Irish workers in the 16th-century consumed beer very similar to our own modern beverage with an ABV of 5% and up to 270 calories per pint.
This surprising discovery is one of many striking moments captured in a new documentary that follows the remarkable journey of Trinity food historian Susan Flavin as she faithfully replicates a beer last brewed in Dublin Castle brewhouse in the 1570s using historic recipes, heritage technologies and ancient grains.
The film Drunk? Adventures in Sixteenth-Century Brewing premiered on the final night of the Arts and Humanities Research Festival part of Trinity’s European Researchers’ Night celebrations.
“Historians have long understood that beer was integral to social life and a vital source of nutrition in early modern Ireland and across Europe, ” said Dr Flavin.
