经济学人419:德国啤酒 纯正实惠中些许沉闷

 　　German beer

　　德国啤酒

　　Pure, cheap and a bit dull

　　纯正、实惠、些许沉闷

　　Brash Americans plan to froth up Germany's staid brewing² business

　　急性子的美国人正准备让德国古板的啤酒酿造业“冒泡”

　　Quality, quantity but not much variety

　　质量、数量，但没有太多的花样

　　THE dirndl-clad waitress bringing huge mugs to Lederhosen-wearing revellers at Oktoberfest is an image that, like none other, shows how central beer is to German culture. The national brewers' association declares Germany “European Champion”. It brewed⁴ 94.4m hectolitres last year, beaten only by China, America and Brazil.

　　身穿传统连衣裙的女侍应，正为身穿皮短裤的慕尼黑啤酒节狂欢者们带来了巨型啤酒杯，而这独一无二的景象就像是在告诉大家，对于德国文化来说啤酒有多么地重要。全国酿酒商协会宣布，德国夺得了“欧冠”：去年，德国啤酒厂商共生产了94.4亿升产品，仅次于中国、美国和巴西。

　　德国啤酒.jpg

　　But the truth is that Germans are going off their ale. At unification in 1990, annual consumption averaged 148 litres per head; last year it was just 107 litres. Instead, they are turning to wine, which has a higher status. Connoisseurs⁵ think there is another reason for falling sales: that so many German beers are bland⁶ and indistinguishable. The country has many tiny breweries⁷ whose ales can only be had locally. Some, like the smoked beers of Bamberg in Franconia, are distinctive⁸. But many of the small fry competently but predictably turn out a narrow range of flavours.

　　然而，事实上却是德国人正逐渐抛弃自己国产的啤酒。在1990年两德统一之时，德国人均年啤酒消费量为148升；而去年该指标仅为107升。相应地，他们正把目光投向葡萄酒，而后者的地位要比前者高得多。酿酒业的行家们认为令销量下降的原因还有一个：大部分德国啤酒的口味都很平淡，让人无法区分开来。德国国内有许多微型啤酒厂商，产品仅在本地供应。一些像是弗朗克尼亚产区的班贝克烟熏啤酒，则是口味独特的代表。但大部分小型酿造商都只能胜任地生产大家所熟悉了解的，变化不多的口味。

　　Rory Lawton, an Irish beer expert in Berlin, thinks Germany's Reinheitsgebot, or beer-purity law, is discouraging innovation. The 1516 law was intended to make it easier to tax beer, through levies⁹ on its permitted ingredients: malted barley¹⁰, hops¹¹, water and, later, yeast¹². Centuries on, brewers began using the Reinheitsgebot as a marketing¹³ tool to promote their products as pure and authentic¹⁴. If anything else is put into a brew¹ made in Germany it cannot be called Bier, but must be labelled “alcoholic malt drink”.

　　身处柏林的爱尔兰啤酒专家Rory Lawton认为，德国所制订的啤酒酿造《纯净法》（Reinheitsgebot）有碍于行业创新。这部于1516年实施的法案意图让啤酒税的征收变得更加简单，其方法就是针对啤酒原料来征税。该法案明确规定厂商只允许用四种成分来酿造啤酒：麦芽、啤酒花、水，以及后来加入其中的酵母。几百年之后，啤酒厂商开始用《纯净法》作为市场推广的武器，来标榜自己产品的纯正和经典。如果一款在德国境内制造的啤酒加入了另外的原料，那么它不能被称为啤酒，只能贴上一个“酒精麦芽饮料”的标签。

　　Today, the link between quality and the purity law seems strange outside German brewing circles, since the restriction¹⁵ on experimenting with ingredients has meant that the country has largely missed out on the American-led “craft beer” craze. Germany's beer exports have been flat since 2007, whereas imports of more varied¹⁶ foreign beers have climbed. In America, consumption of the watery¹⁷ swill¹⁸ that passes for beer is falling, but the trade body for craft brewers reckons their sales rose by 17.2% in 2013. Two of Germany's small neighbours, Belgium and Denmark, are also turning out exciting new brews¹⁹.

　　如今，走出德国酿酒产业圈外，我们可以发现啤酒品质与《纯净法》的关联似乎成了件怪事。由于国内行业对原料酿造实验的限制，德国已经很大程度上错过了美国厂商带领下风靡全球的“啤酒工艺”狂热。自2007年开始，德国啤酒出口量一直在下降，然而对各种风味的外国啤酒进口量则节节攀升。2013年，“味淡如水”的啤酒销量在美国处于下跌状态，但“精心酿制”的风味啤酒厂商则取得了17.2%的销售量上涨。德国人的两位邻居，比利时和丹麦，也同样地推出了令人惊讶的新风味啤酒。

　　Heiner Müller of Paulaner, the Munich-based maker²⁰ of Germany's most popular Hefeweizen, argues that the Reinheitsgebot is needed because German consumers expect it. It need not be an obstacle to diversity: the varieties of hops, malt, yeast and other factors like temperature could produce over a billion beers, he says. But German brewers have largely stuck to a few traditional styles. For instance, it is hard to find porters and stouts²¹, or the hoppy²², high-alcohol brews now popular on America's west coast.

　　来自普拉纳的Heiner Müller，是一位生产德国最受欢迎的小麦啤的厂商，其公司总部位于慕尼黑。他表示，《纯净法》的必要性在于，德国消费者希望喝到纯正的啤酒，而且该法案也不会必然阻碍着多样性：各式各样的啤酒花、麦芽、酵母，以及其他一些因素如温度等，都可以酿造出成千上万种啤酒。然而，一些传统风格很大程度上阻碍了德国厂商的脚步。例如，在德国很难看得到波特啤酒、烈性啤酒，或是“啤酒花苦味啤酒”，一款目前在美国西海岸十分流行的高酒精度啤酒。

　　Greg Koch hopes to change all this. His Stone Brewing is America's tenth-biggest craft brewer³, with sales last year of $137m. On July 19th it said it will invest $25m in a new brewery²³ and restaurant in Berlin—the first brewery in Europe to be owned and run by an American craft brewer. Can Stone convince German palates to adapt to flavours like its Sublimely²⁴ Self-Righteous Black IPA? Mr Koch says he did the same amount of market research he had done previously²⁵ in America: “Zero.” He quotes Steve Jobs, Apple's late boss, to the effect that customers do not know what they want until you show it to them.

　　Greg Koch希望能改变这一切。他所拥有的Stone Brewing是美国排行第十的工艺啤酒厂商，去年的销售额达到了1亿3700万美元。该公司于7月19日表示，它将在柏林投入2500万美元以成立一家新的酿酒厂和新的餐厅，而这是首次在欧洲大陆出现了美国厂商拥有并运行一家酿酒厂。Stone公司能让德国人接受它“彰显自我的印度淡啤”吗？Koch先生说，与开发美国市场的战略相同，他在德国也不会进行任何市场调查，而对此他引用斯蒂夫乔布斯的一句话来解释：消费者们并不知道他们想要什么，直到你把产品呈现在大家眼前。

　　If Stone succeeds, it may be no bad thing for the German brewers. They are under price pressure—beer is often cheaper than bottled water.Innovation could tempt²⁶ back middle-aged²⁷, status-conscious drinkers, and get them to pay more for something new, through a link to fine dining. Many American restaurants, and ones elsewhere in Europe, have as many beers as wines on their menus. For Germans to learn lessons about beer from their neighbours and the Americans will be galling²⁸. But it might be better than hoping that the Reinheitsgebot, soon to turn 500 years old, will prop²⁹ up German beer sales forever.

　　如果Stone公司在德国取得成功，那这对于德国啤酒厂商来说并不是什么坏事。目前，德国厂商正面临着价格压力—啤酒往往比瓶装水还便宜。通过与高档餐厅合作，创新或许能让啤酒厂商将那些比较在意自身形象的中年酒友争取回来，并让他们为了新产品而进行更多的消费。许多美国餐厅，以及在欧洲其他国家的餐厅，他们菜单上啤酒的种类就与红酒一样多。要让德国人低头向周边国家以及美国人学习，肯定会显得很丢人。然而，这也许比翘首期盼着那份即将达到“500岁”的《纯净法》要好，它可不会永远支撑着德国啤酒业。

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 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。

4 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》

5 connoisseurs   

n.鉴赏家，鉴定家，行家( connoisseur的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Let us go, before we offend the connoisseurs. 咱们走吧，免得我们惹恼了收藏家。 来自辞典例句
• The connoisseurs often associate it with a blackcurrant flavor. 葡萄酒鉴赏家们通常会将它跟黑醋栗口味联系起来。 来自互联网

6 bland   

adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的

参考例句：

• He eats bland food because of his stomach trouble.他因胃病而吃清淡的食物。
• This soup is too bland for me.这汤我喝起来偏淡。

7 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。

8 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。

9 levies   

（部队）征兵( levy的名词复数 )； 募捐； 被征募的军队

参考例句：

• At that time, taxes and levies were as many as the hairs on an ox. 那时，苛捐杂税多如牛毛。
• Variable levies can insulate farmers and consumers from world markets. 差价进口税可以把农民和消费者与世界市场隔离开来。

10 barley   

n.大麦，大麦粒

参考例句：

• They looked out across the fields of waving barley.他们朝田里望去,只见大麦随风摇摆。
• He cropped several acres with barley.他种了几英亩大麦。

11 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。

12 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。

13 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

14 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

15 restriction   

n.限制，约束

参考例句：

• The park is open to the public without restriction.这个公园对公众开放，没有任何限制。
• The 30 mph speed restriction applies in all built-up areas.每小时限速30英里适用于所有建筑物聚集区。

16 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

17 watery   

adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的

参考例句：

• In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
• Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏，她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。

18 swill   

v.冲洗；痛饮；n.泔脚饲料；猪食；（谈话或写作中的）无意义的话

参考例句：

• Having finished his coffee,he swilled out the mug and left it on the draining board.喝完咖啡后，他涮了涮杯子然后把它放在滴水板上。
• A crowd of men were standing around swilling beer.一群人正站在一起痛饮啤酒。

19 brews   

n.（尤指某地酿造的）啤酒( brew的名词复数 )；酿造物的种类；（茶）一次的冲泡量；（不同思想、环境、事件的）交融v.调制( brew的第三人称单数 )；酝酿；沏（茶）；煮（咖啡）

参考例句：

• He brews beer at home. 他在家里酿造啤酒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They produce the country's best brews of beer. 他们生产该国的佳酿啤酒。 来自辞典例句

20 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

21 stouts   

烈性黑啤酒( stout的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We sell a wide range of ales and stouts. 我们出售种类繁多的浓啤酒和黑啤酒。

22 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。

23 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。

24 sublimely   

高尚地，卓越地

参考例句：

• In devotion woman is sublimely superior to man. 怜悯是女子胜过男子的德性之一。
• She was sublimely unaware of how foolish she looked. 她根本不知道她的样子多愚蠢。

25 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

26 tempt   

vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣

参考例句：

• Nothing could tempt him to such a course of action.什么都不能诱使他去那样做。
• The fact that she had become wealthy did not tempt her to alter her frugal way of life.她有钱了，可这丝毫没能让她改变节俭的生活习惯。

27 middle-aged   

adj.中年的

参考例句：

• I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
• The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

28 galling   

adj.难堪的,使烦恼的,使焦躁的

参考例句：

• It was galling to have to apologize to a man she hated. 令人恼火的是得向她憎恶的男人道歉。
• The insolence in the fellow's eye was galling. 这家伙的傲慢目光令人恼怒。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

29 prop   

vt.支撑；n.支柱，支撑物；支持者，靠山

参考例句：

• A worker put a prop against the wall of the tunnel to keep it from falling.一名工人用东西支撑住隧道壁好使它不会倒塌。
• The government does not intend to prop up declining industries.政府无意扶持不景气的企业。