2009年3月24日 星期二

日本威士忌封王

這我兩三年前的另外一blog就報導過ㄅ

日本威士忌封王 打敗蘇格蘭

  • 2009-03-24
  • 中國時報
  • 【林家群/綜合報導】

 ▲觀光客在英國蘇格蘭的威士忌酒廠參觀並品酒,日本的威士忌近年異軍突起。(美聯社)

 日本酒類產業發達,清酒與啤酒早已遠近馳名,據《彭博通訊社》報導,如今日本威士忌的製酒技術更迎頭趕上威士忌酒鄉英國蘇格蘭,去年一項酒類評鑑中,日本兩大酒廠生產的威士忌打敗了蘇格蘭品牌,震撼全球酒界,如今這場西洋與東洋的威士忌大戰已經開打了。

 在英國《威士忌雜誌》(Whisky Magazine)評鑑中,最佳單一純麥(single malt)品項由朝日啤酒集團旗下的Nikka公司生產的「余市」(Yoichi)廿年威士忌,打敗蘇格蘭群雄奪冠;在調和式威士忌(blended whisky)品項,日本三得利(Suntory)公司生產的「響」(Hibiki)獲全球第一。

 名酒品評賽 東洋凌駕西洋

 日本威士忌經銷商「威士忌E」執行長克羅爾(David Kroll)說:「這是蘇格蘭酒廠的警訊,日本公司正開始出口更多威士忌到各國。」

 由於九○年代稅制改革,讓日本威士忌極為昂貴,原本喝威士忌的人改喝紅酒或其他酒類,威士忌銷售量大跌,因此產量佔日本威士忌酒市場九成的Nikka與三得利,希望藉出口來彌補國內市場的衰退。

 日本威士忌為何能打敗蘇格蘭同業,很值得探討。

 「余市」純麥 創造出口商機

 Nikka位於北海道余市的酒廠廠長荒谷幸雄說:「公司創辦人竹鶴政孝選擇余市蓋廠,是因這裡的氣候與蘇格蘭類似,日夜溫濕度差距大以及靠近海洋,每個因素都影響酒的品質」。

 Nikka自九○年代起全力生產單一純麥威士忌,使用蘇格蘭的大麥、日本的酵母及來自余市鄰近山區的乾淨水源蒸餾,再用美國白樺木做成的酒桶裝酒熟成,讓它的威士忌聞起來有少許堅果、松露、香草的味道,嚐起來又有燻木或淡煙燻味。

 找到特色 三得利「響」叮噹

 三得利位於京都南方的山崎酒廠有八十六年歷史,是「響」威士忌產地,首席調酒師輿水精一說:「我們過去被視為正牌威士忌模仿者,現在狀況不同了」。調和式威士忌品牌如「約翰走路」或「Cutty Sark」,因其口味一致性,較單一純麥威士忌更受喜愛。

 山崎酒廠在二次大戰時以亞洲橡木桶來裝桶熟成,讓酒有濃郁特殊的古廟風味。《日本威士忌:事實、數據與風味》一書的作者巴克斯魯德 (Ulf Buxrud)說:「日本酒廠如想在海外多搶些威士忌市場,必須強調其特色,這些特色讓威士忌的香味光譜更開闊。老實說,日本人已不再只會模仿而已」。

2009年3月17日 星期二

In Lean Times, a Stout Dream

In Lean Times, a Stout Dream

The economic crisis has stifled entrepreneurial activity in many industries. But it's done little to dent the ambitions of those who dream of brewing their own beer and offering it to the world.

Surprisingly large numbers of entrepreneurs -- some let go from corporate jobs in recent years -- have been starting microbreweries or brewpubs. Schools that teach brewing are being showered with applications from people interested in getting into the business. At the same time, enthusiasm for interesting new beers remains strong; BeerAdvocate.com, a Web site for beer enthusiasts, says its traffic has reached one million unique visitors a month, and is rising as much as 12% each month.

Despite the economic slump, the demand for micro-brews is on the rise. Matt Rivera reports from Sixpoint Brewery in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Last year, even as a recession gripped the country, 114 microbreweries and brewpubs -- restaurants that make their own beer -- opened in the U.S., according to the Brewers Association, a Boulder, Colo., trade group. That marked the highest number since 1999. Openings are expected to decline this year, but start-up activity remains robust, says Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. The group estimates 200 microbreweries and brewpubs already are on the drawing board for the next few years.

For some of the new entrepreneurs, the desire to make beer predated the recession. "I got into it because my wife said I could, and it just seemed it would be a heck of a lot of fun," says Steve Klotz, a 46-year-old former Dow Chemical Co. engineer who took a voluntary buyout in 2006 and plans this summer to open a microbrewery in Midland, Mich.

Beer entrepreneurs have also been emboldened by a long list of recent success stories in the small-batch, or "craft," beer arena, as well as statistics showing that Americans are consuming craft beer in increasing numbers. "It's the consumer that's creating the demand," Mr. Gatza says.

Beer has long proved more resilient in recessions than other industries. Total U.S. beer sales increased last year -- though just under 0.5% by volume, estimates industry newsletter Beer Marketer's Insights. Sales of craft beer, the industry's fastest-growing segment, rose 6% by volume, and dollar sales jumped 10.5% to $6.3 billion, according to the Brewers Association.

Beer is taking market share away from distilled spirits, and craft beer in particular is looking like an affordable luxury. "I'm finding that people who are used to drinking $15 martinis think a $5 pint of decent craft beer is pretty reasonable," says Tracy Hurst, who with her husband Doug founded the Chicago microbrewery Metropolitan Brewing LLC.

Craft brewers produce beer in tiny quantities, and they're known for an ever-increasing array of exotic ingredients, such as chocolate, coffee or berries. Craft brewing, led by companies such as California's Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Oregon's Deschutes Brewery Inc., accounts for only 4% of total industry volume, but the beers provide distributors and retailers with high profit margins. At least part of the growing consumer demand stems from drinkers willing to pay a few dollars extra for beer that's often made close to home.

Starting a microbrewery or brewpub is by no means without risk. It costs roughly $450,000 to $800,000 to start a small brewery, say entrepreneurs, and finding distributors willing to take on unproven brands can be onerous. Brewpubs can cost a few million dollars, depending on their size.

Last year, 42 brewpubs closed in the U.S., the most since 2005, the Brewers Association reports. But only nine microbreweries shuttered, the lowest figure since 1995. Today, with the nation's restaurant sector mired in a steep decline, "it's very difficult" to launch a successful brewpub, says Darren Tristano, executive vice president of food-consulting firm Technomic Inc.

[Beer Manufacturers] Anne Ryan for The Wall Street Journal

Chicago's Metropolitan Brewing, founded by Tracy and Doug Hurst, began selling its lagers this winter.

Even in good times, many brewing start-ups encounter difficulty raising money for the property, brewing equipment and other assets needed to start their business. And some are finding the challenge greater now as banks tighten lending terms.

Mr. Klotz, the former Dow Chemical engineer, sought private investors for his microbrewery, Artful Dodger Brewing Co., after banks expressed reluctance to provide loans. Bankers cited Michigan's deteriorating economy and some recent local restaurant failures, he says.

Mr. Klotz, who began home-brewing a few years ago, says he is "certainly" worried about the economy. In January, Michigan's unemployment rate climbed to 11.6%, the highest in the U.S. But he is hopeful that the microbrewery, which will offer food and beer on tap, will attract customers with fresh, high-quality beer and a smoke-free atmosphere. To draw community support, he plans to invite local artists to name the brewery's beers. "To be successful, I think you need to push and do some creative things," he says.

Joey Redner, 36, recently started Cigar City Brewing, a microbrewery in Tampa, Fla., but only after receiving financial support from his father, a longtime local businessman. The younger Mr. Redner says he has spent $585,000 to start the brewery, which is creating such beers as Jai Alai India Pale Ale and Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout. Most of the money came from bank loans for which his father put up business property as collateral. "He has stood back and sort of let us run and fall down as we may," Mr. Redner says of his father, Joe Redner.

Mr. Redner says he was able to quickly sign up with two local distributors in part because he is known for writing a beer column in the St. Petersburg Times and has worked in the industry.

To minimize his costs, Mr. Redner is initially relying on dozens of volunteers to help move beer, wash kegs and haul boxes. Free beer is the tangible reward. "It's the only industry I know where you can pretty much count on voluntary labor," Mr. Redner says.

In Chicago, Mr. and Mrs. Hurst are also relying on volunteers for Metropolitan Brewing, which began selling its German-style lagers to a few dozen bars and retailers this winter. The couple raised about $600,000, including money from private investors and a small-business loan.

"This is a lot of work," Ms. Hurst, 36, said on a recent afternoon while standing next to a row of stainless-steel fermentation tanks, each named for a secondary character on the original "Star Trek" television series. "It's 12-, 13-hour days."

Ms. Hurst previously ran a portrait studio. Her husband, 40, who wears a bushy goatee, earned a brewing diploma at the Siebel Institute of Technology & World Brewing Academy several years ago and left a career running audiovisual systems for corporate events. Now, the couple helps teach a class on starting a brewery at the school, which is based in Chicago and Munich.

The Siebel Institute, the University of California, Davis, and other providers of brewing training in the U.S. say they're seeing increasing numbers of applications from students who want to run a microbrewery or brewpub.

Adam Karaway, 31, who was laid off in late 2007 from his job selling corrugated steel to construction firms, is working as a bartender in Kenosha, Wis., and trying to scrape together enough money to enroll next year in the 27-week craft-brewing apprenticeship program offered by the American Brewers Guild in Salisbury, Vt. He recently took an organic chemistry class at a local college to qualify for the program. "I got to a point in my life where I kind of realized I should be going for something I am passionate about," says Mr. Karaway.



In Lean Times, a Stout Dream
The economic crisis has done little to dent the ambitions of those who dream of brewing and selling their own beer.

2009年3月13日 星期五

mojito

林世煜:「 Hemingway 住古巴時最愛的雞尾酒─ mojito

我們請到王大師靈安先生蒞場調製

mojito 是西班牙文,請讀成mo[hi]to
---{Mojito
之夜 《在異鄉發現台灣》後記 } 的報告
該報告(豐富圖文;你還可能垂涎)請參閱:

Mojito 之夜 《在異鄉發現台灣》後記

不過,這只是起點。