Abstract
Previous studies have shown that the Ancient Egyptians used malted wheat and barley as the main ingredients in beer brewing, but the chemical determination of the exact recipe is still lacking. To investigate the constituents of ancient beer, we conducted a detailed IR and GC-MS based metabolite analyses targeting volatile and non-volatile metabolites on the residues recovered from the interior of vats in what is currently the world’s oldest (c. 3600 BCE) installation for large-scale beer production located at the major pre-pharaonic political center at Hierakonpolis, Egypt. In addition to distinguishing the chemical signatures of various flavoring agents, such as dates, a significant result of our analysis is the finding, for the first time, of phosphoric acid in high level probably used as a preservative much like in modern beverages. This suggests that the early brewers had acquired the knowledge needed to efficiently produce and preserve large quantities of beer. This study provides the most detailed chemical profile of an ancient beer using modern spectrometric techniques and providing evidence for the likely starting materials used in beer brewing.
Highlights
IntroductionBeer was considered a staple food for the ancient Egyptians. it was an essential provision for their afterlife as shown by numerous depictions and models of brewing found in their tombs
Together with bread, beer was considered a staple food for the ancient Egyptians
Four samples from two vats were subjected to analysis for their volatile components, directly using solid phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) versus analysis of non-volatile primary metabolites viz., sugars, amino acids and organic acids using GC-MS post-silylation
Summary
Beer was considered a staple food for the ancient Egyptians. it was an essential provision for their afterlife as shown by numerous depictions and models of brewing found in their tombs. Heating installations related to beer production involving large ceramic vats (serving as mashtuns) have been reported at several sites of this era[1,2], with a significant number detected by excavation and remote sensing at the major population center of ancient Hierakonpolis[3]. Botanical examinations of the residue indicated that the main ingredients were emmer wheat with some barley These grains were coarsely crushed or ground and heated in water together with grains that had been malted in their husks[5]. The scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed the presence of starch grains with perforation suggestive of enzymatic action prior to fermentation[5] These findings indicate that the vats served to prepare the wort, the final product being beer. Four samples from two vats were subjected to analysis for their volatile components, directly using solid phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) versus analysis of non-volatile primary metabolites viz., sugars, amino acids and organic acids using GC-MS post-silylation
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