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Ancient Brews

Rediscovered and Re-created

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
Patrick E. McGovern takes us on a fascinating journey through time to the dawn of brewing when our ancestors might well have made a Palaeo-Brew of wild fruits, honey, cereals, and botanicals. Early beverage-makers must have marveled at the magical process of fermentation. Their amazement grew as they drank the mind-altering drinks, which were to become the medicines, religious symbols, and social lubricants of later cultures.
McGovern recounts how the re-created Ancient Ales and Spirits of Dogfish Head came about as he circles the globe—to China, Turkey, Egypt, Italy, Scandinavia, Honduras, Peru, and Mexico. He interweaves archaeology and science and tells the stories and struggles in making the most authentic versions possible of these liquid time capsules. Accompanying homebrew interpretations—brimming with unusual spicy, fruity, and malty aromas and tastes—help bring the past alive, as our senses and imaginations travel "Back to the Future."
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    • Publisher's Weekly

      July 17, 2017
      Anthropology professor McGovern (Uncorking the Past) continues his exploration of ancient elixirs, taking readers on a global trip through time to discover how various intoxicants were created and imbibed. McGovern and his travel and research partner Sam Calagione, the CEO of Dogfish Brewery, offer recipes for a number of these ancient quaffs. Beginning in the Cretaceous period—when, as McGovern notes, our ancestors likely discovered the wonders of fermentation—their journey takes them to the Middle East to learn about a curious Phrygian cocktail likely composed of wine, beer, and mead—and, later, to China, Egypt, and Scandinavia, among other countries. McGovern’s excitement and passion for his subject shines brightly, but it’s at times slowed by academic passages that read more like lectures than field reporting. Home brew enthusiasts, however, will appreciate that attention to detail, as McGovern offers painstakingly specific recipes for recreating these beverages as well as suggested dishes to complement them. Beer historians and home brewers are sure to find McGovern’s work a worthwhile addition to the brewing canon.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

Languages

  • English

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