brewers in UK and seen first hand some of UK bar scene, he is of the opinion that the widening of craft beer culture needs.."Education and exciting beer is the key in an emerging market. And, to be really successful, this needs to come from the breweries, the beer bars and the media. It often takes only a few key people to start the evolution.  Look what Brew Dog have done in the UK - say what you will about their beer or their brand but half of the new breweries I talked to over there said that Brew Dog had opened the door for them."

Last week's column touched on some of the "labels" associated with Brewdog, today is a little chit chat with JAMES WATT, one half of the men behind(more like in front?) of Brewdog.

HERE's the full text :-
Q:- after almost 7 years from when you started, is brewing beer still a fun thing?
JAMES:-Absolutely, we wouldn’t be here if we weren’t having fun. We set out to push the limits on people’s conceptualization of beer, and as far as we are concerned, there is no end to those limits. We're always innovating and experimenting and that’s where we get most of our fun from. The great feedback we receive from our long term fans, and new craft beer converts gives us the motivation to keep going. 

Q:-you guys are well known for some crazy beers, having had some fun doing that over the years---between a crazy beer & a session beer--what would be your choice now?
JAMES:-Our guiding principle is we make beers that we’d love to drink. If we love it, others will too. It's working for us so far!

Q:-any particular beer style as focal point in the next 1-2 years?
JAMES:-No. Experimentation and limitless opportunities are what we go for.

Q:-what were perhaps some bigger challenges along the way? 
JAMES:-Transporting large fermentation tanks up to Northern Scotland does pose a set of logistical challenges.

A challenge perhaps, and one I think we’ve successfully overcome, is getting craft beer into the hands of more people. When we started off in 2007, many may have brushed aside the craft beer scene as a fad, or a sub-culture that was doomed to eternally remain on the margins. Today, the craft beer landscape in the UK is a fruitful, exciting and burgeoning one full of incredibly eclectic brewers and their beers. It's a totally different outlook, and one we are insanely proud to be a part of,

Q:-is there a set target to brew some new beers within a given time frame?

JAMES:-We don't limit or set targets for ideas, we continuously coming up with new concepts for beers. Ideas can come to you in the most peculiar places. 

Q:-the next 1-2 years, can we expect some collaboration brews with the US breweries?

JAMES:- Absolutely. You’ll be able to see what we’ve been up to stateside on the new series of BrewDogs!  (counted as commercial time?)

Q:-some drinkers have love-hate emotions with Brewdog(oh, seems going to US to make TV shows are more important now, oh..the beers are getting more pricey now...)--what do you say to this?

JAMES:-Give them a glass of one of ours beers and ask them to judge us by what is in the glass, not outside of it. It's what we live and die by, and it's the reason we exist.

Q:-your take on Asia's craft beer scene?

JAMES:-There’s definitely a thirst for craft beers, and it’s growing considerably year by year. The fake BrewDog bar in China I guess, is a weird validation of this point. Tokyo in particular is big on craft beer, and we’re glad to be able to be part of the scene in Japan!

There’s also a vibrant craft beer scene in Singapore- a few bottle shops and restaurants are doing their best to resist the dominance of monolithic lagers. BrewDog Singapore next? Who knows…

Q:-we get Brewdog beers here in KL, any words to your fans?JAMES:- Love hops and live the dream  ( one could say this is commercial time or just reinforcing the faith)

Q:-any words to first time craft drinkers?

JAMES:-Welcome to our world. Enjoy your stay.

Q:- and to those who are unwilling to try new things such as craft?

JAMES:-“Here, drink this” (and pass them a glass of Punk IPA)--( this one is definitely counted as commercial time....:)

BELOW A BIT MORE that's not included in the newspaper weekly column:-

The first Brewdog bar in Asia was in China( of course we read  about your open letter to whoever did that)....ok...in Roppongi, Tokyo....can we expect more Brewdog bar in other Asia cities any sooner? and if yes...possible to disclose where and when?

JAMES:-At the moment, we can’t disclose where. But rest assured, we’re still scouting, and should be able to provide an announcement toward the end of the year.

For a Brewdog bar in Asia, the guest list on taps( and  bottle list)...is it purely the decision of the local bar owner or Brewdog would insist on certain combination/rules? ( if this is not too sensitive an information to disclose)

JAMES:-All our international bars have 50% of their taps pouring BrewDog at any one time, and the other 50% are dedicated to amazing guest breweries' beers. The managers have discretion over what beers they buy in, but we have an international bars manager (our resident Mr World) who oversees this to check out what they're offering. It's a great way to discover new breweries local to these regions!

NEXT WEEK---BEERS FROM THE LAND OF "QI YI"(perculiar)