BEER HERITAGE STYLES AND FLAVOURS

Session 1 – The Origins and Antiquity of

Beer
Origins of Beer

• There is evidence of beer brewing from

many different ancient civilisations
• The Middle East and Egypt are considered
to be the birthplace of beer
• These two ancient cultures were the first to
record the brewing process
 Original Beer Ingredients
• Different Area Ingredient
civilisations
used locally Africa Sorghum & Millet
available
crops to China Millet & Rice
brew their
alcoholic Brazil Manloc root & Grain
drinks
South Maize
America
 Most ancient
brewers believed
beer was a gift
from the gods

Beer Fact
 Earliest Documented Beer
Brewing

• The earliest known record is from the

Sumerians – 4500 years ago
• They brewed over 20 different types of beer
• They used beer to honour the gods, treat the
sick, pay workers and as a health supplement
 The Babylonians
decreed that any
brewer who produced
bad beer was to be
drowned in it!

Beer Fact
 Early Production of Beer
• Beer production was important in ancient
times for both social and cultural reasons
• Ancient techniques were simple
• Brewing was mainly done in the home and was
women’s work
• The beer was produced for the home and local
community
The Brewers of Ancient Egypt
• Early Egyptian brewers used bread to make beer
• Leftover bread was soaked in water and fermented,
then the mixture was drained and pressed through
woven baskets. The liquid was then flavoured with
ginger, saffron, herbs and juniper
• Egyptian beer had a high abv
• The Egyptians later developed the malting process
Ancient Middle Eastern Brewing
The Sumerians used cereal seeds to brew
The seeds were moistened with water and allowed to
ferment, then ground and partly baked before being
crumbled into water
• The resulting thick drink, called Sikaru, was
flavoured with honey and dates
• Sikaru was drunk socially with a group sitting around
a jar and drinking through hollow reeds from the
bottom of the jar
• The grains and yeasts tended to float on the top and
were not consumed
The Scale of Brewing
• Brewing started as a domestic operation
• As the civilisations developed, so did their
needs
• Both ancient Egypt and the Middle East
became masters at large scale brewing
• Demand increased with the people required for
major building projects and military operations
Other Ancient Brewers
• The Chinese brewed beer using millet and rice. They
used malting techniques long before the Egyptians
• Brazilians roasted roots and grains over hardwood
fires and produced a dark smoky tasting beer
• South Americans would chew the maize kernels and
spit them into pots then ferment the mixture to
produce Chicha (which can still be found today!)
The Decline of Brewing in
Egypt and the Middle East
• The large scale brewing of both these cultures
was in decline by the 8th Century AD
• The reason for this was the rise of Islam which
forbade the consumption of alcohol
• The knowledge of brewing was passed on by
travellers and traders and made its way to Europe
 “The Egyptians drink
a wine they get from
barley as they have no
vines in their country.”
Greek historian Herodotus 430BC

Beer Fact
 Brewing in Europe

• Grain cultivation led to brewing in Europe

around the 6th century AD
• Ingredients used in Northern and Southern
Europe varied due to climate
• Southern Europe produced mainly wine whereas
Northern Europe produced beer
 The Uses of Beer in Europe
• There was weaker table beer for everyday
consumption and stronger beer for religious and other
special occasions
• Weak beer was drunk instead of water until well into
the 19th century
• Ale was produced originally with lager being brewed
from the 8th century
• The main grain used was barley
• Some special occasion brews used wheat or rye