Archive for July 28th, 2010

Scientist and brewers have teamed up bring the oldest known adult beverage out of the dust of history and into a glass.

About 10 years ago archaeologists found pottery jars in the Stone Age village of Jiahu in northern China.  After analyzing the 9,000 year old residue in the jars scientist were able to derive the ingredients (including rice, grapes, hawthorn berries, and honey) for the oldest known fermented beverage.  The jars weren’t used to hold wine or a beer or mead, but something that was a combination of all three—a trend in ancient alcoholic beverages.

Dogfish Head, a Delaware-based brewery famous for its production of ancient beverages, turned the old recipe into a commercially available product.  Named Jiahu, after the ancient village, the brew offers a chance to literally taste history.

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Look for a future post after I manage to get my hands on a bottle of Jiahu.