This is a question asked by a newbie sometime ago--what triggered was -" i have people i know which do not know what's the different between Macro Beer and craft beer---also many don't understand what's the fuss about drinking craft..."
这是不久前跟朋友聊天时候蹦出来的问题，会有这个问题的诱因是刚接触craft beer不久的朋友觉得 ”身边有好些人不知道怎么看待喝大厂啤酒和craft beer之间区别，也不知喝craft beer有什么特别”。
”本地是不是有craft
beer文化”是个相当有趣的问题，因为从某个角度来看本地缺乏文化推广其中一个重要元素，但要是因为那样就说这里没有craft beer文化听起来也不对。
Do we have craft beer culture here in Malaysia? this is quite an interesting question---it is clear that we DO NOT have 1 of the 2 crucial criteria essential for organic formation of an active craft community---but to say we do not have craft culture here basing on that factor is not right either.
So what exactly is Craft Culture? well there is no standard explanation or say any stated rules or regulations on this---it's pretty much open up for discussions/ interpretations---people may have his/her own version of what craft culture is all about---for me personally--from the viewpoint of a drinker---craft culture is about choosing to drink better/delicious beer, it's about sharing with like-minded geeks, and it's also about sharing experiences....
“什么是craft beer文化”这件事并没有明文规定，很大程度上也很可能不同人大家各执一词，个人来说，以最简单的喝酒人层面来看的话，craft beer文化就是提倡要选择喝美味的啤酒，同时也提倡跟同好分享好酒，还有就是跟有缘人分享经验心得。
If we take a look at the US/Europe craft development so far---it is clear that in order to have an active craft community there are TWO crucial factors(among others) always in play---No.1 is the existence of exciting local breweries( even if it's Gypsy brewing)--and No.2 is what's available overall in the local scene, i.e. what kind of beers can one get at his/her local craft beer bar/s or bottle shop/s......After all beer is about actually drinking it--no amount of paper study/web study without actually drinking will get you anywhere.
如果以craft beer文化发展最蓬勃的欧美地区过往至今经验来看，要让任何城镇有活跃craft beer社区出现的最首要条件离不开两件事，一是要有精彩的在地酿坊作品，另一是整体来说市场上有什么样的酒可以喝。毕竟喝酒不是纸上谈兵能理解的事，酒当然是要喝过才有机会了解什么是什么。
在马来西亚，第一个条件是不存在的，因为本地至今完全没有在地craft beer酿坊，而且看起来很久的将来也不会有，国情关系在本地就算只是玩自酿（home brew）也是犯法的事，更不用说需要政府特别批准执照的啤酒酿坊。(*政府至今给予生产准证的只有两家大厂啤酒，这跟在地小型酿造craft beer完全没半点关系）
In Malaysia--criteria No.1 sadly does not exists at all(and very likely never will be) since even home brewing is ILLEGAL here--this is a country with very high taxes on alcoholic beverages--and there is currently only 2 licenses given to 2 rival MACRO BEER breweries---to say Malaysia will change it's laws/policies to allow for small craft beer breweries is quite akin to sun rising the other side......
So with NO local breweries--the local scene in Malaysia is all about imported craft beers---unlike some other Asian places such as Japan-Hong Kong-Taiwan-Singapore-Vietnam-China and so on where some freshly brewed beers can be had---here in Malaysia with all things depending on how beers were handled as well how much time needed to clear custom prior to showing up at bars/bottle shop---the option is comparatively limited especially in terms of really fresh ipa/pale ale....
相比拥有数量繁多在地酿坊的欧美城镇或相对少很多但至少有一些的亚洲其他地区比如日本香港台湾新加坡越南中国等等，没有在地酿坊的大马只能依靠进口啤酒满足市场需求，这意味着本地craft beer市场完全只能依靠进口商货源形成，换句话说，本地喝酒人最初对craft beer的认识和个人口味塑造很大可能就是以喝到过什么样的啤酒为根本依据，排开自己到其他海外城市喝机会的话，本地刚开始接触craft beer的新朋友只能靠市场上的啤酒供应逐步形成自己最初的味蕾认知。
回望过去八九年来本地市场供应发展，以能在市场上看到买到喝到的不同品牌酿坊作品来说是比之前有了更多选择，不同类型风格啤酒选择方面也有了些改善，但如果单以酒的质素高低而言，碍于时间因素或政府对进口啤酒高税务政策或craft beer相对来说是小众生意等客观因素影响，相比其他亚洲城市选择的话，本地市场上能找到的高素质啤酒并不多，这情况在强调啤酒花鲜香表现的IPA和PALE ALE类型啤酒方面更是突出，因为那样一些还没喝过欧美酿坊真正新鲜好喝IPA的本地饮客会把已经过期变成只剩老化麦芽啤酒花死气沉沉IPA当成“正常应有风味表现”的情况其实并不出奇，这也是craft beer文化还不够普及的表象之一。（举个很马来西亚例子，吃榴莲的人都知道，一旦榴莲变得水水的话，当然就是早已过了最佳赏味期表现，懂的人都不会觉得水水的榴莲是“正常表现”）
Looking back---compared to say 8-9 years ago--the local scene now is better in terms of availability of more brands, as well also showing some improvements in terms of availability on varieties of beer styles----however--the thing is that we are still lacking in terms of quality--in terms of what's available overall in the market--we surely still do not see much of top notch choices likely available in other Asian cities---one clear examples is the fact that quite many local craft beer drinkers/newbies would think " dead water of hops & malts" in an way past it's best IPA is "normal" or " that's how an IPA should taste like"---this is partly the problem of not having any exciting local breweries which can at least provide really fresh IPAs---as well the signs of lacking in craft beer culture locally.
( ** a very Malaysian scenario pertaining to freshness---anyone who like to eat DURIAN will know immediately that if a durian is watery--then it's already way past it's best--no one would think that it's " normal" or " how it should taste like"---sadly that "automatic" common knowledge is not showing when it comes to drinking past it's best hops focus beers such as IPAs or pale ale)
市场上能喝到什么酒很重要，但推广craft beer文化的“任务”当然不是只局限于进口商专卖吧和瓶子店，一个活跃的craft beer社区会出现比如啤迷之间自己组织的瓶子分享会，或者说一些大大小小不同类型的啤酒节庆活动，又或是关于啤酒正确知识的讲解分享会之类不只是啤酒业者业务推广需要之外的自发性活动。
有鉴于政策和所谓国情关系影响，自从几年前的一个小型啤酒节庆活动被无耻政棍借题发挥变成全国版新闻闹剧之後，本地的纯粹craft beer啤酒节庆活动基本是死水一滩，其他类型的啤迷自主活动也很少见，实际上推广craft beer文化这件事很大程度上需要多方面配合，从当局政策到进口商到专卖吧/瓶子店到喝酒人甚至媒体等等，大家的态度都会不同程度的影响到craft文化发展，至今为止的种种迹象显示，要在本地这片craft beer沙漠中看到灿烂花开景象并不太乐观，在市场经营者寥寥无几状况下，本地市场从八九年前的小小星火一路摸索发展至今已是很不容易，从现实面来看，整体来说本地craft文化推广在很多方面还有很长的路要走。
To have people actively promoting craft culture is essential to seeing an active craft community--this is not just the "responsibilities' of craft beer importer or bars/bottle shop operators--the key to that is to have also geeks/ drinkers/ even the media to come into play---activities such as beer festivals/ events/ or say individuals small scale bottle sharing session to talks/experiences sharing session to spread some correct ideas about craft beer for newbies and such would go a long way to help spread the love....
In a nutshell---things in Malaysia is a bit complicated due to Gov's policy/unfriendly attitude towards alcoholic beverages---for examples the beer festival factor is quite in the dead locally ever since a few shameless "politicians" banned and turned a small scale craft beer festivals few years ago into National news circus( you can read it here and here)---with no local craft beer festivals---and with not much geeks activated activities---there is not much going on locally. With Government policy very unlikely to turn friendly--and the fact that craft beer is seen as very minority game with only a hand full of importers/bars/bottle shop operators---it's not been an easy journey for the local craft beer scene from the beginning---going forward it's still a long long way for craft culture to grow here in Malaysia.