Egyptian Beer And WineThe ancient Egyptians were very fond of their alcohol, especially Egyptian beer. In fact, beer was considered a staple of their diet, not just an accompaniment. They drank beer every day, and almost with every meal. Beer was such an important part of their everyday life that it was also part of their working wages. Imagine that, getting paid in beer!
It was so popular to the point that a hangover was seen as a legit reason to take sick leave from work. Wine on the other hand, although loved just as much as, was not as common. Wine was reserved for more special occasions and consumed by the rich and elite. Whatever the poison, the ancient Egyptians loved their alcohol. In festivities, it was encouraged that the guests eat and drink as much as they can, till they got drunk to the point of vomiting - then starting all over again!
Brewing Egyptian BeerThe process of brewing beer was found painted on tomb walls. Some ancient texts also give information on ingredients and procedure. Studying ancient beer jars also helped paint a more complete picture. Beer was usually made in the home by the women or servants as part of the daily household chores. It was similar to making bread and in fact was sometimes made from stale bread. The emmer bread was strained through a sieve with water, into a jar. Sometimes they added other ingredients for flavor - such as dates or honey for sweetening, spices and herbs. The liquid was left in the jar to ferment then filtered to remove some of the impurities. The result is not a very intoxicating beer if drunk in moderation (which was not always the case!). It was very thick, often sweet and not fizzy. The Egypt Exploration Society partnered up with breweries from the U.K. in the 90's to make beer the ancient Egyptian way. The result was "King Tut's Brew".
The Egyptian Wine ConnoisseurWine in ancient Egypt was considered a luxury for the rich, elite and royal. The vineyards were owned by the elite for the elite. It was much too expensive for the common Egyptian to afford, except on special occasions.Wine was also used as a luxurious offering to the Gods, and was also placed in the tombs of the rich. In banquets, the amount and type of wine offered signified the wealth and sophistication of the host. Sound familiar? There were many different kinds of wine, such as that used for offerings, depending on the vineyard and ingredients. Wine jars were labeled with dates and vineyard just like today. The process is also quite similar to the small family vineyards of today. First the grapes are picked and mashed. Then the crushed goo was put into linen and squeezed for juice. They left the grape juice to ferment in jars then transferred them into other jars that would allow the gasses to escape. Whether it was Egyptian beer or wine, there were Gods and Goddesses dedicated to the drink - that's how important alcohol and celebration was to the ancients.
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