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.

古特曼对人类早期啤酒酿造的兴趣源自他在报纸上读到的一篇关于特拉维夫大学教授阿萨夫•迪斯滕菲尔德（Assaf Distefeld）的报道，这位教授是从事野生小麦基因组研究的知名专家。以色列《国土报》重点报道了迪斯滕菲尔德与一家以色列初创公司的合作，这项合作成功绘制了复杂的野生二粒小麦的基因组图谱，而这种小麦是起源于土耳其南部的现代小麦的前身。此后小麦种植在整个新月沃土地带（中东的阿拉伯世界）繁荣，这片肥沃的土地从波斯湾一直延伸到伊拉克、叙利亚、黎巴嫩、约旦、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.

参与该研究项目的科学家相信，基因组图谱的绘制将导致能以较低的成本加速小麦生产；最终帮助缓解可能出现的世界粮食危机。

Gutman felt compelled to reach out.

古特曼感觉到自己有必要出手。

“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.”

他说，“我联系了报纸上的人，我们一周后见了面。我带走几克小麦，然后开始着手工作。”

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.

古特曼得到小麦种子，种子发芽后又过了几个月等待最佳结果。在赫茨尔啤酒厂，他采用传统方法用其他作物酿造啤酒：先把粮食磨成粉，然后将其与啤酒花、水和酵母混合，酿造出最终产品。

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

实验酿造出约 16 公升啤酒，现在还剩下约 12 瓶。

The taste of ancient ale, you may wonder?

您也许想知道，古代啤酒到底是什么味道呢？

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

古特曼说，“口感醇厚，有种覆盆子和红色酱果的味道”。

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.

他解释道，这种啤酒口感醇厚，酒精度低，只有 3%，也许这源自古代小麦的分子质量，其淀粉含量较低，蛋白质含量较高。

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.

尽管这种啤酒可能是只是后天的一种嗜好，但古特曼还是接到大量要求酿制古代啤酒的请求。与此同时，对剩下的古代啤酒，他也无意出售，甚至都不愿与人分享。

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

他说，“突然之间，这成为一种格外特别的饮品，喝掉它太可惜了。”