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Can Beer Be Made from Ancient Recipes? Exploring Brewing Methods of the Past
Beer is one of the oldest and most popular alcoholic beverages in the world, with a global market worth over $500 billion in 2021. From light lagers to dark stouts, from fruity ales to spicy saisons, beer comes in many styles and flavors that appeal to different tastes and cultures. However, most modern beers are made with modern ingredients and methods that differ from those used by ancient brewers. Can we still make beer that resembles the beer of the past? What would it taste like? In this post, we will dive into the history of beer and explore some of the brewing methods of the past that could inspire new beers for the future.
The History of Beer
Beer is believed to have originated in the Middle East around 9500 BCE, when people discovered that soaked grains could ferment into a bubbly beverage that tasted good and made them feel good. Beer was not only a source of nutrition and hydration, but also a social and religious symbol that connected people to their gods and each other. Beer spread to other parts of the world through trade, migration, and conquest, and evolved into different styles and traditions that reflect local ingredients, climate, customs, and innovations.
Some of the earliest evidence of beer comes from ancient Sumeria, where clay tablets from 4000 BCE describe the goddess Ninkasi as the patroness of beer and the recipe for brewing beer with barley, wheat, and honey. The Babylonians, Assyrians, and Egyptians also brewed beer with similar ingredients and methods, using mud ovens, fermenting jars, and straws made of reed or metal to filter the grains from the liquid. Egyptian tomb paintings from 2400 BCE show workers brewing, storing, and serving beer with hieroglyphic labels that describe the names, colors, flavors, and qualities of the beer. Beer was regarded as a sacred and important beverage that was consumed by many people, including royalty, workers, and soldiers.
In Europe, beer became a staple beverage during the Middle Ages, when monasteries and guilds developed their own recipes and standards for brewing beer, using hops as a preservative and flavoring agent, barley as a main ingredient, and yeast that was often obtained from wild or reused sources. German, Belgian, English, and Irish beers became famous for their distinct flavors and styles, such as lagers, ales, stouts, porters, lambics, and saisons, which are still popular today. With the rise of industrialization, brewing became more mechanized, standardized, and commercialized, and many small breweries were merged or acquired by large corporations that produce mass-marketed beers with consistent but often bland tastes that cater to a global market.
Can We Revive Ancient Brewing Methods?
Despite centuries of brewing traditions and innovations, some beer enthusiasts and historians have become interested in exploring the brewing methods of the past and discovering new tastes and possibilities that could enrich the beer culture. They argue that ancient brewing methods have some advantages over modern methods, such as using wild yeasts that are more diverse and resilient, using unprocessed grains that retain more nutrients and flavors, and using natural techniques that encourage biodiversity and sustainability.
One way to revive ancient brewing methods is to study and replicate the recipes and techniques that have been recorded or inferred from historical artifacts and literature. For example, the Beer Archaeology Project led by Dr. Merryn Dineley and Dr. Jessica Hendy has analyzed residues from ancient pottery vessels used for brewing beer in the Iron Age and the Roman Empire, and has brewed beers that resemble the original recipes with similar grains, herbs, and processes. The project aims to not only recreate the beer of the past, but also to explore the cultural and social contexts of beer consumption and production, and to challenge the stereotypes and assumptions that modern people have about ancient people and their tastes.
Another way to revive ancient brewing methods is to experiment with new ingredients and techniques that resemble or complement the ones used by ancient brewers. For example, some homebrewers and professionals have used wild yeasts from fruits, flowers, or even human saliva, as well as spontaneous fermentation that relies on natural microorganisms in the environment, to create sour and funky beers that have complex and unpredictable flavors. Others have used ancient or heirloom grains, such as emmer, einkorn, spelt, or rye, that have lower yields but higher nutrients and flavors, as well as different malting and milling techniques that preserve more of the grain’s husks and germ. Still, others have used alternative preservatives and flavorings, such as juniper berries, heather, or spruce tips, that were used by ancient brewers to avoid spoilage or enhance aroma and bitterness.
What Would Beer Taste Like in Ancient Times?
One of the most intriguing questions about reviving ancient brewing methods is what the beer of the past would actually taste like. Unfortunately, we cannot time-travel and taste the ancient beers ourselves, as they have long decomposed or been altered by time and preservation methods. Moreover, taste is a subjective and contextual experience that depends on many factors, such as personal preferences, mood, expectation, temperature, and food pairing. Therefore, we can only speculate based on the available evidence and the sensory profiles of similar beers that still exist today.
However, some clues and descriptions offer us a glimpse into the possible tastes of ancient beer. For example, the Sumerian beer recipe mentioned earlier describes beer as “sweet as the salve on a man’s wounds,” “foaming with energy,” and “bitter as the taste of one’s own nature.” These phrases suggest that the beer had a balanced and complex taste that combined sweetness, acidity, and bitterness, and perhaps some medicinal or spiritual associations that were valued by the Sumerians. Similarly, the Egyptian beers were known for their light, refreshing, and fruity flavors, with some varieties flavored with dates, figs, or pomegranates, and others spiced with coriander or ginger. The medieval beers were often darker, richer, and spicier than the ancient beers, with more prominent hop aromas and flavors, but also some variability depending on the region and individual brewer.
Therefore, if we want to imagine what ancient beer would taste like today, we can look for modern beers that use similar ingredients and methods, and extrapolate from there. For example, if we brewed a Sumerian beer with barley, wheat, and honey, fermented it with wild yeasts, and spiced it with herbs like coriander, ginger, or juniper, we might expect a beer that is fruity, sour, and earthy, with some sweetness from the honey, some bitterness from the herbs, and some tartness from the lactic acid produced by the wild yeasts. If we brewed an ancient Scandinavian beer with rye, juniper berries, and smoked malt, we might expect a beer that is dark, smoky, and bitter, with some spicy and resinous notes from the juniper berries, and some nutty and malty flavors from the rye.
Conclusion
Beer is not just a drink, but a cultural and historical artifact that reflects the creativity, resilience, and diversity of human civilization. By exploring the brewing methods of the past, we can learn more about the people and the environment that shaped the beer, and perhaps discover new tastes and innovations that could inspire the beer of the future. Whether we use ancient recipes or modern adaptations, we can experiment with the flavors and aromas of beer in ways that can expand our senses and our knowledge. So, can beer be made from ancient recipes? Yes, it can, and it can taste delicious, too. Cheers!
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