WEEK 217---Bangkok Beer Trip 2024

 

It's been quite a long while since the last visit to Bangkok, in a small way was waiting for Mikkeller Bangkok to annouce the date for their 10th anniversary event since late last year as it's more interesting to fly in knowing there's an event happening during my visit.

一月底睽违四年後去了趟曼谷，诱因之一是过去多年来一直是亚洲重要craft beer吧的米吧（Mikkeller Bangkok)十周年庆活动，另一个诱因是单纯想去曼谷吃喝走走看看，相比十年前完全冲着活动/选酒第一次去米吧心态，这次更多的是为了曼谷这个城市而去。

And so it happened late January--it was a long awaited trip back in Bangkok though this time around going craft beer bar visiting is still what i enjoy doing but no longer at the pace or urge when i first visited many years ago. This time around it was very chill/leisurely. While almost everytime i would always have my first beer at Mikkeller Bangkok, this time around during the 5 days trip actually visited a few other places first then only went on their 10th anniversary event day for a couple of hours. 

so here's the few places I went to( plus a few which i did not ) :

Mikkeller Bangkok

It's been known among my geek friends circle that I do have high regards for Mikkeller Bangkok since the day they started some 10 years ago--with it''s very relax setting in an old bunglow with a garden--and most importantly consistent flown in of some highly regarded USA-European breweries over the years(a few actually First in Asia)--this is undoubtedly 1 of the best craft beer bars in Asia for a longtime. 

And so when the tap list for their 10th anniversary was announced--it was a bit of a head scratching one to some including myself as the list is so "RETRO" there was a lot of beers from yesteryears. While there maybe a play of retro feels from the bar since it's a 10th year annivesary do--personally i would have expected a very different list with some newer/ intrend/hyped breweries + classics to better showcase the selection style of this bar since day 1.

The annoucement of Carlsberg being a shareholder of Mikkeller in Copenhagen did not stop me from flying out to Bangkok for the event as I have my respect for what this bar has done over the years--but seeing tap list for the day did brought about mixed feelings--not really sure how the changes in ownership back in Copenhagen would impact this Bangkok bar but i sure hope they will continue on the right track as they have done over the years and celebrate the 11th anniversary with a tap list that's in line with what they have done--leading the way with nice selection of new and exciting breweries + some solid classics come next year.

一直以来，米吧是以往每次到曼谷当天就会去报到的第一家craft beer吧，不过这次情况有了变化，只在抵达曼谷好几天之后庆典活动当天傍晚去了一会儿，主要是去和之前认识的一些曼谷啤迷朋友打打招呼，以往30个啤酒泵选择可以逗留半天然后连续去两三天的情况已不复在。

是什么改变了？ 首先是在出发去曼谷前几天，哥本哈根米吧总部官方宣布已经跟丹麦国际大厂啤酒C牌联手合作，大厂公司会持有Mikkeller 20%股权，消息一出啤迷反应可想而知，从一开始就摆出叛逆不妥协要跟大厂啤酒作对的姿态到如今跟C牌大厂啤酒携手，虽说商业决定上一点都不关啤迷半毛事，但品牌赖以成长的craft beer文化精神层面来说，不少啤迷会觉得失望或品牌丢弃了一直以来的信仰是可以理解的。

再来是曼谷米吧十年庆的酒单选择“复古”到让有些年资的啤迷傻眼，因为绝大部份选酒都是N年前的酒单，是那种会让之前一直支持曼谷米吧的资深啤迷一看就觉得有点摸不着头脑的选酒，以曼谷米吧之前作风来看十周年庆应该是很与时并进的强强联手式酒单，然而这次摆出来的酒单阵容真的让人失望之余也希望多年来一直是个人心目中亚洲最佳专卖吧之一的曼谷米吧今后不会偏离轨道。

Duke of Beerington

Already heard of this place for a long while but never visited so decided to finally make a trip to Tonglo area for a visit--it's not far from BTSstation if that's how you like to travel in Bangkok--and actually quite close(opposite road) from the famous eatery 55 Pochana--as well the famous mango sticky rice shop Mae Varee--nice options to fill up stomach first before drinking.

This is a small bottle shop bar located at the lobby area of an apartment slightly hidden inside an open space from the main road--not hard to find at all though i did missed the spot on first try....

As with the trend in Bangkok in recent years--this place has imported breweries as well Thai craft beer selections--small tap plus fridge selection here--ower is a guy who lived and worked in Europe before so communictaion in English is no problem at all--a geek himself which makes it even easier to talk beer with.

In fact decided to share a bottle of Hidden Gems 1st test batch smoked porter (brewed in Hong Kong and hand carried by a geek friend to pass me in Bangkok) on my second visit with the owner and craft drinkers around the bar at that time.

位于ThongLo区BTS站不远处一栋公寓楼下的小小酒吧/瓶子店，选酒方面有泰国本土酿坊加一些进口选择。

店主是在国外生活过的泰国人所以英语沟通完全没问题，对啤迷来说重点是他本身也是啤迷所以啤酒语言也不会有障碍，也因为啤酒语言相同所以第二次再访时决定把香港啤迷朋友带来曼谷的赠酒带去跟店主及在场的酒友分享。

要是有去这家，顺便说下小酒吧附近有好吃的热炒店以及盛名芒果糯米饭专卖店。

Tai Soon Bar

Saw this bar when i was browsing through what other bars not known to me prior to flying out and decided to go for a visit. This is a bar already well known among those who look for "instagramable" places to visit.  

It's located at the old part of Bangkok(1 MRT station away from China Town)--an area which i have never been to--and was pleasantly surprised with the ambience and look & feel of the area--it's distinctly different from the down town area of Bangkok especially if you almost always hang out around Siam Pragon/Central World to say Thonglo area,.

The bar is housed in an old shophouse--the eye catching reds stood out--as well the decor giving out this obvious "come take picture" vibe. Tap selection is around 21 with mix of Thai brew & imported ones plus few fridges slightly on the inside.

Fairly busy evening for the bar when visited but overall the mood and vibe was relax and chill, a nice looking bar to visit should you be aroud the old area of Bangkok.

对喜欢打卡的网红或旅客来说，这家位于曼谷旧区（跟中国城隔一地铁站距离）开在一间旧式店屋的酒吧早已因为很适合拍照打卡的室内设计装潢广为人知，这次出发前网上查找偶然发现于是决定去看看。

实际进到店里感觉跟网上看到的没差，确实是拍好看照片/打卡的地方，酒单方面十多个啤酒泵上大多数是泰国本土作品加进口选择，离酒吧不远处的几个冰柜也一样。

Side note:

Hair of the Dog

Did went to say hi to the guys i know--this is 1 of early years craft beer bars still going strong. Known for their slightly quirky way of bar decoration with surgical light--Unlike when first started the selection now is mix of imported ones + Thai craft beer since this has been the trend.

上述三家之外，也去了曼谷较早期就开业的craft beer吧之一Hair of The Dog跟认识的人打打招呼。这里选酒以入口酿坊啤酒选择为主，不过随着近些年泰国本土酿酒师的出现，酒吧也有一些泰国本土作品可选。

Recommended or Thought of but did not go:

朋友推荐或之前已知但没去：-

People's United Brewing

this is a place run by a few Thai Brewers hence the name united--selection wise im told it's all Thai brew--location wise it's not too far from the Tourist familiar Chatuchak market( of course you do need to hail a taxi or call a Grab to reach).

这之外，其实也有其他曼谷啤迷朋友介绍的其他酒吧，比如位于游客很爱的恰图恰市场方向专攻泰国本土啤酒的People's United Brewing。

Dock 13

this is a bar with a same owner restaurant next to it and best known for river view in the evening--again did not go since im too casual/leisure to want to go slightly out of town center for a beer and river view by myself.

还有位于城市另一头能看到傍晚河景的13号码头酒吧（Dock 13)不过都因为个人过于随心而动或比较慵懒不想去感觉离市中心比较远的地区找酒喝所以都没去到

Chit Beer

To some if not many Thai craft beer lover--this is the place that slowly started the trend of filling up taps in Thai craft beer bars with local brews--yes again did not go since it's slightly out of the way--though they now have another place called Chit Hole which is closer to town area.

可说是泰国本土早期萌芽的推动据点，也是因为自己懒所以没去到，不过这间原点之外也开了另一家算是比较靠近城里的新酒吧。

Baan Dok Kaew House Bar

Located at Ari--this Thai brew focus bar is housed in an  two-story old house--and even with urban legend strories to go with according to some--10taps + fridge selection is what you get.

位于据说是不少文青喜欢去打卡的ARI区， 是以泰国本土作品为重点的酒吧，开在一间旧房子中，10个啤酒泵加冰柜选择。

WEEK 216---2023 Most Memorable Beer List--- by Neil(Tokyo)

 

2023 is already in the past, as usual with this blog there shall be a few list from invited beer geek friends & myself just to remember what were some of the more memorable ones from last year.

一年很快过去，照例会有来自啤迷朋友以及本人的去年最有印象酒单，今年只有来自东京和香港的啤迷朋友酒单，先由东京的英国啤迷朋友NEIL酒单打头阵。

This year there will be 2 list from geek friends plus my own--to kick start with the list--here's a list from my Tokyo Beer Drinker website friend Neil--English by the man himself--Chinese transcript by me.

Japanese beers

Hop Kotan - Hure

Green Neighbors - Japanese Apricot - Prototype 

#GNO15

Cycad - Potaro Salted Caramel

Once again, I spent most of the year in Japan. Although we’re back to normal when it comes to being able to travel, the pandemic and other world events have meant that the prices of plane tickets in Japan are now about twice as much as they were a few years ago. Therefore, I’m not traveling out of Japan as much. 

Japanese highlights this year included Hop Kotan’s Hure, a fruited sour made with grapes lees. It was lovely, as was the white wine version they also made, but the red was just a bit more lovely.

Green Neighbors is a new cidery based in Tohoku near Morioka and they are making some very nice ciders with a variety of fruits. I really enjoyed their cider made with Japanese Apricot, (ume, sometimes called plum, I have no idea what it actually should be called to be honest), but out of the twenty or so different ciders I’ve had by them, there are only a few that I would say aren’t delicious. So they’re definitely worth checking out. 

Finally, my favourite bar now has a brewery called Cycad. Most of their beers are New England IPAs, which really doesn’t work for me, but their salted caramel porter was really nice and had loads of flavour for the relatively low strength. Potaro is a series of different kinds of porters. There’s been a new one released with salted vanilla which I haven’t tried yet and I’m looking forward to seeing what else they are going to salt and put in a porter in the future.

日本在地啤酒

去年NEIL大部分时间都身在日本，因为疫情导致的机票价格飙升所以去年除了年初和年底回去英国过节基本没出去。

去年有印象的酒如下：

忽布古丹酿造Hure是一款果酸啤酒，使用葡萄酒渣，有白葡萄酒版本，也有红的，相较之下NEIL个人比较喜欢红葡萄酒版本。

来自东北岩手县的苹果酒酿坊“緑の隣人”是后起之秀，使用不同水果酿造，NEIL试过大概20款不同作品，其中以梅子入酒的作品最对味，值得一提的是其他作品也绝大多数具备一定水平。

再来就是NEIL经常去的酒吧有公园来自CYCAD酿坊（个人去年到访東京时有去过靠近池袋的品饮室）作品，虽然大多数都是类果汁IPA所以不对口味，但其中一款海盐焦糖黑啤让NEIL刮目相看，低酒精但风味十足。

British beers

Siren - Static Charge

Kernel - Biere de Saison Sabro

I spent some time in the UK at the start and end of 2023. There seems to be a ridiculous amount of new breweries there, some of which I tried, but to be honest, the best beers from those trips were from old favourite breweries of mine. 

Siren’s Static Charge was an amber saison ‘aged on pomace of pressed grapes and fruit’. I don’t know what that means but it was very nice and very welcome as it seems that recently most of SIren’s newly released beers have not really been in my favourite styles. 

Kernel’s Biere de Saison series beers are always amazing as far as I’m concerned. I could have chosen the sour cherry version which was lovely, but I think the Sabro version really stood out for me. I like Sabro hops for their weirdness and I think they really worked in this oaky and sour beer. Lovely!

英国啤酒

去年初和年底NEIL都在英国渡过，也发现数量相当惊人的新酿坊，不过NEIL感觉最有印象的两款都来自旧相识酿坊：-

Siren Static Charge是一款琥珀色农场风格啤酒,以葡萄果渣入酒,在众多酿坊新酒都不是对味情况下, 这款的确相对好喝.

Kernel Biere de Saison Sabro 对NEIL来说这家酿坊的农场风格啤酒系列一直都是高水准作品，虽然NEIL也喜欢酸樱桃版本不过觉得SABRO啤酒花的“怪味”更能衬托出作品的木桶和酸味表现。

Some other stuff

Godspeed - Bůh Originální Ležák

Brasserie de la Senne - Saison de la Senne

Recently, we’ve been getting a lot of lovely Godspeed beers imported to Japan which is a really welcome thing for me. I like Godspeed’s lagers the most and am really happy that recently lots of breweries are taking a bit more care over the way they make lagers. I can’t really explain what the differences in taste are as they are always subtle, but it’s very obvious when you have a delicious lager and very obvious when you have one that’s made by someone who isn’t an expert at making them. Godspeed is naturally very much in the former category. 

Brasserie de la Senne has long been one of my favourite breweries and I really should seek out their beers more in Tokyo. Of course they are a lot cheaper in Belgium, but they’re definitely worth paying the extra for in Japan. Saison de la Senne is a strange one, as I bought a bottle of it in Tokyo and it’s still in my fridge. When I visited Belgium late in 2023 I tried it at the new De La Senne taproom and it was amazing so I was delighted when I got home and confirmed that I can try it again.

其他选酒

Godspeed - Bůh Originální Ležák--日本不久前开始出现Godspeed进口不同类型作品,, NEIL相当喜欢这家酿坊的浅啤 LAGER，虽然感觉LAGER都是浅白易喝类型，但是喝到不擅长酿造这类酒其他酿坊作品时会很快察觉不对味，对NEIL来说Godspeed是个中高手。

Brasserie de la Senne - Saison de la Senne-无可置疑的比利时高手

酿坊之一，作为比利时啤酒的爱好者，也大概每年都会去趟比利时品酒旅，虽然因为进口运输等因素明显的東京价格会比较贵，但不久前在比利时这家酿坊品饮室喝了新鲜作品後，NEIL觉得今后应该要在日本多点找这家的酒， 更妙的是之前有买了放在家里冰柜一段时日，比利时喝了之后想到回日本也有同款啤酒喝有点爽。