VOA标准英语2014--Brewer Mixes Loves of Paleontology, Microbiology, Beer

 

Brewer² Mixes Loves of Paleontology, Microbiology, Beer

ASHBURN, VIRGINIA —

A large batch³ of new and rather unorthodox beer is brewing⁴ at Lost Rhino⁵ Brewing Co. in Ashburn, Virginia.   

The beer yeast⁶, one of the key ingredients in brewing, was swabbed from a 35 million-year-old fossilized whale bone.

Amateur paleontologist Jason Osborne found the bone at a swamp in Virginia.

"So the idea was conceived, it was basically a brainchild idea of mine to mix molecular⁷ biology, paleontology, and beer together,” Osborne said. “It's three things that I love.”

Osborne enlisted⁸ his microbiologist friend Jasper Akerboom, who works as a brewing scientist at Lost Rhino.  

Yeast from whale bone

Akerboom said he was initially⁹ skeptical¹⁰ but decided¹¹ to experiment.

“We took out 20 samples from all kinds of fossilized materials. This was all done in Calvert Marine¹² Museum in Maryland. And one of the samples started to ferment,” Akerboom said.

The result was surprising.

 “It tastes very good. It tastes very fruity, very earthy. It is very dry,” he said.

So the decision was made to brew¹ a large volume for consumers: this time about 2,300 liters.  

 “The craft brewing in the United States has been very innovative¹³, new beers have been hitting the markets continuously. People kind of expect something new all the time,” Akerboom said.

The co-owner of Lost Rhino, Favio Garcia, said they stay sharp and edgy¹⁴ by bringing out a new style of beer every couple of weeks.

“Well, we have 16 beers on tap right now. You have to take a risk to move forward. So it is a calculated risk,” Garcia said. “But we are happy to take it and create something new and interesting with it.”

The new beer is called Bone Dusters Paleo Ale.

“When people are cleaning the fossils, they dust the sand off the bone,” Akerboom said. “And we thought it would be a cool name to give it.”

Paleontology nonprofit

Osborne, who co-founded Paleo Quest, a nonprofit organization dedicated¹⁵ to advancing paleontology, hopes the beer will get beer drinkers talking about science.

“Paleontology is really important to the general public because it is good to know what existed prior to us. It also teaches us a lot about evolution, or it teaches us about climate change,” he said.

After a month of fermentation, the beer made its public debut¹⁶ at Lost Rhino’s taproom in Ashburn.

Customer Billy Ozark said, "It is fantastic. It is a pretty courageous¹⁷ move to strike that yeast and kind of develop some[thing] unique.”

Natalie Ozark said, "I am not usually a yeasty, hoppy¹⁸ beer drinker. But it is really good.”

"It is not over hopped¹⁹, there is not much competing with yeast for flavor,” said Stan Beyer, another customer. “So it really comes through. It is very drinkable."

Garcia hopes innovations like this will help Lost Rhino compete in the growing local beer movement.  

A portion of the proceeds from Bone Dusters will be used for science programs at underprivileged schools.

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 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。

4 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。

5 rhino   

n.犀牛，钱, 现金

参考例句：

• The rhino charged headlong towards us.犀牛急速地向我们冲来。
• They have driven the rhino to the edge of extinction.他们已经令犀牛濒临灭绝。

6 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。

7 molecular   

adj.分子的；克分子的

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
• For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。

8 enlisted   

adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
• He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

10 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

11 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

12 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

13 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

14 edgy   

adj.不安的；易怒的

参考例句：

• She's been a bit edgy lately,waiting for the exam results.她正在等待考试结果，所以最近有些焦躁不安。
• He was nervous and edgy, still chain-smoking.他紧张不安，还在一根接一根地抽着烟。

15 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

16 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

17 courageous   

adj.勇敢的，有胆量的

参考例句：

• We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
• He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

18 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。

19 hopped   

跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花

参考例句：

• He hopped onto a car and wanted to drive to town. 他跳上汽车想开向市区。
• He hopped into a car and drove to town. 他跳进汽车，向市区开去。