What is a "beer archaeologist" that reproduces the beer 1100 years ago and studies ancient civilization?

Studies of lost ancient civilizations are often conducted focusing on ancient royalty and aristocracy, Professor Travis Rap at the University of Colorado Boulder actually brews the actually drunk beer at that time Taking the approach of reading and understanding the ancient civilization. Why did Professor Rapp tell us in an interview with Great Big Story whether he chose "Reproduce Beer" as a research theme for archeology.

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A man wearing a T-shirt written as "Brewer (brewer of beer)" passes by the side of the beer barrel lined up in a row.


A man holding beer is not just a beer brewer, he is an archaeological professor at the University of Colorado Boulder and is also known as a "beer archaeologist".


Ancient beer is made in Boulder, Colorado "Avery BrewingThe beer brewery called.


It seems that a brewery also has a tasting place.


Avery Brewing manufactures many types of beer, but the ancient beer is also made using the facilities in it.


Inside there is the latest beer brewing equipment ......





Ancient beers actually drunk in ancient Egypt, Peru etc etc are made.


Mr. Travis Rap, a beer archaeologist, conducts research with a different approach from ordinary archeology. In ancient culture the royalty and the lifestyle of the nobility of the time are attracting attention, but Mr. Rap ​​said "Royalty and nobility occupy only a small proportion at that time.I am a popular pub 1100 years ago, I want to know what was being drunk. "


Mr. Rap ​​and his research team are doing research to reproduce ancient beers in modern times, and already several ancient beers are reviving in modern times.


Pull the beer into the cup by plucking the cake stabbed in the tal ... ...


Mr. Rap ​​which drinks with gulp. The ancient beer made from a different material and manufacturing method than the modern beer seems to be surprisingly delicious.


A lot of beer taps are lined up in the brewery's bar, and it seems possible to drink "ancient craft beer". There is not much carbonation in ancient beer and alcohol degree is low.


Mr. Rap's favorite is an ancient Egyptian beer, "I like to drink at the end of the worked day."


Mr. Tap who throws black grains in the tank. It does not look like hops used for beer brewing.


The material of ancient beer seems to be completely different from the present age, for example dry yeast and ...


Juniper berry was put in the tank earlier (Horse mackerel)


Mugwort and others are the main materials.


"The big challenge of doing beer archeology is" to define an ancient recipe that was actually used. "Reproducing it in modern equipment is a bigger challenge," said Mr. Tapp . While careful not to be caught by existing thinking always, pursue such as how to combine these materials, how to reproduce the beer actually drunk by ancient people, how much imitation of the brewing procedure can be imitated It seems to be.


In order to reproduce a new beer, Mr. Tap always studies ancient civilization over three to four months.


Currently being manufactured is "Viking beer (pirate beer)" which was drunk before 1100 years.


"I think that beer is like a surprising lens that can be removed from history and culture beyond time.The modern people have been using the ancient beer that was reproduced in the present age since 8500 BC It seems to be unified. "


"Modern people can come here to drink ancient beer, drinking ancient beers that ancient people would have drunk," Wow, it's quite different from the beer we are drinking You will notice that it is nothing. "


"The moment the ancient culture moves to contemporary culture by drinking ancient beers, that is exactly what fascinates me."