Nadene Goldfoot
Cultural Revolution (c. 10,000 BCE), as fermentation was an accidental by-product of the gathering of wild grain.
The first beer in the world was brewed by the ancient Chinese around the year 7000 BCE (known as kui).
In the west, however, the process now recognized as beer brewing began in Mesopotamia at the Godin Tepe settlement now in modern-day Iran between 3500 - 3100 BCE. Sites excavated in Sumer suggest an even earlier date based on ceramics considered the remains of beer jugs and residue found in other ancient containers. Even so, the date of c. 4000 BCE is usually given for the creation of beer.
The Egyptians did not invent beer. Rather they had learned the art of brewing from the world's first known brewers, the Sumerians, Babylonian, and Assyrians further to the east in what is now Iraq.
The Egyptians, however, left us with the best documentation of ancient brewing practices. Most of the many depictions of Egyptian brewing that have come down to us are murals in vaults, pyramids, and sacrificial chambers. These attest to the importance and high esteem in which the art of beer-making was held in Egyptian society. Yet the find in Meketre's tomb probably ranks among the best preserved and most instructive.
It's said that beer was not invented but discovered, yet the manufacturing of beer was an active choice and the ancient Egyptians produced and consumed it in huge volumes. The craft of beer brewing traveled to Egypt through trade and the Egyptians improved upon the original process, creating a lighter product that enjoyed great popularity.
At first, around the time of the Old Kingdom of Egypt,
beer was brewed by mixing cooked loaves of bread
in water and placing the mixture in heated jars
to ferment. The use of hops was unknown to the
Egyptians as was the process of carbonation.
Emmer, ancient wheat
By the time of the New Kingdom barley and emmer (wheat) were used which were mixed with water to create a mash which was then poured into vats and heated to ferment. Compared to modern wheat cultivars, ancient grains such as emmer are lower in gluten and higher in micronutrients like minerals and antioxidants. That said, they do contain gluten, as do all ancient and heirloom wheat. Gluten is a composite of different proteins found in grain.
This mixture was then strained and different herbs and fruits added for the flavoring of the various types of beer. According to Strudwick, "fermentation of everyday beer took a few days, producing a mixture fairly low in alcohol" and "the outcome was a thick, brothy liquid that had to be filtered through a basket before being drunk". Once strained, the beer was sealed in ceramic jugs and stored, often underground in a process similar to later lagering.
In the New Kingdom, when emmer and barley were used, the use of dates and honey decreased in the production of common beer and were only used for higher quality brews for special occasions. Beer with a high alcohol content was favored for banquets and festivals and, in fact, a party was rated a success depending on the level of the participants' intoxication and the amount of beer consumed. The highest quality beer, of course, was brewed for the king and the nobility and flavored with honey which was associated with the gods. The beer found in the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, for example, was honey beer similar to the later European mead.
From the Middle Kingdom onwards, beer was increasingly a state-run industry, although people still brewed their own in their homes. This beer continued to be amber in color but not as thick; as shown by residue found in the bottom of vats and also through the beer found in Tutankhamun's tomb and others. Just as beer was considered a staple for Egyptians in life, so was it considered a necessary offering for the dead; beer, therefore, became one of the most common grave goods placed in tombs for those who could afford to part with it. Since beer was was a common form of payment, including jars of the brew in a tomb would be comparable to burying one's paycheck with the deceased.
Egyptians used beer as a currency to pay slaves, tradesmen, priests, and public officials alike, which means that every Egyptian was entitled to a certain amount of daily beer. This quantity was strictly regulated, even at the highest level. A queen was entitled to 10 loaves of bread and two crocks of beer a day.
Beer was served to guests from pitchers and poured into ceramic cups from which guests drank without the use of straws or strainers. Strudwick notes that "the quality of beer depended on both the skill of the brewer and the sugar content: the more sugar that was added to the fermentation, the stronger the beer." The beer served at funerals would have been higher in alcohol content than a regular brew. The same beer enjoyed by the guests would have earlier been placed in the tomb of the departed.
Emmer was a nutritious daily staple of the ancient Egyptians for thousands of years. It originated thousands of years ago and found its way into Italy where it is still cultivated. Emmer is rich in fiber, protein, magnesium, and other vitamins. It is a complete protein source when combined with legumes, which makes it an excellent addition to a vegetarian diet or for anyone looking for a plant-based high-protein food source.
Although beer was known afterwards to the Greeks and Romans, it never gained the same kind of following as those cultures preferred wine and thought of beer as a "barbarian" drink. One of the many peoples they regarded as "barbarians" - the Germans - perfected the art of brewing and created what is recognized today as beer.
People are the same today, thinking beer is for the laborer enjoying sports and the rich drink white wine.
The people who do not enjoy beer today are those of the Middle East; Iran, Iraq, Egypt, as Islam has outlawed alcohol. Most likely it had become a problem, noticed and taken care of.
Resource:
Read more at Gardening Know How: What Is Emmer Wheat: Information About Emmer Wheat Plants https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/wheatgrass/emmer-wheat-plants.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/wheatgrass/emmer-wheat-plants.htm#:~:text=Compared%20to%20modern%20wheat%20cultivars,different%20proteins%20found%20in%20grain.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/archived-articles/629/#:~:text=Egyptians%20used%20beer%20as%20a,crocks%20of%20beer%20a%20day.
https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1033/beer-in-ancient-egypt/
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