Beer like the Romans

Carlsberg sheds light on the gladiators' favorite drink Favorite drink

27-Nov-2024

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Typical depictions of the Romans include an association with grapes and wine. However, experts at the Carlsberg Research Laboratory have discovered how the Romans might have made beer. According to historians, beer was even the preferred drink of the Roman army, as soldiers were given a ration of beer as part of their inventory.

So while we're familiar with depictions of the Romans celebrating their victories with a cup of wine, it's safe to assume that gladiators would often sip on a beer once they'd completed their tasks for the day.

The Carlsberg Research Laboratory has unveiled the technique the Romans might have used to brew beer.

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Zoran Gojkovic, Director of Brewing Science, Yeast and Fermentation at Carlsberg , noted: 'The techniques used were probably inspired by the Egyptians, from the recipes to the way the ingredients were processed.

According to Gojkovic, the beer drunk by the Romans was probably lighter than we are used to, as the malt was not dried over an open fire like today's beer. This in turn would have affected the taste of Roman beer, as the Maillard reaction would not have taken place in the malt. The Romans (in Rome) used barley, but there is evidence that in some areas rye was the predominant grain used to brew beer.

These brewing methods would also have resulted in a lower alcohol brew, similar to a session beer where 2-3% ABV is the norm. In terms of flavor, Egyptian brewers tended to use dates as a starter culture, resulting in a sweeter, not fully fermented beer. It is likely that they took a similar approach in Roman times.

"It is thought that the Romans may also have used figs as a starter culture and not just bread, as previously thought. This would probably have introduced wild yeasts and bacteria into the fruit, which would have had completely different aromas, including vanilla, tobacco and even earthy notes," says Gojkovic.

It is fair to say that the beers drunk by the gladiators are very different from what is served in a pub today, but are probably still the best beer in the world.

Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.

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