Posted in Great Lakes Brewing Company

Great Lakes Brewing Teams with Archaeologists on Sumerian Beer

With the help of archaeologists at the University of Chicago, Great Lakes Brewing Company has been trying for a year to recreate a 5,000 year old Sumerian beer recipe using only clay vessels and a wooden spoon. As a combined interest in ancient ales continues to grow thanks to brews like Dogfish Head’s Ta Henket, more and more breweries are pairing with scholars in an attempt to bring back these old recipes.

So far the beer features barley malted on the roof of the brewhouse and yeast strains pulled from beer-bread; both of which are suggestions from the Hymn to Ninkasi, the oldest and closest record of ancient beer making. Great Lakes has no intent of selling the beer, but more of assisting in a bit of scientific discovery, and will be offering some samples towards the end of the summer.