A Czech brewery, in collaboration with scientists from Charles University in Prague and Palacký University in Olomouc, has crafted the country’s first “Celtic beer” named TauriALE. This unique beer aims to recreate the flavor of an ancient alcoholic brew, using laboratory analysis of pollen extracted from an early Celtic burial site in Moravia.
The journey to creating TauriALE began with archaeological excavations at an early Iron Age site conducted by the two Czech universities. During the excavations, scientists collected pollen samples, which were subsequently analyzed by the Brno Botanical Institute. The analysis revealed traces of millet and herbs, ingredients commonly used by the Celts to produce beer.
Zuzana Golec-Mírová explained that prehistoric beer contained ingredients for both taste and preservation, including meadowsweet, sage, mugwort, and other elements that contributed to the beer’s sour and bitter flavor. The discovery of clover, an unexpected find, is believed to have come from honey used to sweeten the beer.
Golec-Mírová further explained that these brewing ingredients were placed in graves as burial gifts, a practice common in ancient times to provide the deceased with sustenance for the afterlife.
The first batch of TauriALE was created in collaboration with the micro-brewery Lesia, resulting in a beer that stands apart from contemporary brews due to its lack of hops. Instead, the beer derives its unique flavor from a combination of herbs, offering a bitter and sour taste profile reminiscent of gruit, a type of hop-free beer.
This venture allows consumers to experience the flavors of ancient Celts, offering a taste of history through TauriALE.
