WEEK 46--Born of a Beer Geek

Just like being mesmerized by any other things in life--getting hooked on the idea of craft beer has got it's own process..which sort of goes like this:-

像迷上任何事物一样，迷上撞意啤酒会有过程。虽然每个人过程时间长短不一，不过，整个过程大概可以这样描述：-

the Blurry stage:-

"beer? must be ice cold--and drink in big beer mug as fast one could manage.."

"taste of beer? not much idea---important is there's drinking buddies--even better if drinking at the hottest bar/club in town.."

the Light-Bulb moment:-

"oh--there's such thing called Craft Beer..."

"ok--beer is more than just to drink ice cold--there's much more to beer than just drinking fast or cold..."

the Exploring stage:-

"started to know the varieties of craft beer---started checking out beers on ratebeer or beeradvocate--getting more curious about beers others having or the next beer to try..."

"more of a MINUS method drinker---would minus out beer with taste profile that is similar/close to food item you don't like...like no Lambic if you dislike sour..."

懵懂期

对啤酒的认知？很简单，啤酒要够冷够大杯，最好杯子也雪冷似的，然后，大口大口痛快喝就对了。（有谁不是从喝大厂啤酒开始的？）

啤酒什么味道，什么口感，没什么概念，最重要有一起喝的酒伴，喜欢热闹的，在城中热门夜店喝就更美妙了。

萌芽期

突然发现，噢，世上原来有种玩意儿叫CRAFT BEER，原来啤酒不只黑啤白啤罢了。

还有，原来撞意啤酒不应该只是大口大口喝，或越冷越好喝的，有些啤酒不同温度会有不同层次，慢慢尝味才是享受。

探索期

开始知道IPA，PORTER， IMPERIAL STOUT，BARREL AGED是什么概念，会跟同好们讨论某支啤酒，或者经常上网查看RATEBEER.COM或BEER ADVOCATE其他人对某支酒意见。

对没喝过的啤酒，特别是网上评价不错，或者是朋友喝过推荐瓶子具有好奇心，会记录下来，准备下次看到就试。

这时期，比较多是使用“减法”，先移除自己不太喜欢的食物相关味道啤酒，说白了就是挑食。比如不爱吃酸就不会尝试LAMBIC，不爱咖啡会避开浓咖啡STOUT，不吃苦瓜之类的可能就不会选喝DOUBLE/TRIPLE IPA。。

the Molding stage:-

"would want to try more varieties than just sticking to the regulars----tendency of becoming a ADD ON drinker--looking to try more varieties--unfamiliar beer styles included..." 

the Fixed stage:-

"typically would have a BENCHMARK beer of your own--for whatever beer styles--like for an IPA some might just use Stone or Ballast Point( i hear you say Heady Topper/Pliny the Elder)...or stout with Mikkeller/Alesmith.....the thing about Benchmark beer is that it is very personal--it's all about one's taste/preferences...not much of an objective view here..."

雕塑期

不再满足于只喝惯常几款顺口啤酒，会想逐步尝试更多不同类型，比如只喝IPA的会想尝试SMOKE BEER，BARLEY WINE或是IMPERIAL STOUT，LAMBIC等较复杂/另类口感啤酒。

这是“减法”逐渐转换成“加法”期，已经知道自己大概喜欢啤酒类型，反而会尽量在个人口味能接受范围内多尝试平时不喝的类别，让味蕾口感更多“训练”。

成型期

会有自己的BENCHMARK BEER（个人指标性啤酒），会以指标来衡量同类型其它酿品的优劣高低。举例说，喝低度黑啤的可能会以MIKKELLER啤迷早餐当指标，喝IPA的会以STONE或BALLAST POINT作指标(或者更高标的HEADY TOPPER/PLINY THE ELDER)，喝高度黑啤的以ALESMITH SPEEDWAY STOUT当指标等等。当然，指标只是个人口味为准，没多大客观性可言。

进入成型期的啤迷，一是会继续不停尝试其他不同类型啤酒，想在浩瀚啤海中寻宝。另一个可能性是逐步减少喝低指标同类型啤酒，只专注喝“好酒”，或者说，变成一个更大的BEER SNOB（鼻子更朝上，质感口感要求更挑剔的啤傲）。

各自修行

成型期之后，基本就是各自修行了。这时候的你，不管是喝过几百，过千或几千杯都好，量不是重点，更注重的是味蕾享受。当然，喝过一定质量啤酒的好处是，至少清楚知道什么是什么，个人口味成型，不固步自封的话，相对的也可以比较客观看待什么是好啤酒这回事。

不管是专注某类型啤酒，或继续探寻各种新瓶子，可以肯定的是，CRAFT BEER路上精彩不断，总会有新酿坊，新瓶子，新朋友冒出来。

after all those small different stages?--well--it's each man/woman going his/her own way---you could become more of a quality seeker and cut down on quantity, become a beer snob---or continue to seek for even wider range of beer styles/breweries....

It's all good---we all do what suits our taste/preferences.... 

  

WEEK 45--of Head, Face & Body

Head, Face & Body--that's one way of saying if we were to put craft beer in a human form, then we have Brewer as head, Brand as face and Body...as body..:)

如果用人形态描述撞意啤酒的话，啤酒可以是有头有脸有身材。

头是酿酒师（BREWER）,脸是品牌（BRAND），身材指的是酒体（BODY）。

BODY

就像厨师下手轻重一样，酿酒师可以决定酿成品酒体是轻盈，中等，还是厚重。

不同酒体啤酒，会让饮客感受到不同“轻重”，不同“厚实”度，这就是酒体。

在大厂啤酒世界中，酒体轻重好像很简单，用颜色辨别就可，金黄的就是轻，黑色的一定比较厚重。

不过，这推断在撞意啤酒世界并不适用。

不同酿酒师天马行空想法会让金黄色啤酒有轻有重，也可也让黑色啤酒感觉轻盈。如果以1到5分作区别的话，无论是金黄还是黑色不同类别撞意啤酒，都可感受不同程度酒体。

酒体可以影响口感，某些程度上也决定酿品是易喝还是需要慢尝。

quotes:

'just like what a chef is doing in the kitchen, a brewer would decides if a beer is of light/medium or heavy BODY.."

"it is very simple in the non-craft beer circle--you go by color of the beer to determine if a beer is light or heavy----but nope--in the world of craft beer---a golden color beer can be Heavy---while a dark color beer can be Light body...."

BREWER

在最纯粹的撞意啤酒世界，主创酿酒师是决定市场有什么酒喝的人。

就像厨师决定煮什么菜那样，酿酒师的想法可以完全主宰酿品的呈现。

酿酒师当然是跟品牌息息相关的关键人物，他们的酿品很大程度上决定品牌成败，有趣的是，个人性格好像也影响品牌和业务的发展方向。

举例说，来自苏格兰的“酿狗”，灵魂人物JAMES和DICKIE都是比较高调的酿酒师，是有真人电视秀那种。此外，对业务发展也比较有野心，所以全世界不同城市发展较快，除了有连锁式酒吧，几款固定啤酒也常期有供应。

相比之下，本地也比较能喝到的丹麦TO OL品牌的两位酿酒师TOBIAS和TORE就比较低调，对业务发展想法也比较随性。TOBIAS年前受访时候说过，只根据自己步伐，不会因为应对市场需求而酿。（可能因为那样，一些喝过很喜欢的酒，已经好久没在本地出现过）

quotes:

"Brewer is very much intertwine with the Brand of the beer he or she is brewing--their brew very much influence/dictate the success or failure of a brand--interestingly--personality seems to also play a big part in the direction of the brand--and business direction...."

"For examples--Brewdog duo of James & Dickie-- high profile public images via TV shows and such is closely linked with the rapid and constant flow of their regular beers....in contrast--the duo of TO OL seems far more low profile and  laid back--hence the slower pace of production--business expansion..."

BRAND

有人说，品牌是攻下消费者最管用的武器。同样商品，决定消费者买C不买B的就是品牌区别。

在撞意啤酒世界，多尝试不同酿坊，不同类别啤酒是备受提倡精神，不过，品牌力量还是造成区别，也让好些酿酒师站上了名气金字塔的上端。

有资深啤酒人说过，真正享受撞意啤酒的态度应该是“完全不理会网上或朋友或“专家”对某支酒评论，更不可在没喝过之前就以品牌风评下定论要不要喝，要像白纸那样公平对待每一支酒，毫无预设想法/定论的品尝。”

在很多资讯垂手可得的今天，品牌对饮客选择影响是明显的。比如说，不久前在美国限量推出的合酿大黑啤---BEEER GEEK SPEEDWAY， 去年底一宣布就引起话题和热切期盼，因为合作双方是美国有“劳斯莱斯”瓶子号称的ALESMITH和丹麦名牌MIKKELLER。是以ALESMITH SPEEDWAY STOUT和MIKKELLER BEER GEEK系列为合作主轴的重量级黑啤。

尽管经验告诉我们，有时候名牌+名牌不等于一定更好，可是，喜欢这两支黑啤/两大品牌的肯定会想方设法弄一支尝味。

能说完全不理品牌效应吗？

quotes:

"many have opined that the purest way of tasting a beer is to throw away any preconceptions or bring with you the formed opinions by others( ratebeer/beeradvocate--friend's or expert's opinion)---and taste the beer as it is...like a piece of white paper..."

"in an era where all sorts of information are so easily accessible, what BRAND can do to drinkers is very obvious---take for examples the ripples created among fans of both Mikkeller & Alesmith--when the collab brew where announced late last year.."

" though we know from some other previous cases that--BRANDED + BRANDED don't always guarantee a much better than original version brew---but--can the power of Brand be ignored totally?"

NEXT UP---Born of a BEER GEEK.....

the story of MACRO & Micro( part (2/2)

Micro Brew

Craft beer started essentially because someone long ago felt bored with whatever the big boys were supplying to the market....the lack of choices( or some would say taste) started the idea of home brew--micro brew.

Many years later---we all know what happened--craft beer is developing---slowly but surely---as for what craft beer is all about--for technical definitions---one could check what the US brewers association says---with main focus on smaller volume, not control by non-craft beer big companies--and mos importantly---cannot use inferior material to lower cost of production( hence lowering the quality/taste profile of the beer).

If there's any obvious different between MACRO beer and Micro beer---on non-taste or non-beer quality related area---then it's clear that MACRO beer would throw lots of advertising money just to promote very few variation( sometimes just one type of beer) of their product----of which craft beer community DON'T look up to or practice..

While at times there's simply too many different types/brand of craft beer---the craft community just know for a fact that not all beer that is a micro brew or with a tag saying "Craft Beer" means it's a winner---nope---there's crappy craft beer too....

that's why beer geek DISSECT & FUSS OVER BEER.   

CBC 2015

It's an beer event organised by Mikkeller of Copenhagen.

It's an event where geeks would sometimes just have to dream of getting a ticket---it's sold out very very quickly.

It's an event where many of the best brewers gather and showcase some new brew---and obviously---NO non-craft big factory beer is allowed---EVER.

but this year--we might---i mean--just might for the first time ever--see a MACRO beer making it's way to CBC 2015---yes--of all the "feedback" given to BUD ad---this one from Mikkeller--an invitation to CBC 2015 is the most---amusing one.

To be or not to be...? that's an amusing thought....

MICRO BREW

小型自酿意思，更通用的是CRAFT BEER。

从最根本原因说起，撞意啤酒就是因为有饮客不满意市场只有单调无趣大厂啤酒，开始自酿，然后星火燎原，发展成今天的CRAFT BEER文化。

根据美国酿酒师协会主要定义，1.年产量不超过6百万桶，2.不能有超过25%股权由非CRAFT BEER生产者控制，3.使用传统或创新材料及方式酿制（重点是不能使用比如大米或人工香精之类的廉价替代原料）

浅白说，就是要真材实料，不能只唯利是图，用廉价材料减低成本方式经营。

要说小型自酿和大厂啤酒最大区别，很简单，相对大厂啤酒产品单调划一，强调广告效应，小型自酿反而是酿品繁多到让人眼花缭乱，绝大多数只靠口碑的一群。

小型自酿，就一定是好啤酒保证？当然不是的。就像有人卖很难吃云吞面那样，CRAFT BEER也有不知所谓酿品。

这点自我认知，对撞意啤酒群体来说，是自然现象，也是为什么啤迷需要有点不同品牌类别尝味或分析研究心得必要。

CBC 2015

COPENHAGEN BEER CLEBRATION是丹麦名牌MIKKELLER主催，入场卷网上一开卖就被秒杀，完全供不应求的撞意啤酒年度盛事。

让啤迷很期待，因为这是世界各地酿酒师们的精英会。当然，从不邀请大厂啤酒商。

百威广告效应，MIKKELLER已发出正式邀请函，并上载社交媒体如面子书，要百威参与CBC2015，并会开放一天让百威可以在一家酒吧举行多达40 个不同类别啤酒泵占领活动（TAP TAKE OVER）！

这是邀请，当然也是撞意啤酒群体中至今对百威啤酒最直接的嘲笑。

来还是不来？让人莞尔。

WEEK 44--the story of MACRO & Micro( part 1/2)

It maybe a bit "late" now to still talk about the matter--but it's still an interesting one to voice out for the newsppaper readers --who probably don't have a clue as to what happened...(中文全文请往下看)

MACRO BEER---the word sort of  became the "bud" of joke along with some other key words early this month for the craft beer community.( if you have not seen the ad--go see on youtube)

This very much self-inflicted joke came from one of the commercial beer big boys--BUD--an ad aired during the US Super Bowl finals--which obviously cost lots of USD--but laughed about for it's very weak mocking of the craft community.

While saying"people who drink our beer are people who like to drink beer"--typical "feel good" advertising statement amongst others----what irked was the mocking of craft beer....

By saying all that was said in the ad---craft community is being painted as a bunch of fussy nerds.

In marketing terms--there's comparison method--or the lower level of "saying something bad about others in order to make yourself look better".

Bud--while trying to differentiate MACRO beer and craft beer--by way of mocking---has largely been seen as public display of "fear"---fear for it's own market erosion--as well fear for the growing influence of craft beer on the US beer market--figures compiled by the US Brewers association showed that  in 1998--the big boys hold about 89% of the beer market--in 2013 it dropped to 78%...while craft beer grown from 2.6% in 1998 to close to 8% in 2013.

the ad look more and  more like ringing it's own alarm bell than anything else.....

BEER IS FOR DRINKING--NOT DISSECTING

one of the key messages from the ad---which is trying to say--"it's just a bloody beer, just drink up, nothing to be serious about...."

just look around---why would people chose to eat at a particular shop for a bowl of Wanton noodles--sometimes even to far away places--isn't it just a same bloody bowl of noodles?

just like each shop has got different way of preparing the noodles, sauce, or even some secrets formula--consumers would know what's best for them--and rightly so.

beer is certainly not just one dimensional yellow fizzy drink---to say beer is just for drinking and nothing else...it's just sounding shallow---even to the tune of terrified.

MACRO BEER

大啤酒意思。这是近期备受撞意啤迷嘲笑字眼。

点起火头的是美国“超级大厂”百威啤酒，在高收视率美国橄榄球超级碗大赛中，花了数百万美元播放广告，说自家啤酒是“艰辛酿制”，“喜欢我们啤酒就是喜欢啤酒的人”等自夸自赞说词。

重点是，广告也出现“让他们喝南瓜桃子啤去”，啤酒不是“酿来被挑剔”，不需要“被分析研究”等字眼画面。

很明显，广告意图嘲弄撞意啤酒群体，把喜欢喝CRAFT BEER的描绘成自以为是，走火入魔一群。

市场行销手法中，“对比手法”或更低级的“说别人坏话抬高自己”是惯见事。

广告播出后，很大程度上被啤迷视为“示弱”表现。攻击至今仍是市场“小玩家”的撞意啤酒群体只能显示大企业对日渐成长的撞意啤酒文化感到害怕。

美国酿酒协会数据显示，1998年大厂啤酒占据整个市场89%，美国本土撞意啤酒只有2.6%。2013年数据出现变化，美国大厂啤酒市场份额跌至78%，本土撞意啤酒则上升至8%左右。（换算成钞票的话，8%市场份额大概美金150亿左右）

过去的美国市场数据显示两个令大厂啤酒商担忧的走势，1.整体喝啤酒的人数在下跌，2.更多人放弃单调无趣大厂金黄浅啤，转喝变化多端有趣好玩撞意啤酒。

这次超级碗广告看来比较像美国大厂啤酒在敲自己警钟。

BEER IS FOR DRINKING, NOT DISSECTING

这是广告重点词之一。

意思是，啤酒嘛，喝掉就好，干嘛分析这个味道，那个口感，研究什么轻重酒体这么麻烦。。。

打个比喻，就像是说，市面上那么多卖云吞面的，干嘛要大老远跑到特定那家去吃？不就只是一碗面？

啤酒，当然不只黄澄澄一攤气泡水那么简单。

就像云吞面用什么酱油，面条怎么打，独家秘方之类，每家都有自己方式，消费者也会心中有把尺。同样道理，放在类别繁多撞意啤酒，更是明显。

啤酒只需大口喝，不必分析研究？听起来避重就轻，有心虚感觉。

NEXT WEEK--of micro & CBC 2015

WEEK 43-Quick craft-tour---kl-bkk-S'pore9part 2/2)

of the 3 cities--KL-BKK-SG, if you do not earn sing dollar or any other higher exchange rate currency---it's probably not that fun to spend money in S'pore now--even more so if you are spending M'sia ringgit...

the "problem" for beer geek is---when you consider the number of craft-dedicated bars/bottle shops --hence the wider choices of craft beer---the currency issue become a smaller issue...

S'pore is no doubt having many more craft-dedicated places when compared to KL-BKK, add in the small number of microbrew( which unfortunately is not legally permitted in KL-BKK)--craft beer seems to move faster/better in this part of south east asia....

The Feb issue of Time Out magazine( s'pore version) run some stories about the craft beer movement in S'pore--and that kind of shows the momentum it is gathering locally....

If you have not been to S'pore for craft beer---there are many older and newer places to go---amongst others---just mentioning a few here"-

Smith street bar( clay pot chicken rice + craft beer--can be really shiok combination)

Good beer company---just located few steps away from smith--need bottles selection?)

The great beer experiment( many European beers--including Cantilion)

Thisrty ( bottle shop---with focus on US beer--think alesmith-firestone walker, modern times....)

Jibiru(sitting on orchard road---obviously focus on Japanese brew)

The pump room( who says Clarke Quay is only for partying--there's a brewpub or two too around the area)

Nickledime Drafthouse(opened late last year--run by a paying beer geek turned operator)

there's obviously many more---like the very newly opened Druggist( 23taps)---and also soon to open Tap bar.....would do a more in-depth SG craft-spotting in the near future....

SINGAPORE

近期拿马币去新加坡消费的话，不会是爽事。

如果为了撞意啤酒特意去新加坡的话，心情会有点复杂。

一是因为汇率处于近年高点，可是，看到新加坡现有至少10家以上各有特色撞意啤酒专卖吧/瓶子店，又觉得心痒痒，不出手不行。

新加坡近年撞意啤酒文化散播的很不错，新马泰三地，以酒吧/瓶子店数量，还有进口啤酒类别，加上一点自酿来说，是发展得最快的城市。（自酿这部分，大马和泰国都只能关起门来自己玩，法律上不能公开酿，更别说公开卖）

相比曼谷和吉隆坡，新加坡明显有更多专卖点，虽然曼谷不少餐厅/咖啡厅加入卖撞意啤酒行列，不过，只说100%只卖CRAFT而不是大厂啤酒混合着卖的话，新加坡明显走在前头。

二月份TIME OUT杂志（新加坡版）大篇幅介绍了撞意啤酒界中的幕后/幕前推手及现况，某些程度上显示CRAFT 文化在新加坡的关注度。

如果不很熟悉新加坡哪里喝哪里买，这几家各有特色的专卖店错不了，比如设在牛车水唐人街熟食小贩中心的SMITH STREET TAPS和THE GOOD BEER COMPANY，设在靠近马场商场进口商自己经营的THE GREAT BEER EXPERIMENT，河边购物中心内的THRISTY瓶子店，繁忙乌节路边上的JBIRU（专注日本啤酒），河边派对区提供小型自酿的THE PUMP ROOM，去年底新开的15个啤酒泵NICKLEDIME DRAFHOUSE等等。（没提到的还有不少，之后有机会详细聊）

NEXT UP---the story of MACRO & Micro....

WEEK 43---Quick craft-tour of KL-BKK-S'PORE(part 1/2)

KL 

this is the 4th year craft beer culture is taking shape in KL, looking back, there has been a rather lack of major development in terms of craft-bar-bottle shops new operator/s joining the local scene. There's only 1 new bar opened late last year, but by the same bar that started 3 years ago....

Yes--the only addition of a 100% craft beer bar is tapsbeerbar1MK.

Is that to say KL is a bloody boring place for craft beer? well, not that bad---not at all. At the very least--some beer listed as the TOP 100 by ratebeer were here before/reappearing, and of course there's many others from Europe, New Zealand, Australia, and lately some US brew....

Generally speaking, operating craft beer bar or bottle shop is not quick money making or very high margin business, add that with the fact that KL is a place with very high alcohol taxes---and the local craft culture is still in it's very early developing stage--this would sort of explain why there's so few operators in the market--guess we drinkers can just hope for few more craft beer loving operators to join in sooner rather than later...

吉隆坡撞意啤酒文化萌芽期进入第四个年头。

过去三年多，本地撞意啤酒文化并没有飞跃发展，除了原有一家专卖酒吧和专卖瓶子店，只增加了另一家专卖吧，而且是原有专卖吧的分店。

是的，吉隆坡来说，100%纯粹卖CRAFT BEER的点只多了一家，去年尾新开的TAPS BEER BAR 1MK。实际上，现阶段吉隆坡业者的确少。

这是说本地撞意啤酒选择很少，乏味无趣吗？倒不至于。

至少，刚上榜RATEBEER全球100大啤酒榜的好些啤酒都出现过，比如比利时WESTVLETEREN 12，DE STRUISE渔船瓶子PENNEPOT和BLACK ALBERT 黑啤，ROCHEFORT系列8和10修道院啤酒，ST.BERNARDUS 12号瓶子。丹麦MIKKELLER的啤迷黑啤系列，美国PRAIRIE BOMB黑啤等等。

除了比利时，北欧，苏格兰啤酒是过去三年多较常找到的，去年一些纽西兰，澳洲和英国新品牌也开始涌现。然后，更让人期待的是美国啤酒也陆续出现了。

在本地卖撞意啤酒不是高利润或赚快钱生意，也需要对撞意啤酒的认识和热切，所以本地市场很少人投入是可理解现象。只能说，希望星火可以逐渐燎原，未来一两年会看到新业者加入。

BKK

this is still "the big do" month for Mikkeller bangkok with it's first anniversary "bkk beer week" continuing from late January.

as many would have noticed, there's a 30 tap"kick -ass" list on 29th Jan--followed by tap take-over by TO OL from Denmark and Baird from Japan.

This coming friday & saturday will see a 50 tap a day--100 beer in total keg party taking place, with beer festival like format where ticket is on sale.. 

Pushing craft culture in a market long dominated by the big boys of Thai commercial beer( think Elephant & Lion) is never an easy task, we say keep rocking Mikkeller bar---and credit should also be given to the USbrew importer(Beervana) for keeping the ball rolling earlier along with another importer who focus on Belgium beer.... 

这个月，曼谷“米吧”庆祝满周岁。

以东南亚撞意啤酒市场仍处于萌芽成长期来说，一年不是短时间。

配合生日，1月29日开始“米吧”就动作连连，除了30个上了啤酒泵，号称“至今最厉害阵容”酒单选择，还分别把丹麦TO OL和日本BAIRD酿酒师配合“占领啤酒泵”活动带到曼谷跟啤迷见面。然后，2月的6日和7日连续两天，效仿丹麦啤酒节庆盛宴，以单一价格门票方式，让啤迷可以每天50个不同啤酒泵选择，两天100种不同啤酒，一次过喝个够。

过去一年来，作为曼谷撞意啤酒市场新来者（之前曼谷已有人经营比利时和美国啤酒），“米吧”因为品牌效应优势，已俨然是东南亚以致香港台湾甚至日本啤迷的“朝拜”点。

要在被泰国本土大厂啤酒（大象/狮子）包围多年的市场以非主流方式推动撞意啤酒文化不是易事，“米吧”和另一家美国啤酒进口商在曼谷以致其他地区所做的尝试还是值得啤迷欣慰，支持的。

NEXT UP--Quick tour to S'pore