Love affair with beer tinged with bronze

Three thousand years ago, there were more breweries in Ireland than there are in all of Europe today!

Bronze Age man was a bit of a boozer, according to a team of archaeologists who that says it has uncovered evidence of the world's biggest prehistoric brewing industry.



Studies of residues found at prehistoric sites in Asia have dated beer back to 5000 BC. But the Moore Group claims the proliferation of fulacht fiadhs in Ireland suggests ancient brewing on an unprecedented scale.



"It means that there were up to 4500 breweries in Ireland in the Bronze Age, which means it was the most widespread brewing industry in prehistory in the world," Mr Moore said.

The researchers even attempted to recreate the ancient brew. Read the entire article at the Sydney Morning Herald.