This is Emily Somple with another episode
of fermented science..
Today’s Topic: The Gods and Goddesses of
Beer!
There are many myths and legends about mankind’s
love for beer.
Evidence of fermenting and consuming beer
can be found all the way back to 3400 BC in
the Middle East, where archaeologists discovered
pottery with beer residue inside of it.
According to Ancient Egyptian legend, beer
was one of the first gifts the gods granted
to humanity.
Osiris, Egyptian Lord of the Underworld taught
man the art of agriculture and the craft of
brewing beer.One of the most well-known Egyptian
myths about beer is the story of Sekhmet,
the warrior goddess
who nearly destroyed all of mankind because
of her thirst for blood, until Ra, the sun
god turned the Nile red to trick her.
The river was actually pomegranate beer, which
made Sekhmet so tipsy, she forgot about her
bloodlust and became a kinder goddess.
While Egyptians are well known for being the
first brewers of beer, there is evidence that
it was the Sumerians who discovered its fermenting
powers.
Sumerian mythology credits Ninkasi, the goddess
of brewing for its sparkling wonder.
Her story is told through the Hymn to Ninkasi
found on a tablet dated around 1800 BCE.
The hymn is known as the first written recipe
for Sumerian beer.
Today, the craft beer industry is exploding,
many breweries paying homage to these ancient
myths in their names and recipes.
For more information on brewing and fermenting,
visit us at spoiledtoperfection.com.
