Sweet Emmer Beer with Dates
A cloudy, low-alcohol beer, thick and slightly sweet from dates—less a festive drink than a liquid food, the staple of Egyptian diet and an indispensable offering.
A cloudy, low-alcohol beer, thick and slightly sweet from dates—less a festive drink than a liquid food, the staple of Egyptian diet and an indispensable offering.
Pour, and listen. This beer, the heqet, has nourished my people since the river flowed. It is drawn from emmer bread crumbled into water, dates are thrown in for sweetness, and the days are left to work until it foams and bubbles of its own accord. Remember: when men's blood was nearly spilled, it was by a beer dyed red that divine fury was appeased. Drink little, but drink with a grateful heart.
- •Lightly baked emmer bread — several loaves, crumbled (fermentable base)
- •Sprouted emmer grains (malt) — a measure (sugars)
- •Ripe dates — a handful (sugar and flavor)
- •River water — to cover (liquid)
Sweet Emmer Beer with Dates
A cloudy, low-alcohol beer, thick and slightly sweet from dates—less a festive drink than a liquid food, the staple of Egyptian diet and an indispensable offering.
Why this dish? Along with bread, beer (heqet) forms the sacred pair of every Egyptian offering; beer jars line the tables of Isis. In myth, beer plays a major role: it is with a tinted beer that the gods appeased the furious lioness goddess. At Isis's table, this thick, nourishing beer is poured—drink of gods and peasants alike.
Pour, and listen. This beer, the heqet, has nourished my people since the river flowed. It is drawn from emmer bread crumbled into water, dates are thrown in for sweetness, and the days are left to work until it foams and bubbles of its own accord. Remember: when men's blood was nearly spilled, it was by a beer dyed red that divine fury was appeased. Drink little, but drink with a grateful heart.
Ingredients (period version)
- Lightly baked emmer bread — several loaves, crumbled (fermentable base)
- Sprouted emmer grains (malt) — a measure (sugars)
- Ripe dates — a handful (sugar and flavor)
- River water — to cover (liquid)
Ingredients
- Whole wheat or spelt bread, lightly toasted — 300 g (base)
- Crushed barley malt (from brewing supply store) — 150 g (sugars)
- Pitted dates — 100 g (sugar)
- Water — 2 litres (liquid)
- Baker's yeast or sourdough — 1 packet (fermentation (modern shortcut))
Method
- Crumble the bread and dates into warm water, add the crushed malt.
- Heat gently (do not boil) for 1 hour to release sugars, then let cool to lukewarm.
- Strain roughly through a cloth, pressing the pulp.
- Add the yeast or a bit of sourdough, cover with a cloth, and let ferment 2 to 3 days at room temperature.
- Strain again and serve cold, not expecting a clear beer: it should remain cloudy and light.
How it was made : Egyptians brewed from half-baked emmer bread crumbled in water, mixed with sprouted grain, fermented for a few days. The beer was cloudy, thick, low in alcohol, and very nourishing—drunk by all, from children to priests. Excavations at Hierakonpolis have revealed enormous brewing installations among the oldest in the world.
The contemporary twist : Serve in a small terracotta cup with a hint of cinnamon or orange blossom water: a "heqet" aperitif for the curious and adventurous.
Sources : Delwen Samuel, "Investigation of Ancient Egyptian Baking and Brewing Methods" (Science, 1996) · Jeremy Geller, brewing excavations at Hierakonpolis
Isis · Charactorium