Beer is one of humanity’s oldest companions—older than written language, older than money, and possibly even older than agriculture as we know it. But what exactly was the world’s first beer made from?  The answer takes us back more than 6,000 years.

Barley: The Birthplace of Beer

The world’s first beer was made from barley, often in the form of bread. In ancient Mesopotamia, particularly among the Sumerians (circa 4000–3000 BCE), barley was a staple crop. Instead of brewing beer the way we do today, they baked a coarse, partially cooked barley bread called bappir. This bread was then: Crumbled into water, Left to ferment naturally, Transformed by wild yeast into a mildly alcoholic drink. This early beer was thick, cloudy, and nutritious—closer to a liquid porridge than a modern lager.

An Accidental Discovery?

Many historians believe beer was discovered by accident. Wet grain left sitting would naturally ferment, producing alcohol. Ancient people quickly realized this “spoiled” grain didn’t make them sick—in fact, it made them feel good. Some theories even suggest that the desire to make beer may have driven the development of agriculture, not the other way around. Beer as Food, Medicine, and Currency

Early beer wasn’t just for celebration:

• It was safer than water, since fermentation killed harmful bacteria
• It provided calories and nutrients
• It was used in religious rituals
• Workers were sometimes paid in beer

What the First Beer Was Not

The world’s first beer did not include:

• Hops (those came thousands of years later)
• Carbonation
• Filtration
• Refrigeration

It was drunk warm, shared communally, and often sipped through straws to avoid floating grain solids.

From Barley Bread to Modern Brews

Today’s beers—whether crisp pilsners or hazy IPAs—are far removed from their ancient ancestor. Yet at their core, they still rely on the same basic principle discovered millennia ago:

Grain + water + yeast = beer

And it all began with barley.

In Short

The world’s first beer was made from barley, often baked into bread and fermented in water.

A simple beginning for a drink that would shape human culture forever. 🍺 - DrankenUK