今年春天，美國雅基瑪酒花做了個(gè)“史無前例”的決定，將美國 Wyckoff Farms 酒花農(nóng)場現(xiàn)摘的新鮮酒花，不遠(yuǎn)萬里，用專有的冷凍保鮮技術(shù)運(yùn)送到中國，不僅原生態(tài)地保持了酒花剛剛摘下來了球果的外觀，更加以無比倫比的嬌嫩欲滴的新鮮度征服啤酒愛好者的味 覺，從而開創(chuàng)了中國精釀市場使用冷凍新鮮酒花（Frozen Fresh Hops，F(xiàn)FH）釀造的先河。
This spring, Yakima Chief Hops made an unprecedent move. We launched a new product line of frozen fresh hops. We introduced the fresh hops from Wyckoff Farms to China using our advanced flash freeze technology. This technology does not only keep the fresh hops from its original form, but also can transcend the delicate and special aroma into the beer to fulfill each beer enthusiast’s taste buds. This is the first time ever to have Frozen Fresh Hops (FFH) in China’s craft beer market.
圖1 預(yù)備投放的雅基瑪冰凍新鮮酒花
Pic.1 Preparing YCH Frozen Fresh Hops
貓員外近年來異軍突起，已開設(shè)了 80 多家精釀啤酒館，主要銷售數(shù)十款自行研發(fā)、釀造的精釀啤酒，成為精釀啤酒市場的佼佼者。美國雅基瑪酒花有限公司是貓員外重要的原料供應(yīng)商和合作伙伴，雙方在酒花供應(yīng)上精益求精，做到無縫鏈接，為高品質(zhì)的貓員外精釀啤酒提供了有力的保障。
Richkat Craft Brewing in Shenzhen has expanded rapidly these few years. They have opened more than 80 taprooms which they sell the beer they develop and brewed, which makes them one of the best breweries in Shenzhen craft beer market. As an important raw material supplier and partner, Yakima Chief Hops has been working closely with Richkat Craft Brewing for both hop supply and brewing exchange experiences, which provides a strong guarantee for high-quality Richkat craft beer.
圖2 貓員外啤酒館深圳中心城旗艦店
Pic.2 Richkat Craft Brewing, Central City Flagship Brewpub, Shenzhen
Gavin Hemple 先生是貓員外精釀啤酒的首席釀酒師，也是中國精釀啤酒的領(lǐng)先者之一，擁有豐富的釀造經(jīng)驗(yàn)。Gavin 是雅基瑪酒花的老客戶和老朋友，在獲悉雅基瑪酒花安排新鮮酒花進(jìn)口的消息后，他率先為貓員外（Richkat）訂購了 300kg，是數(shù)量最多的一個(gè)大訂單。
Mr. Gavin Hemple is the head brewer of Richkat Craft Brewing. Gavin is a well-experienced brewer and one of the pioneers in China’s craft beer industry. As an old friend and customer of Yakima Chief Hops, Gavin right away purchased 300 kg frozen fresh hops as soon as we launched the FFH project here.
圖3 貓員外首席釀酒師Gavin在品評酒花
Pic.3 Gavin, the head brew from Richkat, was evaluating hop samples
受 Covid-19 疫情影響，新鮮酒花釀造計(jì)劃被迫一再延誤，最終水到渠成，安排在 4 月 6-7 日在貓員外旗下的佛山福代精釀啤酒廠啟動(dòng)。本次將釀造 5klX2 個(gè)批次，每鍋投料量多達(dá) 150kg 新鮮酒花，從照片可以看出投放數(shù)量“驚人”，現(xiàn)場裝填 hop back 的照片尤顯“壯觀”，用了兩個(gè)容器才完成裝填。
Due to COVID-19 impacts, this FFH brewing project was postponed more than once. But finally, this batch was brewed on April 6th-7th at Richkat’s Fudai Brewery in Foshan, Guangdong. Two 50hl batches were brewed, and each batch used and equal split of 150kg frozen fresh hops per 50hl. As you can see from the photos, the hops were used in hop back, the volume of hops was so vast that it took two tanks to fill the 150kg of FFH.
圖4 雅基瑪冰凍新鮮酒花“秀”
Pic.4 The showcase of YCH Frozen Fresh Hops
Gavin 為新鮮酒花設(shè)計(jì)的產(chǎn)品為雙倍 IPA（Double IPA）,在大量使用新鮮酒花的基礎(chǔ)上，還將在干投階段使用雅基瑪濃縮酒花（Cryo Hops），以達(dá)到最大化酒花香氣的目的。由于雅基瑪濃縮酒花（Cryo Hops）有極佳的生物轉(zhuǎn)化作用（transformation）和留香能力（survivables），加上從美國雅基瑪山谷直送中國的現(xiàn)摘新鮮酒花，因此可以預(yù)期本次釀造將成為貓員外精釀啤酒的一款里程碑式的產(chǎn)品，為中國的精釀愛好者送上一杯香飄十里的春季美酒。
The Double IPA recipe Gavin designed takes a huge amount of frozen fresh hops. On top of that, Cryo Hops? from Yakima Chief Hops are also used in dry hop stage to maximize the aroma. With the high content of survivable compounds and great bio-transformation ability, we can expect this to become another Richkat flagship DIPA for fans of hoppy beers for the craft beer lovers in Shenzhen and China.
圖5 Gavin在仔細(xì)檢查酒花裝填情況
Pic.5 Gavin was checking the Frozen Fresh Hops
通過本次的新鮮酒花釀造實(shí)踐，雙方表示將在未來擴(kuò)大雅基瑪冰凍新鮮酒花（Frozen Fresh Hops）的使用，引入更多的酒花品種，釀造富有特色和多樣化的 Richkat 精釀啤酒。
我們期待著 Richkat 新鮮酒花 DIPA 的早日上市和圓滿成功！
Through this project, we all are looking forward to having more varieties of frozen fresh hop format, and brew more beers with Gavin and the team at Richkat. Finally, we are super excited for the final outcome and can’t wait to see the successful FFH DIPA launch from Richkat Craft Brewing in the coming months.
圖6 Gavin和Johnson在品鑒酒花
Pic.6 Gavin and Johnson were carrying out hop selection