NPR

Meet The Indiana Jones Of Ancient Ales And Extreme Beverages

Patrick McGovern searches for and studies the residues of fermented drinks that can be thousands of years old – and then re-creates them. His new book explores these brews and their cultural value.
Patrick McGovern, scientific director of the Biomolecular Archaeology Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania Museum, delves into the early history of fermentation in his latest book.

He's sometimes known as the Indiana Jones of his area of research – ancient ales, wines and extreme beverages. Others call him Dr. Pat.

Patrick McGovern has spent decades searching for and analyzing the residues of fermented drinks that can be hundreds or thousands of years old – and then re-creating them.

His latest book, delves into the early history of fermentation. He takes us all the way back to supposedly feasting on fermented fruit juice or honey they found, long before any human had figured

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