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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 13 July 2017
‘Ancient Brews’ reveals tasty history of alcohol

By KEVIN BEGOS been a pioneer in archae- “Ancient Brews” is a geeky tions based on archaeo-
Associated Press ological chemistry — a field and tasty way to learn logical findings, such as a
“Ancient Brews: Rediscov- that combines old-school about ancient history, lamb and lentil stew that
ered & Re-created” (W.W. fieldwork with cutting- and the science of booze. was consumed around 800
Norton & Co.), by Patrick E. edge technology such as McGovern explains the B.C. at what was probably
McGovern mass spectrometry and chemistry of fermentation, King Midas’ funeral feast in
It’s easy to find cold brews DNA analysis. the molecular compo- what is now Turkey.
on summer days, but here’s The new lab tools are able nents of alcohol (two car- The recipe for the accom-
a twist: a journey back to to identify the chemical bon atoms, six hydrogen, panying beverage (also
the alcoholic beverages makeup of astonishingly one oxygen) and how our available bottled through
that people drank thou- small beverage traces love of alcohol probably Dogfish Head as Midas
sands of years ago. that remain on ancient ar- originated more than 100 Touch) has some familiar
Patrick McGovern, a re- tifacts, such as the stains million years ago in the beer ingredients (malt ex-
nowned scientist and pas- on beverage containers Cretaceous Period, when tract, honey and hops) but
sionate lover of fermented found in the Egyptian pyra- flowering plants appeared also twists: saffron threads
beverages, brings the his- mids. McGovern and other and fruit flies developed and grape juice. That’s a
tory of ancient brewing researchers then match specific genes to process theme in the book: Mc-
alive with this fun, tempt- the chemical fingerprints alcohol. (Humans still have This image released by W.W. Govern shows that people
ing and thought-provoking to various grains, fruits and some of those same genes, Norton & Co. shows “Ancient had exotic tastes thou-
Brews:
Rediscovered
&
book. McGovern is direc- spices, and come up with by the way.) Re-created.” by Patrick E. sands of years ago, all over
tor of the Biomolecular Ar- a kind of reverse recipe, But McGovern isn’t en- McGovern. the world. They weren’t
chaeology Project at the brought to life thousands of trenched in the past. The Associated Press just chugging alcohol for
University of Pennsylvania years after the original bev- book contains numerous the buzz, though that was
in Philadelphia. For more erage was originally con- recipes for home brew- founder of Delaware’s certainly appreciated, per-
than three decades he’s sumed. ers, created in collabora- Dogfish Head Brewery. haps originally in religious
tion with Sam Calagione, There are also food sugges- ceremonies.q
Museum finds cases of

2-century-old wine in its cellar

A six-month restoration project at Liberty Hall Museum in Union,
N.J., uncovered three cases of Madeira wine dating to 1796
and about 42 demijohns from the 1820s while restoring its wine
cellar. The museum said the monetary value of the wine cannot
be made public.

UNION, N.J. (AP) — A res- the wine cannot be made
toration project at a New public. The original 13 col-
Jersey museum unearthed onies imported about 95
cases of wine nearly as percent of the wine pro-
old as the United States. duced on the Portuguese
The Liberty Hall Museum in archipelago of Madeira,
Union says it discovered al- according to historical ac-
most three full cases of Ma- counts. Bill Schroh, Liberty
deira wine, a fortified wine, Hall’s director of opera-
dating to 1796 while restor- tions, said Madeira was the
ing its wine cellar. NJ.com best wine to ship during the
reports the museum also 18th century because it al-
found 42 demijohns — large most never spoils — even
glass jugs sometimes used centuries later if stored
for holding spirits — dating properly. Liberty Hall Presi-
to the 1820s. The museum dent John Kean said he
said the monetary value of sampled the wine.q