VERMONT BEERS
Here are some brief reviews of ten beers from Vermont, provided by my
good friend Shawn Murphy.
Heart of Darkness Stout
(Magic Hat Brewing, South Burlington, VT):
The bottle features a really cool label, a trademark of Magic Hat beers.
Another is that they are brewed with home-grown hops on the banks of the
Ottauquerchee River (try saying that three times after one of these
beers). Inky black in color, this Oatmeal Stout has a nice, creamy
white head. It starts off with dry, roasty aromatics. In the flavor
there is a delicious undercurrent of bittersweet chocolate. It has the
character of a Foreign Extra Stout, and reminds the beer writer Garrett
Oliver of bottled Beamish. Its body is light, but sufficient. It is
slightly smoky, and some hop flavors and bitterness are evident before a
very dry finish. Fred Eckhardt reviewed it and wrote that it go well
with Ghiradelli dark chocolate; Michael Jackson wrote that it would go
well with oysters. It is brewed with English 2-row Pale, Crystal, Cara
Wheat, and Chocolate malt, plus roasted barley and rolled oats. The
hops are Target, U.K. Progress, and North Down. Orignial gravity:
1.056. Alcohol: 5.3 percent by volume.
Blind Faith India Pale Ale
(Magic Hat Brewing, South Burlington, VT):
Another awesome label. This India Pale Ale has a golden amber color and
a dense, rocky head. The hops are certainly evident in the aroma,
flavor, and bitterness, and they are pleasant enough. What is missing
is a solid malt base. Both the flavor and body are too thin, leaving a
watery impression. It's not bad, but not great. It is brewed with all
English malt, including 2-row Pale, Crystal, Chocolate, and Wheat. The
hops are Willamette, U.K. Progress, and lots of Cascade. Original
gravity: 1.056. Alcohol: 5.9 percent by volume.
Double Bag Ale
(Long Trail Brewing, Bridgewater Corners, VT):
The folks at Long Trail say that DŸsseldorf brewers sometimes brewed
stronger versions of their Altbiers, and with this in mind, Long Trail
has come up with a malty, full-bodied "Double Alt." They also call it a
"Stickebier" (German slang for "secret brew"). This beer is dark amber
in color. It is rich, malty, and full-bodied. The brewers insist that
they used noble hops, but it reminded me of a lot of Pacific Northwest
beers. It is fruity, with plenty of hop flavor, but not too much hop
bitterness. I consider it a better-than-average Barleywine. Alcohol:
7.2 percent by volume.
Hibernator Ale
(Long Trail Brewing, Bridgewater Corners, VT):
This winter specialty is a Scotch Ale brewed with five different malts,
brown sugar, and dash of honey. It was complex and warming, with plenty
of malt flavor. It was very tasty, but it did not make me forget the
better Scotch Ales from Scotland.
Stovepipe Porter
(Otter Creek Brewing, Middlebury, VT):
This Porter sure tastes a lot like a Stout, and its ingredients indicate
that it should be called one. The head was thick with beige foam.
Roasted coffee aromas dominate, while the flavors are rich, slightly
sweet, and complex. The finish is rather burnt and moderately bitter.
I really enjoyed this beer. It is made with Munich, Carapils, and
Chocolate malt, plus roasted barley; it has Chinook, Cascade, and
Willamette hops. Original gravity: 1.054. Alcohol: 5.4 percent by
volume.
A Winter's Ale
(Otter Creek Brewing, Middlebury, VT):
This was supposed to have been a Scottish Ale. This was supposed to
have been pleasantly sweet, full of caramel notes, and mildly hoppy. It
was, instead, an undrinkable beer, with lots of unpleasant vegetative
aromas and a combination of oxidized and sour flavors. Original
gravity: 1.060. Alcohol: 5.8 percent by volume.
Trout River Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
(Trout River Brewing, Lyndonville,
VT):
This black beer with a moderately thick white head starts out with some
good Stout aromatics: a mixture of roast and chocolate. The flavors
are rather weak, however, and it further suffers from being
thin-bodied. Roasted barley is evident, but the finish is unpleasantly
tart. I've had much better homebrewed Stouts.
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NW LOCAL WINTER BEERS
Here are some brief reviews of some of our local winter specialty beers.
Powder Hound Winter Ale
(Big Sky Brewing, Missoula, MT)
Deep copper color, huge beige head. Sweet, fruity aroma. Moderately
sweet malt flavor. Just enough hop bitterness at the end. Rich,
full-bodied, satisfying. Excellent.
Winter Fish Seasonal Ale
(Fish Brewing, Olympia, WA)
Pale golden color. Hoppy aroma. Hoppy flavor. Lots of hop
bitterness. Did I say it was hoppy?
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EXTRAORDINARY IMPORTS
Here are some brief reviews of some of exceptional imported brews
available at Belmont Station in Portland.
Young's Special London Ale
(Millennium Edition)
Light amber color, modest head. Sweet, fruity aroma. Sweet and
caramelly on the palate. Just enough hop bitterness at the end for
balance. The bottle says there are a "phenomenal amount of hops" but
many HOTVers will find this not hoppy enough. I thought it was
delicious-an exceptional British beer. (500 ml, 6.4 percent
abv)
Kapuziner Hefe-Weizen
Pale straw color, dense rocky head. Authentic German Hefeweizen, with
more of the clove than the banana esters in the aroma and flavor. Some
hop bitterness is evident-about average for the style. Its appealing
flavor is accentuated by a very creamy mouthfeel. This is one of the
tastiest Weizenbiers I've ever had, from the famous Mšnchshof (monk's
hood) Brewery in Kulmbach, Bavaria. (500 ml, 5.4 percent abv)
Crystal Diplomat Dark Czech Lager
Dark chestnut brown color, modest cream head. A dark lager from the
second most famous brewery in Ceskè Budejovice (the most famous makes
beer known in the United States as Czechvar). This lovely beer has
fine, subtle aromatics and a delicious malt flavor. It is very
satisfying; better than any Munich Dunkles I have had. When in the
Czech Republic, remember to say "tmavè" if you want a dark version of a
beer brand. (500 ml, 5.0 abv)
St. Amand French Country Ale
Pale amber color with a big, foamy, white head. A great Bière de Garde,
more reminiscent of wine than beer. Earthy yeast aromatics dominate.
Slightly sweet malt. Easy to drink for such an exotic beer. Very
satisfying. Brewed by the Castelain Brewery in Bènifontaine, France,
one of the few remaining Bière de Garde brewers, it uses barley malt
from the Champagne region and hops from Alsace. (750 ml, 5.9 abv)
Boskeun Special Belgian Ale
Murky brown color with a thick beige head. The name of this seasonal
beer from the Mad Brewers means "Easter Bunny." It is spicy, somewhat
tart, and very fruity. Lots of fruity flavor and very potent. Like all
the products from this brewery in Esen, Belgium, this beer takes
drinkers on a wild ride. (333 ml, 8.0 abv)
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DOGFISH HEAD CRAFT BREWERY
Here are some brief reviews of five beers from the Dogfish Head Craft
Brewery of Lewes, Delaware. They are new to Oregon and currently
available at the Shop Ôn' Go grocery store on Van Buren in Corvallis.
They are definitely worth seeking.
Chicory Stout
Chicory Stout is a rich, dark beer brewed with pale malt, wheat, roasted
barley, oatmeal, plus whole Cascade and Fuggles hops. In addition, the
brewers add a touch of roasted chicory, organic Mexican coffee, St.
John's Wort, and licorice root. This beer is very smooth, slightly
sweet, and has a restrained roasted quality that makes it an
easy-to-drink Stout. The aromas are especially appealing. The winner
of two gold medals at the 1998 Real Ale Festival in Chicago, Chicory
Stout has been praised by a number of beer writers. (12 oz., 5.2 percent abv, 22 IBU)
Indian Brown Ale
The brewers call Indian Brown Ale a cross between a Scotch Ale, an IPA,
and an American Pale Ale. I call it an extra strong American Brown
Ale. This beer is well-hopped and has plenty of malt character. It is
brewed with aromatic barley malt, caramelized brown sugar, plus whole
Liberty and Goldings hops. It is rich, full-bodied, and satisfying. (12 oz., 7.2 percent abv, 50 IBU)
7Raison D'Être
The description on the label calls this "A deep, mahogany ale brewed
with Belgian sugars, green raisins, and a sense of purpose." It does
have a beautiful color-dark brown with ruby hues, with a thin creamy
head on top. There is a definite Belgian character. The aromas are
rich, sweet, and malty. The first taste impression is chocolate, and it
is followed by an intense fruity middle that likely comes from the
raisins. The hop bitterness and flavors are rather assertive but nice
for balance. There is a hint of fusel alcohol in the finish. Voted
"American Beer of the Year" in January 2000 by Malt Advocate magazine,
Raison D'Être is a great beer-one that gives all beer lovers a reason
to exist. (12 oz., 8.0 percent abv, 36 IBU)
Immort Ale
The description on the label says, "Vast in character, luscious and
complex, this smooth, full-bodied ale reveals interwoven notes of maple,
vanilla, and oak." The aromatics are great, the flavors are even
better. It is extremely rich, rather sweet, and very satisfying, with a
crisp hop bite at the end. Brewed with peat-smoked barley malt, it
undergoes two fermentations: the first on ale yeast and the second on
champagne yeast. It is brewed with organic juniper berry, vanilla, and
maple syrup, and then aged on oak for two months. Named "Beer of the
Year" in 1997 by The Philadelphia Daily News, Immort Ale provides an
intense beer drinking experience. Lovers of Fred should be pleased with
this one. I think it is better balanced. (12 oz, 11 percent abv, 40 IBU)
90 Minute IPA
The first thing that strikes one about this beer is its package: it
comes in a corked and caged wine bottle with a rather crude-looking
paper label that features a black and white photo of an old carnival
performer getting ready to hammer a large nail into one of his
nostrils. The side panel reads, "What you have here is a
bottle-conditioned India Pale Ale featuring a single, constant,
90-minute hop addition of Cascade, Columbus, and Chinook hops. It is
balanced by a ridiculous amount of English two-row barley malt. Then we
dry hop." I shared this beer with some of the more accomplished beer
judges at the last HOTV club meeting and the consensus was that although
it was definitely a potent beer-drinking experience, the hop bitterness
was not overpowering. I liked the Immort Ale much better. (750 ml, 9.0 percent abv, 90 IBU?)
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PROPERLY AGED BELGIAN BEERS
Here are some brief reviews of some of exceptional imported brews
available at Belmont Station in Portland.
Saison de Pipaix
[750 ml, 6 percent abv]
Light amber color, fluffy white head, lots of brown yeast sediment from
the last of the bottle. Tart, citrusy aroma. Flavors reminiscent of
lemon zest with earthy yeast notes. Modest hop bitterness is evident.
The ingredients include Munich malt, Hallertauer hops, ginger, black
pepper, coriander, and Curaao oranges. It makes a great accompaniment
to fine hors d'oeuvres. From the Brasserie ˆ Vapeur (Steam Brewery) in
Pipaix, Belgium. (The bottle says this beer was brewed in October 1996
and bottled six weeks later, and then stored in the brewery's cellar.)
Vapeur d'Antan Ale (Bottled in 1995)
[750 ml, 8 percent abv]
Golden color, thick white head, lots of sediment from the bottom of the
bottle. Another fruity, citrusy beer from the Steam Brewery in Pipaix.
This one is stronger with more assertive aromas and flavors, though not
quite as tart. Another fascinating beer, great with gourmet food.
N'Ice Chouffe (Bottled in 1996, #778)
[750 ml, 10 percent abv]
Wonderful bottle featuring two gnomes wearing snowshoes, warming their
hands over a little fire. A squirrel and a deer look on and there's a
quaint, snow-covered church in the background. The first thing I
noticed about this Belgian brew is that it has almost no carbonation,
from the time I opened it through an aggressive pour. Dark amber in
color, it immediately reminded me of Samichlaus. Sweet malt, cherry,
caramel, and warm alcohol notes dominate the aroma and the flavor. It
was very tasty, and I drank it at a leisurely pace, sometimes recooling
the bottle but consuming most of it at cellar temperature. This is an
excellent dessert beer, to be savored like fine brandy-I highly
recommend this one.
Guldenberg Belgian Abbey Beer (Bottled in June 2000) [750 ml, 8 percent
abv]
This beer comes in a plain green bottle with an elegant paper wrapper.
It pours with a huge, fluffy white head. Its color is hazy golden. The
aroma is dominated by fruity esters reminiscent of ripe peaches. The
flavor is dominated by fruity notes, warm alcohol, and a spicy hoppiness
found only in a few other Belgian beers (Orval comes to mind). Hop
bitterness is also evident-not like an IPA but more than most Belgian
beers-and this does a nice job of balancing the fruity sweetness.
According the label Hallertauer and Brewers Gold are used. The high
carbonation also gives the beer a playful mouthfeel. The Brewery De
Ranke is owned and operated by two friends, Nino Bacelle and Guido
Devos, who brew their beers in small batches on weekends in a
turn-of-the-century brewery in Wevelgem, West Flanders. This beer is
outstanding.
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A TASTE OF GERMANY ON THE WEST COAST
German-style Ales are rare in galaxy of domestic craft beers, but here
are five West Coast brews that claim a German lineage. All of these are
available at Shop Ôn' Go on Van Buren in Corvallis.
Widmer Sommerbräu, Widmer Brewing Company, Portland, Oregon
From the Widmer website: "Sommerbräu is crisp, refreshing, and slightly
dry with a hint of hop flavor and aroma. It's proof that a lighter beer
can also be a flavorful beer." I agree with all that; it is certainly a
good summer beer. But it advertises itself as a "Golden Kölsch Beer,"
and I don't think it quite measures up as a true Kölsch. It needs a
different yeast strain to achieve that distinction.
Alcohol: 4.8 percent by volume
Bitterness: 26 IBU
Pale and Wheat malts
Spalter Select aroma and bittering hops
Alaskan Summer Ale, Alaskan Brewing Company, Juneau, Alaska
From the Alaskan website: "Alaskan Summer Ale balances a softly malted
palate with the clean freshness of German Hallertauer hops. The
straw-gold color and easy drinkability are an enjoyable way to celebrate
summer." Once again, this is advertised as a Kölsch-style ale. It is
light, easy to drink, and flavorful. But missing are the
characteristics of a true Kölsch, which include yeasty notes and fairly
substantial body.
Alcohol: 5 percent by volume
Bitterness: 27 IBU
Pale and Munich malts
Hallertauer hops
Curve Ball Kölsch-Style Ale, Pyramid Brewing Company, Seattle
From the Pyramid website: "Inspired by the traditional Kölsch-style
beers of Cologne, Germany, Curve Ball boasts a clean, crisp, slightly
herbal taste and a lighter body." Here's the real deal. I have only
had a few Kölsches from Germany (and a few award-winning homebrewed
versions), but this one seems very true to style, and that includes a
whiff of sulfur in the nose that can only come from the right yeast
strain. It is a very good summer beer, and great with sandwiches.
Original Gravity: 1.045
Alcohol: 4.8 percent by volume
Two-Row Barley malt, malted Wheat
Vanguard and Perle hops
Uncle Otto's Weissbier, Portland Brewing Company, Portland, Oregon
From the Portland Brewing website: "Uncle Otto's Weiss Beer [is] an
authentic German Wheat Beer on par with Munich's finest. This new
spring and summer seasonal is made with a remarkable yeast
[Weihenstephan] that imparts complex overtones of banana and clove."
The site goes on to say that the beer was named "Weissbier" in an effort
to differentiate it from the "rather bland American-style Hefeweizens,"
adding "They're completely different beers." Brewmaster Alan Kornhauser
says, "This is one of the few beers in which yeast is critical to
flavor." I would argue that yeast is critical to the flavor of many
beer styles, but agree that it is essential to an authentic Bavarian
Weizenbier. True to their word, the folks at Portland Brewing have
produced a very flavorful example, one that is reminiscent of the
Paulaner Hefeweizen, with exaggerated banana notes in the aroma and
taste. Congratulations to the brewers.
Pale Two-Row malt, Northwest Winter Wheat
Tettnang hops
Sudwerk Hefe Weizen, Sudwerk Privatbrauerei Hübsch, Davis, California
From the Sudwerk website: "A Bavarian-style unfiltered wheat beer with
a light fruity taste and a slightly spicy finish." This is a more
balanced version of the style, with more of the clove-like spiciness
reminiscent of the best Bavarian brands. I really liked this one; in
fact it is one of the best American interpretations of a German
Weizenbier available. Skip the lemon. Enjoy all its subtleties of this
beer.
50 percent Pale Two-Row malt, 50 percent Wheat.
Hallertauer hops
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BIG, BIGGER, BIGGEST
Here are some big beers that are still suitable for summer sipping. I
purchased the first two at Belmont Station in Portland. The third one
came from Liquid Solutions in Tigard. Like Belmont Station, Liquid
Solutions keeps all its beers cool and dark; shoppers see only the
display bottles along a wall. It has a huge selection of imports and
domestics and a knowledgeable staff. I recommend it highly.
Topvar Dark Lager
This beer from Slovakia features a dark chestnut brown color and a
modest cream head. A brew has all the intense, roasted character of a
Stout but the smoothness of a lager. There is a slight burnt quality
from black malt. It is very drinkable and satisfying-I recommend it
with dark chocolate.
[500 ml, 5 percent abv]
DeLandtsheer Malheur Tripel
Here is a delicious Monastic Ale from Buggenhout, Belgium. It calls
itself a "blonde, double- strength (20¼ Plato), bottle-conditioned ale
with the outstanding flavor of whole hops." I found it spicy, even
peppery on the finish, with a very soft mouthfeel. It became even more
delicious as it warmed.
[750 ml, 10 percent abv]
Belzebeth
Talk about intense-this beer proudly proclaims its potency on the bottle
neck foil. The label features a rather nasty-looking, dancing,
long-tailed devil. It is brewed by the Brasserie Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of
Arc Brewery) in northern France, and it is related stylistically to the
Belgian beers Duvel, Lucifer, Satan, Judas, and Hapkin. Unlike its
Belgian cousins, it is all-malt (no candi sugar), and at least one beer
writer, Roger Prost, has speculated that the brewers use champagne yeast
to achieve its strength. Dark gold in color with a big white head, it
immediately grabbed my attention with alcohol warmth in the aroma and
flavor. Next, a myriad of spices and fruity esters competed for my
attention with an intense maltiness. The dry, satisfying finish was
also marked by a fairly assertive hop bitterness. Not as thick as you
might think, it is nevertheless a sipping beer. It reminded me of
Scaldis Noël-a spicy, strong beer in its own right at 12 percent abv.
But Belzebeth is in a class by itself. Look for it if you plan to
attend the International Beerfest.
[250 ml, 15 percent abv]
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GERMAN BEER NIGHT
One night, Joel Rea and Scott Leonard joined me for an evening
of eats and drinks - German style. It was all very delicious.
Hirsch Hefeweisse
(5.1 percent abv) Hefeweizen
Privatbrauerei Hirsch, Sonthoffen, Bayern
This was good version of the South German Wheat Beer style. It was
pale, cloudy, and had plenty of yeast sediment. The aromas and flavors
had, according to Joel Rea, "tropical overtones." The ripe banana
esters were certainly present, but the clove qualities were muted. I've
had better Hefeweizens, but this was a good one.
Steingadener Weisse Dunkel
(5.3 percent abv) Dunkelweizen
Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren, Kaufbeuren, Bayern
Joel, Scott, and I were all impressed by the rich, chocolaty malt in
this Dark Wheat Beer. It also had some Weizenbier character-bananas and
clove. It was very drinkable and very enjoyable. The thousand-year-old
town of Kaufbeuren, in southwestern Bavaria, is considered one of the
"pearls of the Allgäu region," which is famous for its castles and
cheeses.
Stifts Weizenbock
(7.0 percent abv) Weizenbock
Allgäuer Bräuhaus, Kempten, Bayern
Unlike most Weizenbocks I have had, this was blonde in color. It was
one of two beers we sampled that had problems. It was sour and had some
off aromas and flavors. It reminded me a little of drinking water from
a garden hose. Scott didn't think it was so bad, but there was still
beer left in the bottle.
Reissdorf Kölsch
(4.8 percent abv) Kölsch
Privatbrauerei Heibrich Reissdorf, Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen
This very pale beer featured the light, fruity malt characteristic of a
genuine Kölsch, and also had a fairly assertive hop profile. It was a
well-balanced, easy to drink beer, perfect for summertime. One can
almost see the cathedral in Cologne.
Weltenburger Kloster Urtyp Hell
(4.6 percent abv) Munich Helles
Klosterbrauerei Weltenburg, Kelheim, Bayern
Here is one of those beers that makes me immediately think "German."
Light in color and body, it has a distinctive malt character with
honeyish notes, and just the right amount of Noble hops for balance. It
was simply an outstanding beer. The Weltenburg Brewery claims to be the
oldest monastic brewery in the world, tracing its brewing to at least
1050. It is located near the Danube River town of Kelheim, about 60
miles northeast of Munich. Kelheim is famous for its "Devil's Wall,"
which was part of the wall the Romans built to keep the Germanic tribes
from invading their empire to the south.
Hofbräuhaus München
(5.0 percent abv) Munich Helles
Hofbräuhaus, München, Bayern
This beer is similar to the last one, and it comes from one of the
larger, more mainstream breweries in Bavaria. Perhaps that it why it
seems to lack many of the distinctive qualities that we liked in the
Weltenburger Helles. Given the outstanding reputation of the Munich's
"court brew house," we were all a little disappointed.
Holzhauser Landbier
(5.0 percent abv) Munich Helles
Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren, Kaufbeuren, Bayern
None of us knew what a "Landbier" is, and after I looked up the
brewery's website, I still don't know. Under "products" it just showed
a picture of nine beer bottles. My guess is that it is a Helles, because
it was pale gold in color and fairly light-bodied. It had a nice malt
and hop character but could have been more assertive.
Jubiläums Pils
(5.0 percent abv) German Pils
Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren, Kaufbeuren, Bayern
This beer was the biggest disappointment of the night. It was murky and
chunky-big no-nos for any Pilsner-with traces of sulfur in the nose and
some rather unpleasant flavors. We liked all the other beers from this
brewery, but this one was not very drinkable.
Thurn und Taxis Roggen
(4.7 percent abv) Rye Beer
Fuersliche Brauerei Thurn und Taxis, Regensburg, Bayern
I had tried this beer before, but barely remembered it. It had a
beautiful copper color, an enticing malty aroma, a delicious, slightly
sweet flavor profile, and wonderful mouthfeel. The rye notes were
distinctive-a little smokey and grainy-but they were not overpowering.
It was a delicious complement to our German food.
Würzburger Schwarzbier
(4.9 percent abv) Black Beer
Hobrbräu Würzburg, Würzburg, Bayern
This was one our favorite beers of the night. The rich, dark malts were
the star, reminding me of dark chocolate, but there were also enough
Noble hops for a balanced bitterness. Smooth, creamy, and easy to
drink, this was just a great overall beer. The city of Würzburg is in
Franconia (northern Bavaria), and is famous for once having been the
home of the emperor Friedrich Barbarossa.
Weltenburger Kloster Asam Bock
(7.3 percent abv) Doppelbock
Klosterbrauerei Weltenburg, Kelheim, Bayern
This dark amber beer was my favorite in the session. It featured a
wonderful malt aroma and flavor, but was not too sweet. The alcohol was
evident but it did not get in the way of the taste profile. Rich and
complex, it was a classic Doppelbock.
Cambonator Doppelbock
(7.2 percent abv) Doppelbock
Allgäuer Brauhaus, Kempten, Bayern
This full-bodied, dark, malty sweet Doppelbock is from the Allgäuer
Brewery in Kempten, a southwestern Bavarian town near Lake Constance,
where Germany, Austria, and Switzerland meet. This was a good one, but
not quite as good as the Weltenburger Doppelbock. The town of Kempten
is on the site of the old Roman settlement of Cambodunum, and this is
the inspiration for the beer's name.
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