VOA标准英语2013--南非首个黑人拥有的啤酒厂

 

South Africa's First Black-Owned Brewery³ Opens for Business 南非首个黑人拥有的啤酒厂

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa is a country that loves its beer.  It's a product that has blossomed into a multi-billion dollar industry for commercial beverage⁴  companies.  But now there's a growing popularity for craft beers made by smaller microbreweries which are opening across the country. 

There's a new offering for South Africa's growing thirst for good beer. It’s called Soweto Gold, and it’s the creation of master brewer² and businessman Ndumiso  Madlala. He's making history by opening South Africa's first black-owned and locally brewed⁵ beer in the Johannesburg suburb of Soweto.

"A lot of people were very surprised that a black person can brew¹ beer," he said. "So I am very proud that I have been able to demonstrate to other African people that  it is possible to venture into brewing⁶ as an African person, and I so hope that a lot of people are going to follow suit in the brewing field."

Madlala has a chemical engineering background. He learned about the business as a master brewer for the world's second-largest brewing company.

"The determination and the career path that I followed actually helped me to gain a lot of experience which I am using now to start my own business," he said.

Madlala says he combined his technical knowledge with his knowledge of South Africans’ palate.

"They prefer a little bit of sweetness in the beer and they love fruity beers," he said. "It [Soweto Gold] is a craft beer. It is different because it is much more  richer, it is very fruity.  Yes, it is less hoppy⁷ and it has a very nice lingering sweetness in the background."

The early reviews of his main lager -- and of a seasonal⁸ cherry-flavored brew -- are positive. One beer drinker says he will not "drink another beer except this. It’s  the way to go."

Madlala says he struggled for three years to find investors⁹. Many worried about giving him money for the brewery, fearing Soweto Gold would be crushed by the big beer  makers. But he was determined¹⁰, and finally convinced Swedish investors to help him launch his company.  He says he never gave up on his dream.

"I have gone from door to door with investors," he said. "Some do not want to listen, and people just throwing the idea out, but I never gave up.  I kept the spirit up  and kept moving, and look where I am today. So, whatever you do or whatever your passion is, never ever give up on your dream, no matter how difficult it is."

Madlala plans to hire 150 workers, exclusively from Soweto, by the end of January. His small brewery will produce about three million liters of beer a year.

Madlala's father says the beer is different than others. And he hopes his son’s success will help people in the community.

"First, I want him to uplift his family," he said. "Then, if he does well, he can also uplift the community where he was born."

The brewmaster of Soweto Gold says if this beer catches on here in South Africa he hopes to eventually sell it in England and the United States. 

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 brewer   

n. 啤酒制造者

参考例句：

• Brewer is a very interesting man. 布鲁尔是一个很有趣的人。
• I decided to quit my job to become a brewer. 我决定辞职，做一名酿酒人。

3 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。

4 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

5 brewed   

调制( brew的过去式和过去分词 )； 酝酿； 沏（茶）； 煮（咖啡）

参考例句：

• The beer is brewed in the Czech Republic. 这种啤酒是在捷克共和国酿造的。
• The boy brewed a cup of coffee for his mother. 这男孩给他妈妈冲了一杯咖啡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 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。

7 hoppy   

（指海洋）波浪起伏的

参考例句：

• The sea began getting choppy. 大海开始变得波涛起伏。
• The choppy waves made handling the boats a tricky operation that day. 那天在滔滔的波浪里驾驶小舟着实费了一番手脚。

8 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

9 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

10 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。