之前一篇品酒日誌提到，許多新的小酒廠都會做配方不同的實驗性作品，量量水溫、探探水深，再為主要產品定調。另一個觀察到的流行常態，則是兩三個酒廠間的所謂訪問切磋，計畫合作。

其中有趣的一種合作交流形態，我管叫『雞同鴨講』的，是以一個主題作兩種或多種不同甚或矛盾的風格詮釋，像是著名的紐約 Brooklyn 酒廠與傳統德國weizen老廠 Bräuhaus G. Schneider & Sohn 便曾交流，在 Weizen/Weizenbock 的基調上，雙方釀酒師分別以對方地區偏好與善長使用的酒花品種，以美式 IPA 需求的比重與 Dry-hopping 技法，各自靈活運用，在對方的酒廠中分別釀造，成了兩款可平行比較的超級佳釀，名為 Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse。個人嚐過德國版，根本就是人間仙露… (*個人品酒筆記看這裡 )

另外一種合作的形式，其實就是『共襄盛舉』：不同酒廠的酒師到其中一家作客，一齊釀酒，互相觀摩。這裡嚐的 - 本來應該 - 就是一個好例子。為什麼說『本來』呢？這款 Kernel, “Scanner Darkly” Black India Pale Ale，原本是Kernel酒廠與同樣位於倫敦而歷史久一些些的釀酒大大 Brodie’s酒廠的酒師，約好要在Kernel家一起要釀款美國人值得驕傲的其妙莫名好酒 Black India Pale Ale。人家可是認真到連瓶標都早就印好了喔~~ 看看下圖，酒標正面客人大大的標籤比主人的還醒目，酒標背面也已寫好『謝謝大大的指教』/ “THANKS JAMES”...

誰會料到，會師團拜當天，等啊等的，這JAMES竟然望穿秋水、不見蹤影啊~~ 但甚麼都準備好了，沒法，只有釀下去了… 成品，是十分令人激賞的好酒，用了非常多充滿熱帶水果香的新型改良酒花，且深色麥芽的體質與深度也足，平衡感又棒。

我這個邊喝邊開心地合不攏嘴的事後諸葛，心想：酒標背後寫的『謝謝大大』，似乎還反諷地意謂著『好在你沒來，不然酒可能不會那麼好了！感恩喔，嘿嘿~~』…

The Kernel, Scanner Darkly (Black India Pale Ale), 6.9%abv. (Black IPA)

Purchased at the Kernel Brewery in London, bottle-conditioned in a 330ml brown bottle, bottled on 29/01/13, BB 29/05/13, served lightly chilled in a straight pint glass. Note: The beer label also prints Brodies Fabulous Beers on the front, which, according to a staff at the brewery, is supposed to be the brewing partner for this specific product, although in the end on the brewing day the representative from Brodies never showed up…! The back label says THANKS JAMES – don’t know if the gratitude is genuine or… stating the opposite… (for not showing up!!)

4/5 Appearance: pours a deeply dark brown to ebony colour, slightly murky, topped with a huge and frothy light tan head which lasts well, while the carbonation comes at a decent level as well.

4/5 Smell: ripe grapefruity, sweet guava-like, earthy and piney hop aroma abounds, while the thick body of sweet dark malts also lend some depth to be enjoyed on the balance; a swirl brings up the resinous hoppiness and a pleasant whiff of sweet chocolates from the dark malts with a touch of cream and a touch of stinky charred coffee beans. Very very pleasant and robust comes the aroma.

4/5 Taste: juicy and delicious from the outset, immediately the exotic fruity hoppiness surrounds the palate along with bitter-sweet chocolate malts with a tinge of burned nuts/coffee, while the chewy & bitter grapefruit-peel-like tannic bitterness from the good amount of American and/or New Zealand hop varieties (possibly Citra/Mosaic/Nelson Sauvin, etc.?) takes over and results in a superbly lingering aftertaste with a black peppery touch and three-dimensional mouthfeel… Unlike a paler, normal version of IPA, the darker malts here seem to really help settle the flavour profile on a good balance, with a lesser sweet edge overall and additional burned/roasted aroma & taste.

4.5/5 Mouthfeel & 4.5/5 Overall: healthily carbonated, it tastes fresh and refreshing while the alc. (6.9%abv.) really hides well behind the hops and malts. This full-bodied Black IPA is not heavy on the palate at all, but rather light (thanks to the lively hop profile), easy-drinking and moreish that alas such a small bottle disappears all too fast… This bottle-conditioned version is indeed better than the draught (on tap) version I tried at the brewery tap, which was slightly too cloudy for certain particular flavour elements to pierce through. Will definitely try to get a few more bottles next time I’m back in London!

--Yau (tasted 11/03/2013, notes transcribed 13/03/2013)