Ancient Egyptian brewer's tomb found in Luxor

[dlester]

The man buried in the tomb was "head of beer production", archaeologists say.

A Japanese team found the tomb during work on another tomb belonging to a top official under Pharaoh Amenhotep III, who died around 1354 BC.

Luxor is home to a large and famous temple complex built by Amenhotep III and later by Rameses II.

Experts say the tomb's wall paintings are well preserved and depict daily life as well as religious rituals.

Antiquities Minister Mohamed Ibrahim told the Egyptian al-Ahram newspaper that security had been tightened around the tomb until excavation works are complete.

He added that a comprehensive restoration would be carried out after its full excavation with a view to opening the tomb to visitors.

Update: An email was sent to Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewery regarding the newly discovered tomb. See email below.

Cheers,

 

[tommyguner03]

thats pretty sweet, did they find any beer still sitting around?

 

[unionrdr]

Sam Calgione got the brew ingredients from another tomb in the area. It would be cool to brew some up.

 

[dlester]

There was no word on whether they found beer in clay pots or not. However, I can assure you that Sam has already heard the news from someone, knowing his background. Hopefully they can scrape up some old beer dust and figure the recipe.


Cheers,

 

[unionrdr]

He's been doing just that with a microbiologist/archeologist guy for years now.
Cool stuff. I'd like to know what any beers in this tomb were made out of for comparison's sake.

 

[dlester]

He's been doing just that with a microbiologist/archeologist guy for years now.
Cool stuff. I'd like to know what any beers in this tomb were made out of for comparison's sake.

Me too...

 

[tommyguner03]

back in those days they didnt have hops? right? beer was brewed with spices and such ? maybe this could be the first smash reciepe made! maybe some very rare grain .. this makes me want to do research

 

[Oceantendency]

Cool stuff. I'd like to know what any beers in this tomb were made out of for comparison's sake.

And to see how tasty their beers were too!

 

[unionrdr]

According to Sam,they used grains & yeast native to the area at that time. They still grow them I think was the gist of it.

 

[dlester]

I just sent an email To Sam regarding the tomb. Here is the email. I'll post the response when received.

Dear Sam,

Several homebrewers and I within the brewing community are talking (homebrewtalk.com) about a recently discovered tomb where the man buried in it was "head of beer production" under Pharaoh Amenhotep III, who died around 1354 BC. We are curious to know if you heard the same, and, can you find out if there are any clay pots with beer? We would be very excited to know that you might have some insight, and possibly plans, to replicate the beer.

Friend and brewer
D. Lester

 

[solbes]

Who's gonna get a yeast starter going? It's only 3368 years old and should be viable

 

[TheSmithsEra]

Sub

 

[tommyguner03]

Who's gonna get a yeast starter going? It's only 3368 years old and should be viable

yep should be a strong healthy yeast

 

[unionrdr]

Hey,it could be. They've found pollen grains in the older tombs that were still viable after some 3,000-4,000 years!

 

[tommyguner03]

Hey,it could be. They've found pollen grains in the older tombs that were still viable after some 3,000-4,000 years!

say what!!

 

[BeerGrylls]

Cool.. thanks for sharing. The archaeologist who works closely with DFH is Dr. Pat McGovern. I'm sure he has his finger on the pulse already. Actually, Sam from DFH went to Egypt and gathered wild yeast in order to brew Ta Henket, which allegedly isn't filtered, so you could always build up a starter from dregs if you were so inclined.

 

[dlester]

Cool.. thanks for sharing. The archaeologist who works closely with DFH is Dr. Pat McGovern. I'm sure he has his finger on the pulse already. Actually, Sam from DFH went to Egypt and gathered wild yeast in order to brew Ta Henket, which allegedly isn't filtered, so you could always build up a starter from dregs if you were so inclined.

Hey, good idea. Does anyone here have a recipe found from an archaeological dig?

 

[Marc77]

If there are any clay pots the brewer buried there deserves every award ever made.

Now if I can just find a way to age this beer for 3,368 years....

The other thing I was wondering...so does this mean we need to update the # of gallons of beer brewed thread too?

 

[dlester]

If there are any clay pots the brewer buried there deserves every award ever made.

Now if I can just find a way to age this beer for 3,368 years....

The other thing I was wondering...so does this mean we need to update the # of gallons of beer brewed thread too?

Agreed. And, yes you'll have to update # of gallons

 

[unionrdr]

Seems more like aging time to me?!...

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

If there are any clay pots the brewer buried there deserves every award ever made.

Now if I can just find a way to age this beer for 3,368 years....

The other thing I was wondering...so does this mean we need to update the # of gallons of beer brewed thread too?

Woudl that even be possible? Presuming we could have a very well sealed enviroment that wouldn't corode and fall apart? That would be amazing to find a 100 barrel steel tank just chillin in the Egyptian ruins with 3,000 year old beer in it.

Ignore that thats impossible, we are all dreamers here :fro:

 

[SliverXZennon]

I just sent an email To Sam regarding the tomb. Here is the email. I'll post the response when received.

Dear Sam,

Several homebrewers and I within the brewing community are talking (homebrewtalk.com) about a recently discovered tomb where the man buried in it was "head of beer production" under Pharaoh Amenhotep III, who died around 1354 BC. We are curious to know if you heard the same, and, can you find out if there are any clay pots with beer? We would be very excited to know that you might have some insight, and possibly plans, to replicate the beer.

Friend and brewer
D. Lester

Very cool find, hopefully he gets back to you and gives us some info.

 

[dlester]

Woudl that even be possible? Presuming we could have a very well sealed enviroment that wouldn't corode and fall apart? That would be amazing to find a 100 barrel steel tank just chillin in the Egyptian ruins with 3,000 year old beer in it.

Ignore that thats impossible, we are all dreamers here :fro:

They will put the dust, or whatever is in the pots through a mass spectrometer, which can tell you what was in the pots and ultimately what the beer was made from.

You have to use current products and yeast. You can't resurrect the yeast that is over 3,000 years old. A while back Sam went to that area, collected wild yeast samples and isolated the good from the bad yeast with the hopes that the yeast in that area is similar, which he used in his beer (forgot which one).


Cheers,

 

[dlester]

Seems more like aging time to me?!...

Yes, possibly.

 

[unionrdr]

I was kidding. But if it could've been well sealed,testing would've been more interesting...

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

They will put the dust, or whatever is in the pots through a mass spectrometer, which can tell you what was in the pots and ultimately what the beer was made from.

You have to use current products and yeast. You can't resurrect the yeast that is over 3,000 years old. A while back Sam went to that area, collected wild yeast samples and isolated the good from the bad yeast with the hopes that the yeast in that area is similar, which he used in his beer (forgot which one).


Cheers,

Oh, I was more joking about brewing a beer and aging it for 3,000 years to be consumed after we've gotten our robot bodies. And/or for our great great great great (etc.....) grand children to enjoy.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

Oh, I was more joking about brewing a beer and aging it for 3,000 years to be consumed after we've gotten our robot bodies. And/or for our great great great great (etc.....) grand children to enjoy.

I hope that was a reference to Sea Lab 2021. "Hesh wants to be a Tiger-Bot!":rockin:

 

[aiptasia]

You have to use current products and yeast. You can't resurrect the yeast that is over 3,000 years old. A while back Sam went to that area, collected wild yeast samples and isolated the good from the bad yeast with the hopes that the yeast in that area is similar, which he used in his beer (forgot which one).


Cheers,

Ta Henket. As I recall, it tasted pretty lousy. Just because you can brew an ancient ale doesn't make it a GOOD ale. There are still several bottles of the 2011 on shelves down here in Jax.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

I hope that was a reference to Sea Lab 2021. "Hesh wants to be a Tiger-Bot!":rockin:

I would totally become an Adrienne Barbeau-bot.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

I would totally become an Adrienne Barbeau-bot.

with chainsaw hands! bbrrrrzzzz!!! bbrrrrzzzz!!!


back on topic: it'd be interesting to try ancient Egyptian beers. it'd be more interesting to brew one!