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Asia
亞洲版塊
Japanese booze
日本酒
Awamori? Go on then
泡盛酒？繼續(xù)吧
Okinawa's distillers are trying to posh up the local firewater
沖繩的釀酒廠正在努力改造當(dāng)?shù)氐牧揖?/p>
THE EYES water as your correspondent enters Sakimoto Distillery.
記者進(jìn)入坂本酒廠時(shí)，眼睛濕潤了。
Large vats of rice bubble over open flames, filling the air with boozy fumes.
一大桶大米在明火上冒著氣泡，空氣中充滿了酒味兒。
The solution will be distilled into awamori, a liquor native to the islands of Okinawa, the most southern and western of Japan's prefectures.
這種溶液將被蒸餾成泡盛酒，一種原產(chǎn)于沖繩群島（沖繩是日本最南部和西部的縣）的酒。
Sakimoto Toshio, the distillery's boss, pours out a sample of the stuff, which with an alcohol content of 60% is about half as strong again as a typical spirit.
酒廠老板坂本敏雄倒了一杯這種酒的樣品，酒精含量為60%，大約是普通烈酒的一半。
Your correspondent's throat burns as it goes down.
記者在品酒下咽時(shí)，喉嚨會(huì)有灼熱感。
Awamori was invented in Okinawa in the 15th century.
泡盛酒發(fā)源于15世紀(jì)的沖繩。
It uses long-grain rice and, to stimulate fermentation, black koji mould, distinguishing it from shochu, a better-known Japanese spirit invented in nearby Kyushu, which uses white koji and short-grain rice or other starches.
它使用長粒大米和黑米曲菌來刺激發(fā)酵，這與附近九州島發(fā)明的日本烈酒“燒酒”不同，后者使用米曲菌和短粒大米或其他淀粉制成的。
The punch it packs reflects local conditions: its strength helped preserve the drink on the hot, humid islands in the days before refrigeration.
包裝后的泡盛酒反映了當(dāng)?shù)氐那闆r：在冷藏前的幾天，酒烈度有助于在炎熱潮濕的島嶼上保存。
The throat-burning 60% variant emerged on Yonaguni, Japan's westernmost island, where Sakimoto is based.
日本最西端島的與那國島出現(xiàn)了60%泡盛酒的變種。
Known as hanasake, it is said to have started life as a disinfectant for medical use on ships, and later came to play a role in rituals such as funerals.
據(jù)說它被稱為花酒，最初是作為船上醫(yī)療用的消毒劑，后來在葬禮等儀式中發(fā)揮作用。
When locals actually drink it, they usually cut it with ice and water and have it with roast pork.
實(shí)際上，當(dāng)?shù)厝送ǔ?huì)將泡盛置于冰和水中飲用，并且就著烤豬肉一起吃。
Awamori has lately fallen on hard times.
泡盛酒最近陷入了困境。
Two-thirds of the 45 members of Okinawa Awamori Distillers Association were in the red in 2020.
2020年，沖繩泡盛酒廠協(xié)會(huì)的45名會(huì)員中有三分之二出現(xiàn)赤字。
Production volumes that year dipped by nearly 20%, the fourth straight year of decline.
那一年的產(chǎn)量下降了近20%，這是連續(xù)第四年下降。
Younger Japanese are drinking less booze, and they prefer softer stuff or mixed drinks.
日本年輕人飲酒較少，他們更中意軟飲料或混合飲料。
That has forced the industry to experiment.
這迫使該行業(yè)進(jìn)行各種試驗(yàn)。
Japan's external trade organisation has sought to market shochu and awamorias premium drinks for discerning foreign tipplers, but few are biting (or sipping).
日本的對外貿(mào)易組織一直試圖向有鑒賞力的外國酒徒推銷燒酒和泡盛優(yōu)質(zhì)飲料，但很少有人會(huì)吃（或啜飲）。
Distillers have released flavoured awamori drinks, organised awamori festivals and enlisted influencers to appeal to younger consumers—with mixed results.
釀酒商推出了風(fēng)味泡盛飲料，組織了泡盛節(jié)，并招募了有影響力的人（網(wǎng)紅）來吸引年輕消費(fèi)者，結(jié)果喜憂參半。
Nakamura Shunki, a researcher at Okinawa's manufacturing promotion office, reckons it helps if the drink looks Instagrammable.
沖繩制造業(yè)促進(jìn)辦公室的研究員中村俊基認(rèn)為，如果這種飲料能在Instagram上流行，那會(huì)有所幫助。
Mr Sakimoto has got the idea.
坂本敏雄先生已經(jīng)有個(gè)想法。
He launched a collaboration with Rebun, Japan's northernmost island, which supplies mineral water to make a "limited edition" awamori.
他與日本最北端的禮文島展開合作，禮文島供應(yīng)礦泉水，生產(chǎn)“限量版”的泡盛。
The "PR effect" of bringing together Japan's extreme north and west has helped sales, he says.
他說，將日本最北部和最西部結(jié)合起來的“公關(guān)效應(yīng)”有助于銷售。
Wisely, he also watered it down: its alcohol content is a more palatable 43%.
他還明智地稀釋了酒的濃度：酒精含量是43%，會(huì)更可口。
