遵循古老配方釀製的啤酒(下)

Gutman’s interest in the early manufacturing of beer started after he read a story in a local newspaper about Assaf Distefeld, a Tel Aviv University professor and a leading expert in wild wheat genome research. The Haaretz story highlighted Distefeld’s work with an Israeli start up that successfully mapped the complex genome of wild emmer wheat – the precursor to modern wheat that originated in southern Turkey and flourished throughout the Fertile Crescent, the fecund stretch of land that arcs from the Persian Gulf through Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and northern Egypt.

古特曼對人類早期啤酒釀造的興趣源自他在報紙上讀到的一篇關於特拉維夫大學教授阿薩夫•迪斯滕菲爾德（Assaf Distefeld）的報道，這位教授是從事野生小麥基因組研究的知名專家。以色列《國土報》重點報道了迪斯滕菲爾德與一家以色列初創公司的合作，這項合作成功繪製了複雜的野生二粒小麥的基因組圖譜，而這種小麥是起源於土耳其南部的現代小麥的前身。此後小麥種植在整個新月沃土地帶（中東的阿拉伯世界）繁榮，這片肥沃的土地從波斯灣一直延伸到伊拉克、敘利亞、黎巴嫩、約旦、以色列和埃及北部。

Scientists who collaborated on this project believe that mapping the gene can lead to accelerated production of wheat at a lower cost; ultimately helping ease a potential world food crisis.

參與該研究項目的科學家相信，基因組圖譜的繪製將導致能以較低的成本加速小麥生產；最終幫助緩解可能出現的世界糧食危機。

Gutman felt compelled to reach out.

古特曼感覺到自己有必要出手。

“I contacted the guys in the newspaper [and] we met a week later,” he said. “I took a few kilograms of grains and we started working on it.”

他說，“我聯繫了報紙上的人，我們一週後見了面。我帶走幾克小麥，然後開始着手工作。”

Once he obtained the seeds, Gutman waited several months to sprout them for optimum results. He produced the beer using the same traditional method he uses with other products at Herzl Brewery – milling the grains and mixing them with hops, water and yeast to create the final product.

古特曼得到小麥種子，種子發芽後又過了幾個月等待最佳結果。在赫茨爾啤酒廠，他採用傳統方法用其他作物釀造啤酒：先把糧食磨成粉，然後將其與啤酒花、水和酵母混合，釀造出最終產品。

The experimental brew yielded some 16 litres, of which about a dozen bottles remain.

實驗釀造出約 16 公升啤酒，現在還剩下約 12 瓶。

The taste of ancient ale, you may wonder?

您也許想知道，古代啤酒到底是什麼味道呢？

“Thick, with kind of raspberry and red fruit notes,” Gutman said.

古特曼說，“口感醇厚，有種覆盆子和紅色醬果的味道”。

The ale’s thickness and low, 3% alcohol content is likely a result of the ancient wheat’s molecular qualities, which contain lower starch levels and higher protein concentration, he explained.

他解釋道，這種啤酒口感醇厚，酒精度低，只有 3%，也許這源自古代小麥的分子質量，其澱粉含量較低，蛋白質含量較高。

Although the beer might be an acquired taste, Gutman has been fielding numerous requests to reproduce the ancient ale. In the meantime, he has no intention of selling – or even sharing – the remaining beers.

儘管這種啤酒可能是隻是後天的一種嗜好，但古特曼還是接到大量要求釀製古代啤酒的請求。與此同時，對剩下的古代啤酒，他也無意出售，甚至都不願與人分享。

“Suddenly it has become too special to drink,” he said.

他說，“突然之間，這成爲一種格外特別的飲品，喝掉它太可惜了。”