WEEK 244--2025 Most Memorable Beer & Mead List (by ct)--Part 1/2

2025 went past rather quickly--looking back it was a solid year in terms of beer & mead tasted--met with the KL tasting group guys for either very small or fuller scale share slightly more frequently than past few years--did went to Tokyo to see most of my geek friends there as well did bottle share--so can't complaint much though would have love to do 1 or 2 more Asia cities trips but with very limited travelling budget--just have to be contented with at least being able to do Tokyo.

进入新一年，回看过去十二个月分享会次数可说是近年比较数得上的，2025年新春以及年底圣诞都有跟特定几位本地啤迷朋友聚会，东京分享会也延续了，此外也有几次本地小聚分享，加上为数不多的酒吧探访喝到作品，2025是相当不错的一年。

一如前几年，鉴于在吉隆坡要喝到海外顶尖高手醸坊充满啤酒花鲜香IPA或HAZY IPA作品类型有一定难度，要是没有从海外自行找酒进来的话基本会从缺，所以每年酒单还是以黑啤，天然发酵酸啤，农场风格啤酒，蜜酒等类型风格居多，以下是第一部分酒单

The 2025 list is divided into 2 parts due to limited space with newspaper column--this is first part with a slightly more balance pick of different styles while part 2 would be more mead heavy--in fact last year tasted close to or slightly more than 20 different mead bottles from a few meaderies which was quite a surprise personally speaking.

Here's the list

Antidoot--A North American Raga

Had quite a few different variants of Antidoot last year ranging from fruited sour to barrel-aged cider to blend of beer + wine to wild fermented base beer blended ala lambic style to collab brew like this one--brewed with pomace of apples and then added with fresh apple juice--it's a rather simple sounding beer--light sour--easy drinking--sometimes beer can be simple and nice.

去年喝到这家比利时小醸坊作品有好几个不同款，其中这款以苹果皮及新鲜苹果汁入酒发酵而成的易喝性作品虽然听起来平平无奇不过是易喝中见层次的一款，微酸带些微水果酸香气息，在炎热天喝很适得其所。

 

Cantillon--Magic Lambic 2020

No doubt 1 Cantillon variants which i have been curious for quite some years--finally had it during last Xmas share--saw some comments saying other batch 1 the following batches was sort of hit & miss or down right not nice--personally strongly believe that no matter what are the comments--you need to drink to know how it taste--whatever rated on Untappd or comments by whoever is just other people's opinions--the best way to know how a beer taste like is by drinking it and let your own palate make any judgement if necessary--first 2 sips upon cracking this one instantly affirm that it's a deliciously one--in fact 1 of the group guys just had the same beer on tap during an event in Hong Kong not long ago and said this was different from the one he had from tap in HK--he did not think highly of Magic Lambic until this bottle.

Conclusion--1 of 2 best bottles during Xmas share and personally happy to have tasted this long wanting to try Lambic.

去年圣诞分享会上终于喝到这款加了香草蓝莓的覆盆子天然发酵果酸啤酒，是个人比较好奇风味表现会如何的Cantilllon作品之一，实际上之前看到一些网上评酒留言说第一批次後再出来的Magic Lambic表现不尽如人意，虽那样一点也不影响个人对这款作品的好奇，终于喝到的的结论是分享会当天最佳作品之一，个人信念是酒一定要自己喝过才心里有数，别人意见可以看看但自己味蕾真实感受後才是决定性的。

TDM 1874--Shimokita Carrot Cake

This was a rather unexpected one--was cracking this can during small share in a Tokyo residential public park--this beer was meant to be sort of palate cleanser so we could do the next "big" one--but hang on a minute--this was surprisingly nice--carrot cake in a beer form--easy drinking with light sour + cinnamon spices influence--a pleasant one to drink.日本横滨小醸坊的作品，以胡萝卜，肉桂，豆蔻，香草入酒造出具有萝卜蛋糕风味的啤酒，是在东京和朋友小聚分享时喝到的“过场酒”，意思是在喝下一款““大酒”之前换一下啤酒类型风格同时也“更新“一下味蕾，不过‘喝下第一口後朋友们异口同声说这款酒有意思，香甜带微酸清爽易喝中带出肉桂风味，确实留下了印象。

Side Project--BBT 2023 Pappy Van Winkle

Thanks to group member who is a LaCoterie member--have had the chance to sampled some different years/different variants of BBT( as well other big stouts)--this one was cracked as a celebratory bottle for an occasion--first sip the nose was very bourbon which is to be expected knowing the barrel strength--but as it slowly warm up and open up--the Van Winkle influence still definitely there but the stout was not overwhelmed--what you would expect from a big stout from SP is firmly there with--if anything would say the barrel influence sort of emplified the stouts characteristics rather than anything else.

对美国波本有所了解的都知道Pappy Van Winkle是什么，这次醸坊找来这款波本旧桶作为大黑啤作品BBT的静置提味载体，这是醸坊十周年特别作品之一。本地分享会中有人是这家密苏里高手醸坊会员制一份子，因为那样之前可望不可及的一些Side Project作品都能通过醸坊首卖原价取得，也有幸喝了好几年不同批次的BBT（实际上去年也喝了2024裸麦版的BBT），这次Pappy Van Winkle十年旧桶的桶陈版BBT确实有更强的风味层次表现，波本气息不在话下但不至于抢戏，BBT的浓郁黑啤特质并没有被掩盖，某种程度上甚至可说被放大了。

Standard--BA Side Street

Had this early last year--and then aother variant during Xmas share(BA Back Street)--both are basically bourbon barrel-aged apple mead with difference being Side Street added vanilla+ cinnamonm while Back Street was about walnut+cinnamon--like both and did not there was huge different in taste profile/performance--only thing is of the different adjunct used--personally thought vanilla presence was more obvious than walnut.

去年初本地分享会上喝到，然后年底圣诞分享会喝到同款分支BA Back Street，分别在于Side Street使用了香草和肉桂，而“后街“版本用了核桃和肉桂，两者基酒都是苹果酒加蜂蜜，也都是美国波本旧桶陈放提味，风味表现方面没有巨大差异，基调是美味的煮熟苹果派和肉桂气息，两者比对的话，个人感觉香草的使用比核桃更有显现感。

Uchu--Atom Mango

Went to their taproom at Toranomon Hills twice during last Nov trip to Tokyo mainly because there was no Fruited Sours to be found at almost all of the other places i went--brought back 4 different variants and have to say this Mango juice bomb was really tasty--had it on tap while there as well in can--both version were really nice--in fact would think if pour in a glass and hand it to anyone as a glass of Mango Smoothie--think probably 9 out of 10 would just drink it as thick fruit juice and never think of it as a fruited sour beer.

日本山梨县新贵醸坊”宇宙“的果泥啤酒作品，从罐子设计用色到入杯酒体浓稠度到颜色都非常切题，就是被装在啤酒罐的香浓带酸甜味优质浓郁芒果汁，喝起来完全不像啤酒，也没有任何酒精感，虽然确实是啤酒但真要装在果汁杯子拿给不知就里的人喝的话，大概率是十之八九会觉得就是杯美味果汁。