Beer in Ancient Egypt

Ancient beer was not only mildly alcoholic but also nutritious. Its prominence in Egyptian diet of commoners reflects its food value as much as the pleasurable sensation that went with drinking it.

The brewing of beer is depicted on a number of tomb walls, for example, in a Fifth Dynasty at Saqqara; in a Sixth Dynasty tomb at Deir el Gebrawi; in a Middle Kingdom tomb at Meir; in a Middle Kingdom tomb and in an Eighteenth Dynasty tomb respectively.

Beer called heneket or booza, was a popular drink in ancient Egypt, the brew was made of barley and homebrewed in some areas. It has been called Egypt’s ‘national drink’. It was nutritious and highly caloric, containing protein, B vitamins and live yeast.

During ancient Egypt, there are quite a number of different beers, which would necessitate their brewed with a variety so ingredients or by different methods.

Some of these beer types, of which ‘dark beer’, ‘iron beer’, ‘garnished beer’, ‘friend’s beer’ and ‘beer of the protector’ may be mentioned, would undoubtedly have been brewed for special occasions.

Both bread and beer were the most important foods in ancient Egypt. When the grain was ground up fine, it made bread flour.

To make commonest beer, a piece of barley bread is crumbled in water, and then malted cereal, the remainder of an old batch of beer or yeast is added.

The mash is gently heated for several hours and then allowed to ferment for a day or more, growing stronger until it spoils by about the fifth day.

The beer was drained off after a period of fermentation. Beer was kept in vats in cellars and store houses and was consumed by rich and poor alike.
Beer in Ancient Egypt