In the ruins of ancient Mesopotamia, archaeologists uncovered clay tablets with cuneiform inscriptions that include what is now considered the world’s oldest written recipe—a method for brewing beer, dating back over 4,000 years.
Created by the Sumerians, this recipe wasn't exactly your modern IPA. It described a fermented mash made from baked barley bread (called bappir), water, and wild yeast, left to bubble in large vats. Beer played a central role in Sumerian life—used in religious offerings, payments to workers, and everyday nourishment.
One famous tablet even praises Ninkasi, the goddess of beer, with a hymn that doubles as a brewing guide. While ingredients and tools have changed over millennia, the Sumerians' love of fermentation lives on in today’s global beer culture.