Everything We Know About the 2,300-Year-Old Beer Found Inside an Ancient Tomb
· Vice
When archaeologists raid ancient tombs, they usually uncover the trinkets and tchotchkes people hoped to carry with them into the afterlife.
According to a new study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, some researchers who rated the tomb of a guy who died in China 2300 years ago wanted to ensure he could party hard in the afterlife as he was buried with a large bronze bottle filled with 3.7 liters of ancient Chinese beer, all of which was sealed inside of the tomb near the Great Wall of China.
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The discovery was made inside Tomb M39 at the Shanjiabo cemetery in northern China, dating back to the Warring States period between 475 and 221 BCE. Inside the tomb sat a bronze vessel with a wide mouth, perfect for pouring, a design commonly associated with alcohol containers at the time. To their surprise, it still had some liquid sloshing around, a pale blue-green brew that somehow survived for over two millennia without evaporating.
Everything We Know About the 2,300-Year-Old Beer Found Inside an Ancient Tomb
Researchers analyzed the liquid and identified more than 2,400 organic compounds, along with thousands of yeast cells and traces of broomcorn millet, wheat, and barley. That’s beer. Or at least some ancient version of beer brewed with an advanced understanding of fermentation.
The scientists say they found evidence of a carefully controlled brewing process demonstrating knowledge of specific techniques and additives that provide a unique flavor profile, and even evidence of fermentation starters (think the SCOBY that creates kombucha) that preserved the drink for centuries. The bottle itself was well sealed with layers of fabric, mud, and other organic materials commonly used in Chinese burial practices.
If you’re wondering how the brew tasted at the peak of its flavor thousands of years ago, it probably would’ve sucked. Or, at least by today’s standards of flavor. The microbrew boom of the 2010s had not yet reached China 2,300 years ago, so this wasn’t a hoppy IPA with hints of citrus and a smooth, piney finish. The researchers say it was filled with acids that would’ve given it a sharp, sour flavor closer to fermented vinegar. Probably better in a salad than as a pint.
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