1 March: Archaeological Evidence for Brewing

I have come across several articles discussing the history of brewing in Ireland. One in particular surveyed some archaeological evidence describing possible dates historians know brewing to have taken place and shed light on some of the methods by which brewing was performed.

Irish brewing techniques may have been developed out of the mead-brewing techniques imported from the Basque region of Spain around the 14th century. According to a letter to the Ulster Journal of Archaeology, ancient brewing and distilling implements have been found preserved in bogs throughout Ireland. These include wooden troughs of different shapes that may have been used for steeping grain, as well as quern-stones that are thought to have been used for milling. Additionally, oaken, pronged forks and oaken spades of similar construction have been discovered. These are believed to have been used during the steeping process of creating fermentable wort via mashing malt. During the mashing process, these would have been used to prevent clumping of the grains as a means of ensuring even extraction of fermentable sugars (malts).

Sketch of an early Irish brew-paddle used during the boiling of the mash to prevent clumping, and thus even extraction of fermentable sugars and enzymes. Made of bog-deal. 

Sketch of an early bog-deal brew-spade.