5,000-Year-Old Beer Recipe Found in China, Researchers Say

Researchers on Monday revealed evidence that beer brewing existed 5,000 years ago in ancient China.

Artifacts dug up on a site in northern China suggest locals were following a recipe for beer using broomcorn millet, barley, Job’s tears and tubers, according to a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

It’s the earliest indication that advanced beer-brewing techniques were established in China so many years ago, the study says. The artifacts were unearthed at Mijiaya, an archaeological site, from two pits dated to around 3,400-2,900 BC.

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Researchers found yellowish remnants in wide-mouthed pots and funnels that they say were used for beer brewing, filtration and storage, and the scientists’ analysis of the residue revealed the likely beer ingredients. They also found stoves that were likely used for heating and mashing grains.