China Invented Beer

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Kizmet, May 24, 2016.

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  1. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  2. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    I'm pretty sure beer goes bad sometime within the first century it was brewed. Not gonna try this one :smashfreakB:
     
  3. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Tsingtao is pretty good, I haven't had any others.
     
  4. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    No they didn't. I always thought the Sumerians did - but Iran goes even further back. From the Wiki on History of Beer:

    "Chemical tests of ancient pottery jars reveal that beer was produced as far back as about 7,000 years ago in what is today Iran. This discovery reveals one of the earliest known uses of fermentation and is the earliest evidence of brewing to date. In Mesopotamia, the oldest evidence of beer is believed to be a 6,000-year-old Sumerian tablet depicting people drinking a beverage through reed straws from a communal bowl. A 3900-year-old Sumerian poem honouring Ninkasi, the patron goddess of brewing, contains the oldest surviving beer recipe, describing the production of beer from barley via bread. In China, residue on pottery dating from between 5400 to 4900 years ago shows beer was brewed using barley and other grains."

    J.
     
  5. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    By the way, Tsingtao has an interesting history. I drank it occasionally, up to about 11 years ago when I quit all that stuff. Tsingtao beer got started when the Germans, who had a base in the city of Tsingtao (now spelled Qingdao in English), needed beer for their sailors. They made sure the brew was suitable for German palates. Brewing continued after the Germans lost this city to the Japanese in WWI. These days, Tsingtao has recently dropped to second place in China - about 21% of the market. First place is now held by Snow, which I've never tried - not available here back when I drank beer.

    Lot of international and joint-ventures in China today, e.g. China Pabst Blue Ribbon. Carlsberg is also brewed there. Article here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_in_China Yes, they have craft breweries and brewpubs, too.

    BTW - I looked through all imports available here in Ontario. Only other Chinese brew I found on the list is Yanjing.

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 24, 2016
  6. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

  7. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    And here I thought it was the Hittites that invented beer.
     
  8. jhp

    jhp Member

    As far as alcoholic drinks, I think mead or version thereof would be the first thing "invented" as it requires no human intervention of any sort. Just drink the stuff at the bottom of a stump...:yumyum:
     
  9. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    I always think of mead as medieval. Made from honey, IIRC. If you want hooch with no human involvement, Africa has something that may interest you. At certain watering holes, leaves fall into the water from trees and ferment. Elephants come along and seem to like drinking it. They usually get thoroughly swacked on it and then things get dangerous! A bunch of 12,000 pound drunks is fearsome - wouldn't want to be the bouncer at that watering-hole!

    J.
     
  10. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    No, Ted. Hittite civilization begins around 2300 BCE. The Iranian stuff is 7,000 years old.

    Apparently, China has the earliest alcoholic drink - 9,000 years ago, but it wasn't beer. Interesting article on that, plus other early booze (and re-creating it) here:

    History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places | Smithsonian

    J.
     
  11. jhp

    jhp Member

    What is fascinating about this? This is absolutely 100% true.... until we find something even older, and everyone who believed this for 100% true is considered a crazy cook.:trink26:
     
  12. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    (1) I think you mean "crazy kook" - we weren't discussing cooking.

    (2) What is this whole garbled statement supposed to mean - if anything? :shock:

    (3) The article I quoted is from the Smithsonian - not Ripley's "Believe it or Not." I consider the info reasonably authoritative. It's not from your long-suffering local bartender, but from an archaeologist, with a "real" doctorate, who is said to be the foremost expert on the early history of fermented drinks.

    (4) I believe what the acknowledged expert says. And if, upon further research and investigation, older examples are found, then so be it. If it happens, It'll be an advance in knowledge, not the unmasking of a fraud. And new knowledge won't make me a "crazy kook" either. I'll survive!

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 28, 2016

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