经济学人240:家庭酿造 一品脱制作精良的好酒

 　　Home brewing²

　　家庭酿造

　　A pint³ well made

　　一品脱制作精良的好酒

　　Britain's home brewers are raising a more palatable⁴ glass

　　英国家庭酿酒者杯中美酒更加可口

　　Mr Nelson's tipple⁵

　　纳尔逊先生的酒

　　HOME brew¹ was once a phrase that struck terror into the heart of the civilised drinker. In the 1970s, a friend offering to crack open a bottle of foul⁶ muck made in a cupboard under the stairs was a common threat and the prelude⁷ to an appalling⁸ hangover. But the fad⁹ took hold because of the dull alternatives and the fact that it was, at least, cheap. Times have changed. The winning entry in a nationwide home-brewing competition went on sale in October in Waitrose, a fancy supermarket, at 2.50 a bottle.

　　家庭酿造曾是令人心生恐惧的一个短语。在20世纪70年代，如果一个朋友提议开一瓶在楼梯底下的碗柜里酿造的劣质酒，这是一个普通的威胁，也是一场可怕宿醉的序曲。但这一时的狂热竟就地生根了，因为当时的选择寥寥无几，而且起码自酿酒很便宜。如今时代变了。全国家庭酿造比赛的优胜酒于10月在名为维特罗斯的高档超市上架，售价为每瓶2.5镑。

　　家庭酿造.jpg

　　Thornbridge Brewery¹⁰, a well-regarded small beermaker and one of the sponsors of the tournament, will produce 10,000 bottles of Graham Nelson's Vienna IPA, which beat over 200 other tipples¹¹ to take the title. Mr Nelson is one of a new batch¹² of home brewers for whom quality rather than parsimony¹³ is a guiding principle. To make top-quality beer home brewers can buy equipment that is like a miniature version of a commercial brewery. Discerning drinkers are buying crateloads of pricey craft ales made on a small scale in a fast-growing collection of microbreweries. And like foodies, who roast their own coffee beans or bake sourdough bread, some want to have a go at making the stuff themselves.

　　索恩桥啤酒厂是一家备受好评的小啤酒制造商，也是该项赛事的赞助商之一，它将生产10，000瓶格雷汉姆·纳尔逊的维也纳IPA，该酒超越了200种其他的酒摘取了桂冠。纳尔逊是新一代家庭酿造者之一，对他们来说，指导原则是质量，而不是省钱。为了酿造质量上乘的啤酒，家庭酿造者们可以购买一整套迷你版的像商业酿造厂一样的设备。有鉴赏能力的饮酒者从快速成长的小型啤酒厂处大量购买小规模生产、价格昂贵的工艺啤酒。就像会自己烘焙咖啡豆或自己烤制酵母面包的美食家一样，有些饮酒者尝试自己动手酿酒。

　　Adventurous¹⁵ amateurs are well served by a homebrewing culture that has spread like yeast¹⁶ in an airing cupboard. In the 1970s most bought a kit¹⁷ containing malt extract and a gloopy brown syrup¹⁸ which merely required the addition of water and a bit of patience. Kits¹⁹ are still popular for the first-time brewers and there are plenty of online stores that will sell you one. But home brewers are progressing to a set-up like a commercial brewery in miniature: mashing²⁰ their own grain and selecting from an international array of malts and hops²¹.

　　敢于尝试的业余者们处于一个良好的氛围中，这种家庭酿造文化已如烘柜里的酵母般蔓延。20世纪70年代多数人购买了小木桶，装入麦精和一种棕色糖浆，只需加水再耐心等待就行了。小木桶在酿酒新手中仍备受欢迎，网上有很多商店贩卖这类小桶。但家庭酿造者们也在进步，置备一整套类似于迷你商业酿造机器的设备：自己磨粮食，在国内外各种麦精和啤酒花中精挑细选。

　　Easier access to information has also helped as beermakers swap²² tips on the internet. Online videos and forums²³ guide the inexperienced. And some brewers will, for a fee, help newcomers. Beer Lab, for example, offers sessions where enthusiasts²⁴ can select and brew a beer of their choice at its site in London under the watchful²⁵ eye of a professional. Microbreweries around the country run similar courses.

　　信息更易获取这一点也起到了帮助作用，酿造者们可以在网上交流经验。在线视频和论坛为缺乏经验的人提供指导。有一些酿造者也会收取一定费用帮助新手。比如说，啤酒实验室就有相应的课程供热衷者选择，并让学习者在专业人士的指导下在伦敦的制作点酿造自己选择的一种啤酒。国内的小啤酒厂也运行类似的课程。

　　The numbers involved in home brewing are unclear but equipment suppliers say that business is booming. One firm that makes unbranded kits for smaller retailers²⁶ says that sales have grown by 25% on average for the past five years and show no sign of slowing. The impact is more obvious. Sales of commercially produced craft beer grew by 8% in 2013 while big brands are drooping²⁷. Overall beer sales grew by just 1.4% in 2013 after eight years of decline. Britain now has 1,285 breweries¹⁴ compared with 200 in the 1970s. According to CAMRA, an organisation²⁸ that promotes good beer, 14 new microbreweries are opening in the country every month. Most of their proprietors²⁹ honed their skills at home.

　　进行家庭酿造的人数并不确定，但器材供应商说该行业正在蓬勃发展。一家为小零售商提供无商标桶具的公司表示销售量在过去五年内平均上涨了25%，这种势头还没有放缓的迹象。影响更是显而易见。2013年，商业生产的工艺啤酒销售量上涨了8%，但大品牌正在衰落。在八年的连续下滑后，2013年整体的啤酒销量仅上涨了1.4%。英国如今拥有1，285家啤酒厂，而在20世纪70年代仅有约200家。据散装鲜啤酒协会（CAMRA），一个推广优质啤酒的组织表示，国内每个月平均有14家新小型啤酒厂开业。大多数业主都在家磨练过技艺。

1 brew   

v.酿造，调制

参考例句：

• Let's brew up some more tea.咱们沏些茶吧。
• The policeman dispelled the crowd lest they should brew trouble.警察驱散人群，因恐他们酿祸。

2 brewing   

n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• It was obvious that a big storm was brewing up. 很显然，一场暴风雨正在酝酿中。
• She set about brewing some herb tea. 她动手泡一些药茶。

3 pint   

n.品脱

参考例句：

• I'll have a pint of beer and a packet of crisps, please.我要一品脱啤酒和一袋炸马铃薯片。
• In the old days you could get a pint of beer for a shilling.从前，花一先令就可以买到一品脱啤酒。

4 palatable   

adj.可口的，美味的；惬意的

参考例句：

• The truth is not always very palatable.事实真相并非尽如人意。
• This wine is palatable and not very expensive.这种酒味道不错，价钱也不算贵。

5 tipple   

n.常喝的酒；v.不断喝，饮烈酒

参考例句：

• My favourite tipple is a glass of port.我最喜欢喝的酒是波尔图葡萄酒。
• Scotch drinkers around the world tend to associate their favourite tipple with success and achievement.世界各地喝苏格兰威士忌的人，往往把他们最喜欢的这种烈酒，与成功和成就联系在一起。

6 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

7 prelude   

n.序言，前兆，序曲

参考例句：

• The prelude to the musical composition is very long.这首乐曲的序曲很长。
• The German invasion of Poland was a prelude to World War II.德国入侵波兰是第二次世界大战的序幕。

8 appalling   

adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

9 fad   

n.时尚；一时流行的狂热；一时的爱好

参考例句：

• His interest in photography is only a passing fad.他对摄影的兴趣只是一时的爱好罢了。
• A hot business opportunity is based on a long-term trend not a short-lived fad.一个热门的商机指的是长期的趋势而非一时的流行。

10 brewery   

n.啤酒厂

参考例句：

• The brewery had 25 heavy horses delivering beer in London.啤酒厂有25匹高头大马在伦敦城中运送啤酒。
• When business was good,the brewery employed 20 people.在生意好的时候，这家酿造厂曾经雇佣过20人。

11 tipples   

n.致醉的饮料，烈酒( tipple的名词复数 )

参考例句：

12 batch   

n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量

参考例句：

• The first batch of cakes was burnt.第一炉蛋糕烤焦了。
• I have a batch of letters to answer.我有一批信要回复。

13 parsimony   

n.过度节俭，吝啬

参考例句：

• A classic example comes from comedian Jack Benny, famous for his parsimony.有个经典例子出自以吝啬著称的喜剧演员杰克?班尼。
• Due to official parsimony only the one machine was built.由于官方过于吝啬，仅制造了那一台机器。

14 breweries   

酿造厂，啤酒厂( brewery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• In some cases, this is desirable, but most breweries prefer lighter-type beers. 在一些情况下，这是很理想的，但是大多数啤酒厂更倾向于生产酒度较低的啤酒。
• Currently, there are 58 breweries producing Snow Beeracross the country. 目前，全国共有58个雪花啤酒厂。

15 adventurous   

adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的　

参考例句：

• I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.我很羨慕他们敢于冒险的生活方式。
• He was predestined to lead an adventurous life.他注定要过冒险的生活。

16 yeast   

n.酵母；酵母片；泡沫；v.发酵；起泡沫

参考例句：

• Yeast can be used in making beer and bread.酵母可用于酿啤酒和发面包。
• The yeast began to work.酵母开始发酵。

17 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

18 syrup   

n.糖浆，糖水

参考例句：

• I skimmed the foam from the boiling syrup.我撇去了煮沸糖浆上的泡沫。
• Tinned fruit usually has a lot of syrup with it.罐头水果通常都有许多糖浆。

19 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

20 mashing   

捣碎

参考例句：

• Long ago, they served as a useful third set of mashing molars. 许多年前，它们可是有用的第三套磨牙系统。
• During continuous mashing, filter 2 is filled when filter 1 is full. 在连续糖化过程中，当压滤机1填满后即填充压滤机2。

21 hops   

跳上[下]( hop的第三人称单数 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花

参考例句：

• The sparrow crossed the lawn in a series of hops. 那麻雀一蹦一跳地穿过草坪。
• It is brewed from malt and hops. 它用麦精和蛇麻草酿成。

22 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

23 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

24 enthusiasts   

n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A group of enthusiasts have undertaken the reconstruction of a steam locomotive. 一群火车迷已担负起重造蒸汽机车的任务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Now a group of enthusiasts are going to have the plane restored. 一群热心人计划修复这架飞机。 来自新概念英语第二册

25 watchful   

adj.注意的，警惕的

参考例句：

• The children played under the watchful eye of their father.孩子们在父亲的小心照看下玩耍。
• It is important that health organizations remain watchful.卫生组织保持警惕是极为重要的。

26 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

27 drooping   

adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词

参考例句：

• The drooping willows are waving gently in the morning breeze. 晨风中垂柳袅袅。
• The branches of the drooping willows were swaying lightly. 垂柳轻飘飘地摆动。

28 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

29 proprietors   

n.所有人，业主( proprietor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These little proprietors of businesses are lords indeed on their own ground. 这些小业主们，在他们自己的行当中，就是真正的至高无上的统治者。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Many proprietors try to furnish their hotels with antiques. 许多经营者都想用古董装饰他们的酒店。 来自辞典例句