Monday, July 20, 2015

WEEK 55---craft-spotting in WINE cities

Wine is a popular thing in Italy, France and Portugal--not only to the locals--but to visitors too.
To a certain extend, cities like Rome-Lisbon-Paris don't seem to have a connection with craft beer....or is that so?
A recent trip to Europe did provided the answer-- at all 3 cities mentioned above---the craft culture has taken roots--be it in terms of home brew-micro brew or craft beer bars, bottle shop.....(due to timing factor--missed out on the bars in Rome--will just talk briefly about Lisbon & Paris)
葡萄牙,法国还有意大利,都是盛产葡萄酒,品酒文化深入日常生活的国度。
里斯本,巴黎,罗马跟CRAFTBEER好像联想不到一块。
不过,表象跟真相很多时候并不一致。在这些以葡萄酒闻名的城市,撞意啤酒文化已经萌芽,延烧。
“顽啤主张”前阵子去了这三个地方,因为客观因素,在罗马错过了三家评价很不错的专卖吧。

就聊聊里斯本和巴黎的撞意啤酒点。
LISBON
"basically there's only one dedicated craft beer bar in Lisbon--opened a year plus ago by a drinker turn operator Rui & his wife--Cerveteca Lisboa is the place to be if you need some good Portugal craft beers---plus the like of brewdog, mikkeller, to ol & some Belgium beers..(as of time of visit)"
"it would take a bit of searching if you are not familiar with the area where the bar is located--but i do agree with what Rui the owner said--getting lost occasionally while looking for my bar--is also part of fun..."
很多人说这是个按着自己独有节奏运转的慢城市。
里斯本的感觉是自在,舒适,慢活的,城市好些不服都还是旧旧的,蛮RETRO FEEL的。
在这里,喝葡萄酒是日常生活一部分,CRAFTBEER的出现还很新,一年多前,里斯本才有了全城第一家撞意啤酒专卖吧---CERVETECA LISBOA,店主RUI出于对CRAFT的热爱,从饮客转身成为业者,在葡萄酒文化笼罩下的地方开始逆流之举。
把撞意啤酒当外来文化影响的话,里斯本已有不错起步,虽然目前只有一家专卖吧,里斯本城里城外的自酿文化已成形,玩自酿或开始把自家酿品正式出售的葡萄牙品牌就有好几家,重点是,都有一定水准。比如说今年较早时候,其中一家本地酿坊MEAN SARDINES就已和丹麦名牌TO OL玩合酿。

本地品牌之外,专卖吧啤酒选择以苏格兰BREWDOG,丹麦MIKKELLERTO OL,以及一些比利时啤酒为主。
"Was invited by Rui to join in for a new craft brew launched down town--a collaboration brew by Mean Sardine & Passarola --both locally based Portugal craft beer brand--while there i was introduce to the home brew association folks---it's all pointing to a up and coming craft beer movement in and around Lisbon--what's more--a new friend i met who lives in Madeira is also a home brewer himself--and the main reason he was in Lisbon? --craft beer."


PARIS
"this is a city with very cliche perception--like that of Parisian generally are not nice--can be rude to visitors--or that going up the tower or buying some branded items is a must..."
"located nearby Center Pompidou-- la cave a bulles can be missed if you just walk ahead without looking to the side--but once you found it--the selection available is more than enough to make you go wooo...."
对这座城市,很多人都有既定印象,比如说巴黎美丽浪漫之余也脏乱,比如说巴黎人对旅客没耐性没礼貌,比如说到巴黎一定要去铁塔拍照或香榭丽舍大道逛逛买名牌。当然,说到法国更是少不了葡萄酒。
没想到的是,撞意啤酒文化已在这个城市延烧起来。
如果里斯本目前只有一家专卖吧,在巴黎,至少有十多家以上专卖吧瓶子店,有的更秉承法国美食文化,有啤酒配搭美食专门餐厅。时间关系,“顽啤主张”只去了巴黎最具代表性的瓶子店LA CAVE A BULLES 以及酒吧和餐厅开在两隔壁的LA FINE MOUSSE
可能地缘关系,在巴黎可以找到不少比利时天然果酸啤酒(LAMBIC),包括盛名少产的CANTILLON瓶子,上述两家都是佼佼者。

"La fine mousse--it's located very close to the Metro Rue St.Maur--the fact that both the BAR & the RESTAURANT are located next to each other is very interesting--if you are like me who is curious about their food pairing menu--and the fact that they have many lambic bottles..."
"If you have a certain beers in mind---you can actually ask to pair the food with your own choice/s of bottle/s--they are kind enough to oblige...."
LA FINE MOUSSE之前已知道这家藏酒丰富,也有啤酒美食配搭餐厅。特意选了晚餐前一小时去,想了解专卖吧有什么啤酒泵和瓶子选择。如果对巴黎情况不太了解,会对这里啤酒选择感到惊讶,除了不少法国本土小型酿坊啤酒,欧美的选择不少。

选择在餐厅用膳的话,虽然菜单已搭好什么食物配什么啤酒,如果个人另有心头好,可要求换成自己想要的啤酒,也不懂是不是因为那样,店主之一过来打招呼後还邀请“顽啤主张”参观已在一些资深酿酒师或啤迷中流传的“秘密酒窖”,看到众多藏酒,特别是不同类别年份的CANTILLON珍藏,只能说,巴黎还真是好地方。
"The biggest surprise at the tail end of dinner--one of the co-owners Romain walked to the table and invited for a private tour of their "famous among the known" secret cellar---"no camera--for your eyes only" is the "rule" here..:)---having visited Cantillon not that long ago prior to here---i have to say the number of vintages they have in store--not to mention other beers....is damn....impressive!"

There is a lot more craft beer places in and around Paris for sure--i have limited time--hence the limited mentioning....

Thursday, July 16, 2015

recap---WEEK 49---Like Minded Sharing

This is a backdated weekly column update--on the topic of sharing--which is nothing new to geeks who love to share---for newbies this could be something worth exploring--and a much better way to move forward on the road to finding more better beers..

I do have a small tasting group--informally--started this year-- so far have had few rounds of tasting/sharing--all in smaller quantity ( usually not more than 12-13 bottles per session --for 4-5 or max 6 people)--by doing those few tasting sessions--a lot of good beers were shared---the best part is you are sharing beers with geeks who appreciate the quality, varieties, and high standards of beers sought from whichever avenues possible in this desert called KL...:)
之前因为出游延迟了上载--基本说的是分享:——
逐步进入撞意啤酒世界的朋友会发现一件事,浩翰啤海,实在很深很宽阔。
不止是各种类别啤酒繁多,就算是同一类别啤酒,比如说IPA,比如STOUT,不同酿坊就有很多不同瓶子,单单只是品尝同一个类别啤酒的不同瓶子,已是“大工程”一桩。
像吃饭那样,一个人每次能咽下的饭量会有限度,喝酒也一样,除了啤酒本身带来的“饱足感”,更要考虑不同类别酒体酒精对味蕾影响。
喝上一段时间的较资深饮客对啤海浩翰这件事体验或感叹可能会比新朋友来得较深刻。不过,无论是较资深还是新朋友,怎样可以在喝较少量啤酒情况下,同时兼顾到多品尝不同类别啤酒是门值得研究功课。
Not going to translate everything in this weekly column--rather just a few quotes...
"how to drink lesser in volume but still manage to taste more varieties of good beers---that's something worth exploring for geeks---the solution is simple--gather a few like minded friends and have tasting session/s....." 
同好会,分享会,读书会。。。说的都是一群对同样事物感兴趣人们聚在一起形式。
CRAFT BEER圈子中也有品酒会,同好会,分享会这回事。
形式很简单,就是几个朋友,大家各自拿出自家收藏瓶子一起分享。
一般来说,BOTTLE SHARE(瓶子分享会)比较多是资深饮客会做的事,分享瓶子的理由很直接,因为一些瓶子是750ML的大瓶装(一般小瓶装是330ML),一个人独喝有点多,而且,很多啤迷都是喜欢分享的“怪人”,总是喜欢跟志同道合饮客朋友聚在一起品尝,分享观点。
瓶子分享会另一个起因是,一个人独喝,能品尝到的瓶子总是有限,如果有三五个人聚在一起,每人带来一两瓶不同类别或不同酿坊啤酒,一次过就可以浅尝10支左右,不用撑破肚皮,对一些玩RATEBEERUNTAPPD的网络评酒控朋友来说,更是一举数得。
同样动作有时候也称作TASTING SESSION(品尝会),跟葡萄酒或威士忌界盛行的品酒会是一样意义,也很适合刚发现撞意啤酒世界不久的新朋友玩。

"for geeks who are constantly updating ratings/comments on either ratebeer or untappd--what better way to score multiple uploads than a tasting session...?:)

很多新朋友刚开始来到很多不同类别或不同酿坊啤酒选择的专卖吧或瓶子店时,表情几乎都是一样的,像走进糖果店的小孩子那样,或有点雀跃,或有点怯,不过都有一个“不知道要选那一支才好”的统一表情叫困惑。
相对于资深啤迷比较想同时间一次过浅尝较高评价或较难找到不同类别/酿坊瓶子,新朋友其实可以有同样动作,虽然对撞意啤酒类别和酿坊的认识处于起步阶段,也在摸索自己喜欢的啤酒类/口味是什么,这时候如果有几个朋友一起分享,可以在不用一个人喝量很多情况加快对撞意啤酒的认识。
道理跟想吃很多道菜,又不用每次都吃过饱一样,找几个人就可以浅尝多些不同菜肴,分享始终是件乐事。
photo courtesy of RAY CHIA--fellow geek from S'pore who visited US last year

"very very new drinkers who walk into a craft beer bar or bottle shop basically share the same expression--a mix of bemused, excited, clueless---same concept as bottle sharing or a tasting session---very new newbies can also form an alliance of their own--and start trying out different beers by way of sharing--not just in volume but also bill...just like going to a restaurant and share plates...:)
另一个不讲求量,而是鼓励多品尝的形式是FOOD PAIRING SESSION(啤酒食物配搭品尝会),虽然很多时候食物配搭好像是葡萄酒或威士忌等酒类的“专利”,不过,在国外啤酒食物配搭已是常见现象,在纽约甚至有一家米其林星级餐厅是完全100巴仙只用啤酒配搭食物的。

只可惜,啤酒食物配搭在本地处于摸索阶段,这方面动作很少,去曼谷或新加坡的话,这类型活动会较活跃。
"another fun way of drink less taste more is probably a food pairing session--with craft beer of course---there's already a Michelin star restaurant in New York that only paired food with beers--however here in south east asia---one might need to be in Spore or Bkk. for a more regular beer pairing activities..."
Tasting---Sharing--whatever you call it--it sure is a much more fun way of drinking good beers---in smaller quantity--but bigger varieties, and yes---i am a big fan of that....cheers!

Thursday, July 9, 2015

WEEK 54--Finding Windmill, Bottles & Temple.....

This week's column is more of a walk about than Amsterdam craft-spotting---as i did not visit many bars--it was more of going on own pace according to mood and weather....
finding MOLEN
YES...taking photo in front of a windmill is probably categorized as a "must do" for many a tourists who happened to visit Holland...
I did too--but it cannot be just any windmill---but specifically That one located some 50 odd minutes away by train from Amsterdam, to a small town called Bodegraven---the reason is obvious--that's where De Molen is housed.
在风车前拍照是去荷兰旅游的指定动作之一。
这次去阿姆斯特丹,“顽啤主张”也去了一趟寻找风车之旅,是要搭火车一小时左右路程到一个叫BODEGRAVEN的小镇,再走一段路才找到的风车。
当然,这个风车绝对不是旅游书上介绍的旅游景点。
“顽啤主张”去找的风车是荷兰最为撞意啤迷所认识的酿坊DE MOLEN的标志,这栋把酿坊,餐厅,小酒吧和瓶子店都结合一体的旧酿坊真有一座大风车。
大概十年前吧,这栋风车旧建筑是DE MOLEN的起点,现在的酿品都是从距离旧建筑前端几十米的全新酿坊生产。
"Finding Molen" was not that easy nor hard--it's under 10 minutes walk( lesser if you a runner)--to the Left side of the small train station( with your back against it)--walk along the road---and you shall see THAT windmill at the end of a small road(you will first see the modern de molen building--which is the brewery just steps away from the old windmill building where it all started some 10 years+ ago...)
bumped into Kevin the brewer at the new brew location( pleasure to have finally met)---at the old windmill where a restaurant--bar--bottle shop can be found---there's a bunch of enthusiastic brewers from nearby town ship discussing and going through hops,yeasts... and more( with help given by another Molen's brewer)....it's almost like a mini workshop going on....all while visitors like me and others enjoying the sight with some food, what's on taps and the surreal feeling of sitting inside the windmill that's Molen....
走进旧建筑内,入眼的就是餐厅和小酒吧,也有一个小小酿坊。去的时候刚好有一批从邻近小镇过来取经的自酿玩家们,一桌不同类别麦芽,啤酒花,大家和DE MOLEN酿酒师又嗅又讨论的,很有小型工作坊意味,完全符合撞意啤酒乐于分享互助的精神。

DE MOLEN几个小时内,除了巧遇自酿玩家们,另一个让“顽啤主张”深刻体会撞意啤酒文化分享精神的是设在旧建筑内的瓶子店,除了丰富酿品收藏,店内也卖其他酿坊瓶子,重点是,价格非常合理,如果了解其他城市一些瓶子店或酒吧对一些难找到啤酒的高订价,这里的价格真的让啤迷感受到,店主想分享好酒的意图多过任何商业利益考量。
the bottle shop within the building--you don't want to miss it--you will find more than just De Molen's own beers--but the best part is the way the bottles were priced--you will immediately sense it--that this is a sharing place---if you know how some bottle shops in other parts of the world is pricing some beers--you will know what it meant to have found a bottle shop like this one....


De BierKoning
One of the most famous bottle shops across Europe.
Place is not huge-but the selection is more than enough for geeks to search high and low( literally---there's a sort of mezzanine floor and lower ground floor--so to speak).
在阿姆斯特丹,有一家瓶子店是撞意啤迷绝对不会错过的。
开在大坝广场附近,不太大的店面,里边收藏酿品来自世界各地不同城市,不同啤酒类别风格繁多。虽然这是只能带走,不能在店里尝味的地方,不过,对抱着寻宝心态上门的啤迷来说,这里是大乐园。

“顽啤主张”就在这里找到了一些不容易找到,来自美国和比利时的盛名啤酒。
It's definitely a place where treasure can be found--i did--and by the way--one of the beer i found( Dileverance by The Lost Abbey) was not on the main display shelve but sort of "hidden" on a little corner--as if it was redundant or surplus bottle...:)


Beer Temple
Of course there's many craft beer bars in Amsterdam alone.
Many bars chose to focus on certain styles--there's bars which focus on Dutch beers--or Belgium beers--or both.

阿姆斯特丹的撞意啤酒专卖吧蛮多,有好些是专注荷兰本土和比利时啤酒,不过,如果你喜欢美国啤酒,啤殿堂(BEER TEMPLE)是一定要到的酒吧。
除了30个不同啤酒泵,酒吧重点是一些盛名赫赫的瓶子选择,例如美国THREE FLOYDS的黑魔王DARK LORD,或比利时长期被列为世上最佳啤酒的WESTVLETEREN 12号的不同年份收藏。不过,要喝这些盛名瓶子难免要准备付出一定程度的欧元。

在阿姆斯特丹,完全不怕找不到适合自己口味的撞意啤酒专卖吧或瓶子店,重点是,你的时间够用吗
I went searching for some American brews--hence Beer Temple--yes--this is the bar to be if you a sucker for US brew---one of the things about this place is they do sell different vintages of DARK LORD by Three Floyds---yes--obviously you have to pay quite a fat amount in Euro--if you so fancy. ( i did not).
Amsterdam---with so many different craft beer places( breweries, brewpub, bars, bottle shop....) --the question would be ....Do you have enough TIME?