According to historical records and archeological evidence, the art of beer-making is at least 6000 years old. I’ve often wondered what those ancient beers might have tasted like. Certainly, the quality and flavor of that beer was valued by ancient peoples’ because the art of beer-making—instead of dying out—flourished and evolved into what we know it to be today. Further evidencing the ancient peoples’ love for beer are the meticulous historical records, passionately written poems, and hieroglyphic depictions of this most revered libation. Many have speculated that beer was viewed by the ancient peoples’ more as food, or simply a source of nourishment (probably safer than drinking water at times), rather than the way beer is viewed today—as a pleasure giving, or celebratory beverage. Surely, anyone who has read and pondered “The Hymn of Ninkasi,” an ancient hymn to the Sumerian goddess of brewing, found inscribed on an unearthed tablet dating back to 1800 BC, can only hold that ancient peoples’ viewed beer as more than simply food, but instead, as something divine, handed down by a goddess no-less. Wasn’t it our venerable Benjamin Franklin, in more recent times, who said: “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy”? But would a modern beer drinker find as much pleasure from drinking one of those ancient beers, as he does from drinking a carefully crafted modern micro-brew? I wanted to find out.
The first culture to extensively brew and cherish beer drinking—the Sumerians, brewed their beer from bappir some 6000 years ago. Bappir was a type of unbaked bread dough made using a grain called emmer. This ancient beer has been extensively studied and written about by archaeologist Solomon Katz of the University of Pennsylvania. The Dog Fish Head Brewery in Delaware, inspired by Katz’s studies and at his instigation, make an “ancient beer” called “Midas Touch” that is based on the molecular analysis of the remains of the funeral banquet accorded to the famous King Midas of Phrygia in the 8th century BC. The basic ingredients are barley, muscat grapes, thyme-honey, and saffron. Something worth noting is that these ancient beers, for the most part, were highly grain-based and lacked the addition of hops. As a result, and proving a challenge for modern brewmasters, these ancient beers have a very short shelf-life.
The discerning drunkards at http://www.themilehighreport.comhave yet to sample “Midas Touch,” but look for a future post reviewing this historical beer from the Dog Fish Head Brewery in the near future.
Let us know what you think…
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