Our final plan was as follows: We would try to duplicate mankind's earliest professionally brewed beer by using the "Hymn to Ninkasi" as our principal guide. This beautiful document dates from around 1800 BC and clearly describes the brewing process in its many phases while singing the praises of Ninkasi, the ancient Sumerian Goddess of Brewing. Her name appears in English and Sumerian on our beer's label. As we studied this beautiful poem, we were intrigued to find almost every detail had its counterpart in modern brewing practice. So many of the details ring familiar to a practical brewer's ear. It was a joy to study this poem line by line, matching its imagery with modern brewing and malting. We used it as our basic structure, integrating Ninkasi's brewing process into our own. We would follow it where we could understand it, and where there was a mystery or a question, we would answer it as best we could. If we deviated from it, we would know why. The English translation from Sumerian is by Professor Miguel Civil of the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. To our great joy, we soon discovered that Professor Civil was not only willing to help us with our many questions, but he brought to our quest a spirit of cheerful enthusiasm that inspired us.

Anchor Steam - Sumerian Beer Project