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A 450-year-old beer recipe and deep curiosity about 16th century drinking led to the revival of an unusually made yet highly drinkable ale—one made with hefty portions of malted oats and an almost-forgotten barley variety. Here’s how they did it.
Photo: Matt Graves
How drunk were people in the 16th century? It’s a question that has tantalized and frustrated historians for decades.
Well, now we know—or, at least, we have a much better idea, thanks to Susan Flavin, associate professor of history at Ireland’s Trinity College Dublin. She’s spent the past five years leading a painstaking re-creation of a beer from that era.
So, what’s the answer?
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