WEEK 144----finding own beers(the early years)---PART 3

While beer is to many " just beer"--it is common among geeks to go through hassles seeking out beers in more ways than a common beer drinker can imagine---be it in America or Europe--there are people who are willing to go the distance in the name of seeking out brews which one simply cannot find locally--and the same happened( and still happening) here in craft desert KL with a few of us geeks who have grown tired of limited variants/selections available locally.

外求啤酒这回事，放在全世界有啤迷的地方可以说都是一样会发生的现象，CraftBeer小量酿造还有不同酿坊分布全球各个不同城市乡镇的特色，意味着就算是住在有那么多精彩酿坊的美国啤迷也需要不同州不同城之间或互换或托人帮忙买入，当然也有外求到欧洲的情况发生。

因为那样，身为啤迷又住在吉隆坡这样的沙漠，会在几年前开始向亚洲其他城市还有欧美啤迷外求自己想喝但本地市场不可能出现的啤酒是很顺理成章的事，虽然有时候要面对比如啤酒邮寄箱子扣在关税局然后要跟不懂为什么啤酒可以有那么多不同瓶子贴纸不同类型风格的官员们解释一轮再面对不合理的税务算法等等麻烦事，可以在本地喝到自己外求的精彩佳酿还是件蛮爽的事。

这篇虽算是回顾完结篇，但其实只聊了很小部分这些年外求得来佳酿，个人感受，如果你是在自己城市喝到欲求不满想进一步提升味蕾享受，外求是个好选项。

here's a look at what were some of the nice brews either drank overseas or landed here in KL--- be it through self help or help from overseas geeks/friends:-

1) 3fonteinen Oude Kriek

a sour one with sour cherries---that's the initial idea when i first had my first ever kriek at a bar in the land of Lambic---if you have yet to taste your first kriek or have doubts about this type of sour cherries beer---rest assure that it is not just about in your face sourness---there's a whole lot more going on once your palate settle down from the initial sour sensations.....

个人喝到的第一支顶级Kriek作品，所有爱上天然发酵果酸啤酒的啤迷都知道这是酸樱桃浸泡桶陈版本，也是所有Lambic分支中酸度最高的，但不要立刻皱眉头觉得酸死人，这种水平的作品不会只有酸，而是酸得来有其他美味层次让酒味有变化。

2) The Lost Abbey Deliverance

A blended brew from their own Serpent's Stouts and barley wine creation Angel's Share---the end result is a very tasty blend--especially since the stouts itself wasn't that great---but blending both makes a great one---if we are used to 1+1=2 then this blend is definitely more than 2.

这是混合作品，酿坊把自家两款不同类型风格作品Serpent’s Stouts黑啤和Angel's Share大麦酒各一半混合而成，效果是出奇的好，特别是把原本不怎么出色的黑啤融合後提升美味层次，如果说一加一等于二，这支的混合效果绝对超过二。

3) Hillfarmstead Dorothy

The hype/fame of this brewery from Vermont means some hhave been constantly chasing their beers while some are more sceptical/critical---whatever the opinion is---there is no denying that this brewery has got some very tasty brew ranging from American pale ale to Saison to Ipa to Dark ones---if there's a list of breweries which craft lovers should seek out and try some of the brews, this one is high on that list.

Hillfarmstead的名气让不少啤迷一路追捧，也有一些啤迷觉得盛名太过，不论是迷或否，个人觉得这家的作品是必须一试的，从最被人称道的农场风格啤酒Saison到美式淡啤Pale lAe到印度淡陴Ipa到黑啤等不同风格都有精彩酿品。

4) The Rare Barrel Home Sour Home

First ever Rare Barrel beer landed here in KL courtesy of a geek friend from America---this is one which open up our expectations to more American sour beers--while at times they can be too in your face sour---this one has no such problem.

美国啤迷朋友好几年前带来本地分享，在这里出现的第一支Rare Barrel作品，在对美式酸啤接触不多情况下，这是让我们几位本地啤迷觉得对美式酸啤有更多期待的作品，虽然美式酸啤有太直白，过酸不够层次均衡度问题，但当然也酿得好的，包括这支。

5) Lone Pine Yellow Rose

This is an IPA---of course at that time the now very trendy NEIPA has not been coming out like fruits in harvesting season as yet---but the softer mouth feel and taste profile of this sort of reminding me now after a few years that it is a little bit similar to a NEIPA --a very different one compared to what was available in the local market with those hops attack focus ipas.......

类果汁印度淡陴（NEIPA)是近两年才大热起来的类型，这支并不是类果汁Ipa，不过在强调苦味印度淡陴大行其道的本地市场来说，几年前因为美国啤迷朋友带进来能喝到这款口味比较柔顺并带着水果甜香的Ipa让人感觉口味一新。

6) Fantome Sur Lie

One known for their variants of Belgium style Saison---though some would dismissed Saison as too plain/ not flavourful enough--this brewery would show those opinions are misconceptions---also one which is suitable for newer craft drinkers to seek out for.

以酿造农村风格类型啤酒（Saison)为人知的比利时酿坊，通过不同食材蔬果酿造原料应用在听起来一样的风格类型中呈现不同作品差异性，喝过这家酿坊一些作品都是水准以上，是值得新朋友外求寻找的酿坊啤酒。

7) Struise Kabert

Stumbled on this one at a bar in Tokyo---while there were some occasional limited selections of Struise to be found in KL--bumping into this one was a pleasant surprise---a blend of the ever delicious Black Albert and the no longer in production Kate the Great from an American brewery--then aged in port barrel---this is a luscious one with the goodness of barrel/dark fruits/dark chocolate/coffee....only issue is hard to find one now since it's no longer in production.

在东京一家酒吧巧遇的比利时酿坊桶陈混合作品，以自家名作黑啤Black Albert为基础加入另一家美国酿坊的传奇黑啤Kate The Great混合後入波特酒桶陈放，喜欢比较浓郁带黑巧克力咖啡黑色果实美味黑啤的会喜欢这样风格的桶陈作品，问题是这支已停产，要找有难度。

8) New Glarus Strawberry Rhubarb

Undoubtedly the most amazing fruits beer we have had here in KL--while the general perception about fruit beer would most likely be "refreshing" or "watery"---this one is packed full of jammy fresh strawberry jam goodness--it's almost like chewing on a "jam beer" if there's such a term--absolutely delicious.

无可置疑至今喝过最让人惊艳的“鲜美果酱” 啤酒，如果说一般观念会觉得水果啤酒大致会比较清爽或“水水”的，这支酿品完全打破那种看法，喝起来就像品嚐着鲜香草莓果酱，酸甜兼具，酒体厚实，绝对好喝。

9) The Bruery Weekday Series (& white/dark chocolate)

The famous big beers from the California brewery famous with the label saying the obvious  "contains alcohol"---of all 5 the most famous one is Black Tuesday---some of us here first tasted this famous series of brew when a stranger turned friend American geek came in with 2 suitcases full of nice beers for a two days "salvation/enlightening" bottle share---it was one hell of a share---definitely a landmark moment in the relatively quiet( in fact non-existing then and still almost non-existing now) KL's bottle share history.

美国加州酿坊The Bruery的“含有酒精”周日系列和黑白巧克力作品，五款中最具盛名的是黑色星期二（Black Tuesday)，第一次接触到这几支盛名酿品是几年前当美国啤迷朋友来吉隆坡公干时带了两个行李箱的精彩啤酒来“拯救”活在沙漠的我们，分开两天进行的瓶子分享会让当时的味蕾震撼至今记忆犹新。

WEEK 143---Finding own beers(the early years)---PART 2

One of the quicker( and perhaps the best way) for craft drinkers to improve palate appreciation ability is to sample as many varieties of really well made beers not just in terms of different breweries but also of different beer styles--only by drinking/tasting one would know how a beer taste like---and that's exactly what few of us here in craft desert KL did few years back---seeking out some really good beers not available locally by ourselves.

如果说啤迷提升自身味蕾鉴赏力的其中一个最有效方法是在力所能及范围内尽量多尝试不同类型风格佳酿，应该有不少啤迷会同意这个观点。

和本地几位啤迷朋友几年前开始向外寻求佳酿的原动力很简单，因为本地乏善可陈的选择意味着外求是唯一方法，本期继续来看看这几年通过海外啤迷朋友帮忙或自己出行是碰到什么喝了什么比较精彩的：-

Part 2 of seeking own beers continues with some of the early years good ones:-

1) Omnipollo x Buxton Yellow Belly

This is one hell of a beer--full of peanut butter goodness yet there's no usage of actual peanut butter when brewing---how they achieved such depth /flavours is quite mind blowing---the label/packaging using a paper bag in the shape of the infamous Ku Klux Klan mask is not a play--but a message about racial harmony--anti racism---who says beer drinking is all about the moon and stars or simply to get wasted?

瑞典和英国品牌合酿，喝过的人没有不惊艳的，满满花生酱香气但酿酒过程中一点花生酱都没加的好喝黑啤，充份体现了酿酒功力和趣味性，瓶子包装以旧时美国种族仇恨团体3K党蒙头布设计带出反歧视反种族主义讯息，谁说酒只是风花雪月醉生梦死？

2) The Kernel Table Beer

The name says it ---a low abv easy drinking beer which is suitable for the dining table---to some "heavier" beer styles drinkers( stouts/ ipa)--a table beer would often got brushed aside as something too light/ too simple to notice---some felt it "taste like water"---but if there are moments when we thought water is the best thing in the world---same goes for a table beer which of course has more layer/depth than plain water.

“桌子酒”字面上意思是上得了餐桌的啤酒，因为低度易喝所以连一家大小吃饭时间也摆得上餐桌，这样浅显易喝的啤酒有时候会被喜欢喝较重口味款式啤酒的忽略，觉得“淡如水”有什么好喝的，但恰恰就是那样才需要细味品嚐，如果说某个时候会觉得清水是世上最好喝，table beer更加可以是那样。

3) BFM Biere De Garde

Swiss are not known for their beers--but this brewery is certainly a good one to note---known for their farmhouse/saison style of beers---suitable for newer drinkers seeking to up their palate level in that their beers comes with depth yet it is not too complex to understand---always a good one to have regardless if one is a geek or newer drinker.....

瑞士并不以啤酒为人知，不过对啤迷来说这家瑞士酿坊农村风格和其他类似风格作品是备受认可的，酿品具备一定层次但也不至于复杂到会让新朋友喝不出所以然，是能让新朋友提升味蕾实力的选酒，具备易喝性但也有一定层次。

4) Alesmith Wee Heavy

My understanding at that time is that this is a "Scottish style" barley wine-- thicker body with more roasted/caramel flavours coming through the dark fruits---as the name suggested--a little heavy one good for sharing with two or three friends.

美国酿坊的苏格兰风格啤酒(scotch ale)，风味接近英式大麦酒（barley wine)但具备比较厚实的麦芽香，焦糖和黑色果实风味，wee heavy字面上意思显示这是酒精度稍高的类型，适合和朋友共享小酌细味品饮。

5) The Bruery Sucre

Anniversary blended big beer from the brewery famous with a label saying " contains alcohol"---obviously this slightly sweeter brew packs quite some alcohol power---found this in a bottle shop in Tokyo and shared here in KL with some guys--which eventually started the idea of forming "the KLtastinggroup."

加州盛名酿坊的六周年庆典作品，混合多款自家不同风格不同年份啤酒桶陈提味，是需要慢慢喝细细嚐的高酒精度作品，这类高酒精较浓郁啤酒适合三五好友分享慢喝，这支几年前在东京瓶子店找到的酒是在本地和几位酒友分享，当时来说，是属于让人惊艳的一支。

6) Grassroots Artic Saison

The alter-ego of Hillfamrstead---this one is a collab brew with Anchorage brewery in Alaska(still remember that LoveBuzz saison)---while some might think of saison as "simple beer"--it is also true that at times the most "simple" a dish/beer seems to be---there's a high level of skills/focus involved to make it right---this one is certainly a nice one.

世上最佳酿坊Hillfarmstead的分身品牌合酿作品，玩的是拿手的农村风格易喝型啤酒。有人说过，最简单的菜式越需要一定功力才能做好，啤酒也一样，Saison虽被一些喝酒人觉得平平无奇，但酿得好的绝对会好喝，层次中显见功力。

7) Toppling Goliath Psuedo Sue

The importance of FRESHNESS is often overlook/not known to some newbies drinking hops forward beer styles such as pale ale/ ipa and such----the scenario of people paying good money for stale beers is quite common here in Asia including KL---it is why seeking out a really fresh good brew of pale ale/ipa( say not more than a month old) is important if one is to understand what are the true flavours of a really nice pale ale/ipa---this particular one is a good one to seek out.

在本地喝以啤酒花特性为主轴类型啤酒比如Ipa比如pale ale可说是有时候会误导新朋友的习题，这类啤酒需要越新鲜越好喝特质，但在本地喝会有运输报税通关等时间关卡问题意味着喝到的基本已过了最佳状态，因为那样，个人很鼓励新朋友要试着自己寻找装罐/装瓶日期不超过一个月的新鲜啤酒试试，同时也要找一些指标性作品，比如这款。

8) Fifty Fifty Eclipse tasting

The first time trying out this rainbow colors stouts from fifty/fifty was at Mikkeller Bangkok during a pairing dinner at Upstairs( back when they were still new with of course no Michelin stars)---there were 7 of them---the two best ones on that evening were Elijah Craig and Java Coffee variants.

第一次喝到这家美国酿坊同款但加入不同食材浸泡不同酒类木桶黑啤是在曼谷米吧一次啤酒美食搭配活动，一共7款黑啤一字排开，以平行方式逐个品饮，个人感觉其中的Elijah Craig木桶款和Coffee Java咖啡豆两款最对味。

9) Hair of the Dog Adam

A good old old ale---quite thick /deep with dark fruits goodness when had the first time at a bar in Tokyo---same goodness after that having tried a few more times since---a slightly heavy one but quite manageable if one were to share with another one or two since it's in a smaller size bottle than their usually 750ml American counterparts.

美国加州小酿坊的镇店之作，深沉的旧式黑啤（old ale)中满满是黑色果实美味，从几年前开始第一次喝到之后陆陆续续再喝过几次，虽说可能味蕾选择有随着时间改进，每次喝到这款酒好印象还是保持，对寻求进阶版啤酒新朋友来说会是不错的选择。