Researchers from Palacký University in Olomouc and Charles University in Prague have recreated what is described as Celtic beer, reconstructing its profile through laboratory pollen analysis from an ancient Celtic tomb in Moravia. The finding was reported by Arkeonews.
The fieldwork took place in the Bull Rock Cave region within the Moravian Karst during 2020 and 2021. In those excavations, scientists uncovered traces of ancient pollen that pointed to a blend of millet and a suite of herbs commonly associated with Celtic brewing practices. The Celts, a term widely used to describe a collection of Iron Age communities across parts of Europe, did not represent a single ethnic group but a constellation of tribes sharing language and cultural traits. The research therefore sheds light not only on a beverage but also on the broader ritual and daily life surrounding beer in early European societies.
According to the researchers, prehistoric beers typically combined flavoring agents with substances that helped preserve the drink. In this case, plants such as meadowsweet, Filipino ulmaria, sage officinalis, and wormwood (artemisia vulgaris) were identified, contributing a sour and bitter depth to the brew. The discovery of clover, a plant not routinely documented in ancient beer recipes, surprised the team. Further analysis revealed hints of its presence in the honey used to sweeten the beverage, suggesting a more complex flavor balance than initially anticipated.
Unlike modern beer, which relies on hops as a primary bittering agent, this ancient creation drew its bitterness from the assortment of herbs and meadow plants identified in the pollen record. Hops did not enter beer production until the early Middle Ages, making this Celtic-inspired beverage distinct from contemporary styles. The project envisions producing a replica of the drink under the name TauriALE at the Eureka brewery affiliated with Palacký University in Olomouc, allowing researchers and the public to experience a tangible link to Iron Age brewing traditions.
Past discoveries in related contexts have included earlier demonstrations of how ancient cultures curated and displayed wealth through artifacts and sites that illustrate daily life and economic practices. The current study complements those efforts by offering a sensory link to history through a fermented beverage that reflects regional flora, agricultural practices, and culinary preferences of Iron Age communities in Central Europe (Arkeonews). This approach helps bridge archaeology with food studies, highlighting how material evidence can be interpreted to reconstruct taste, aroma, and consumption rituals from thousands of years ago.