Beer-Making Artifacts Discovered In China Dates Back 5,000 Years

Ancient "beer-making tool kits" were discovered by archaeologists in underground rooms in China, which were thought to be built between 3,400 and 2,900 BC. This puts the brewery at around 5,000 years old.

The dig site, which was located in the Central Plain of China, had kits that included funnels, pots, and even specialized jugs. The shapes of the objects suggested that they could be used for brewing, filtration, and storage.

This is the oldest ever beer-making facility found in the country, and evidence indicate that even during these ancient times, brewers were already using tools and advanced techniques in making beer.

According to NPR.org, among the things that were found are a pottery stove, which brewers were believed to have used to break down carbohydrates to sugar in the heat. The underground location of the brewery is also important for storage and temperature control - too much heat can destroy the enzymes responsible for the conversion from carbs to sugar, as explained by a biomolecular archaeologist from the University of Pennsylvania Museum in Philadelphia.

Patrick McGovern, known as the "Indiana Jones" of ancient fermented beverages said, "All indications are that ancient peoples, [including those at this Chinese dig site], applied the same principles and techniques as brewers do today."

Unfortunately, there is no beer sample to take a sip from. As noted by Popular Science, beer does not keep very long under normal conditions, so scientists can't expect to find a drinkable brew buried in the dirt. Still, the plant remains and artifacts found is a strong indication of the earliest possible presence of beer-making.

This isn't the only ancient beer-making facility, either. Modern breweries have recreated ancient recipes from over four thousand years ago - and the earliest physical evidence of barley beer has been identified in Iraq since 3,400 BC.