Brew your own ancient beer: Yeast from 3,000-year-old Philistine beer jug now on sale

Times of Israel ^ | 26 May 2023 | Melanie Lidman

[Cronos]

Homebrewers will soon be able to time travel with their taste buds and brew beer similar to what the Philistines in Goliath’s hometown of Gath drank.

An interdisciplinary team of researchers, archaeologists and brewmasters in Israel first isolated 5,000-year-old yeast in 2019, as published in the peer-reviewed mBio journal in 2019. But now, the fruits of that discovery are about to become available for hobby brewers and sourdough aficionados everywhere, when the first batch of commercially available ancient yeast ships in December. Pre-orders are open now.

“We want to create an opportunity for every person to connect with this story, with the past, that we as a civilization have carried on for tens of thousands of years since we started fermenting,” said brewmaster Itai Gutman, who previously owned a brewery in Jerusalem and now is the CEO of Primer’s Yeast, the company that is selling the ancient yeast.

[dware]

Oh man...imma need to do this!

[Paladin2]

Whatta ‘bout the DNA of the hops?

[Moltke]

Careful, could be ancient Athlete’s Foot.

[TonyM]

“ Careful, could be ancient Athlete’s Foot.”

or Cleopatra’s yeast infection!

[Deplorable American1776]

David’s Slingshot Weapon Beer..You’ll fall for it!! 🤓

[Lee Enfield]

‘
“Goliath” beer of champio.....

[Paal Gulli]

If you’ve been wondering whether there was any hope for reviving that sourdough starter that’s been sitting neglected in the back of your ‘fridge for the past six months, ... there’s your answer.

[SunkenCiv]

As Goliath used to say, "I drink it for the vitamins." Thanks Cronos.

[null and void]

“It has electrolytes.”

[Monkey Face]

So much for bathtub gin...

[Billthedrill]

The ancient Philistines all drank this stuff 3000 years ago and today, they’re all DEAD. Well, I can put two and two together...

[SunkenCiv]

I think the OT states that the Electrolytes lived next to the Parasites and Kramerlites.

[SunkenCiv]

I think the folks at Knossos had the entire bathtub sarcophagus bin market sewn up.

[Monkey Face]

And a bunch of rowdys they were, too!!

[SunkenCiv]

David, upon seeing Goliath: “I’ve seen better heads on a glass of beer.”

David, after decapitating Goliath’s carcass: “I’ve seen better heads on a glass of beer.”

[Monkey Face]

*groan*

[Red Badger]

Probably tastes better than Bud Light................

[SunkenCiv]

I think David got good at slingin’ working in some pub.