上個月大雪中造訪倫敦南岸The Kernel酒廠時，台灣釀酒朋友李駿兄特別從箱裡拿了一瓶還沒完全完成瓶內熟成處理、且也還沒上架販售的酒，讓我買回家放放再品嚐。過了一個月，終於打開來嚐，果然又是一隻體質均衡、又充滿奇珍異果馨香的 Kernel IPA (這次用的是單一品種 Mosaic)。但這酒，特有味道的，一是李兄的心意，二是這酒便是他本人監製釀造的呢 (就是左下圖李兄身後熟成槽中那一批裝瓶的)！

我其實一直在想，在Kernel酒廠從來沒有看到溫控室，可讓瓶內熟成啤酒有二次發酵的機會… 同時呢，Kernel的PA/IPA酒標上都是印大概4-5個月的保鮮期，這可是一般已經過濾但未巴式殺菌的瓶裝酒會給的大概期限哪~~ 我就一直奇怪，他們所謂的 “Bottle-Conditioned” 到底是怎麼一回事呢？

上周日忍不住，問了問，終於得到了答案：其實，酒要放過保鮮期一樣沒有問題，只不過Kernel想要傳達推廣的是美式啤酒新鮮香濃的酒花調調，所以才建議4個月內儘量早喝。但第二層的疑問並沒有得到答案，也就是：既然是瓶內熟成處理，有加Priming用的糖，也還沒經過瓶內二次發酵，那… 嘿嘿，買回家後，適不適合放到溫度控制在正好可以讓瓶內酵母甦醒進行二次發酵的狀況下呀？這可不變成了“Home-Conditioned Beer”，就像市場裡賣的 “Home-Ripening Bananas”一般？！

被我逼問到這樣，李兄也不好說，只說瓶子封的好，大概不會爆破…… 但，我看，弦外之音可能是：『ㄜ… 安危自負囉！』哈哈！下次拿一瓶放到浴室去試試看，真要炸了，損失大概也不會太大囉~~

The Kernel, India Pale Ale (Mosaic), 6%abv. (American IPA)

Purchased at the Kernel Brewery in London recently; bottle-conditioned in a 330ml brown bottle, bottled on 12/03/2013, BB 12/07/2013, served cool in Tripel Karmaliet’s branded stemmed flower bulb-shaped goblet.

4/5 Appearance: pours a dark amber cloudy hue, coming with fine fizz and a well lasting creamy beige head.
4/5 Smell: the nose is full of ripe fruits & flowery esters, reminiscent of grapefruits, hawthorn fruits, ripe guava, ripe oranges, underlined by creamy malts & hop resins at the back. Overall, it’s harmonious & balanced. A very good swirl brings up a touch of musk & phenol, while a whiff of semi-stinky English pale malts with fine caramely sweetness always stays close by.
4/5 Taste: on the palate, the flavour is balanced acidic&sweet, showing a good pale-malt dominated backbone, with tangy&chewy hop tannins to follow, before an aromatic aftertaste prevails with more potent bitter hops & exotic fruitiness at the end of each long sip.
4/5 Mouthfeel: lightly carbonated, smooth on the palate, medium bodied… all in all very well attenuated.
4/5 Overall: this is yet another well-balanced hoppy treat from the Kernel, delicious, also showing a clear flavour structure. Well done, Chun!

--Yau (12/04/2013)