Celtic Brew History (700BC - 2007AD)
Diwylliant a Chelfyddyd / Hallstatt / La Tene, 800-400 BC

The Hallstatt culture was the predominant Central European culture in the 8th to 6th centuries BC (European Early Iron Age), developing out of the Urnfield culture of the 12th century BC (Late Bronze Age). It was followed in much of Central Europe by the La Tène culture. The La Tène culture was a European Iron Age culture named after the archaeological site of La Tène on the north side of Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland, where a rich trove of artifacts was discovered by Hansli Kopp in 1857.

Some of the societies that are archaeologically identified with La Tène material culture were identified by Greek and Roman authors from the 5th century onwards as keltoi ("Celts") and galli ("Gauls"). (Wikipedia, 2008)

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The Brewer
Hochdorf - Germany 550BC

A large number of weakly germinated hulled barley grains was found during archaeobotanical analyses from the early Celtic settlement excavations at Eberdingen-Hochdorf in southwest Germany (ca. 600 – 400 BC). These grains seem to represent deliberate germination, due to the purity of the find and its unusual archaeological context. The possibility of deliberate malting which could be connected with beer brewing is discussed. The archaeological finds from Hochdorf seem to be the result of deliberate malting of hulled barley for the purpose of Celtic beer brewing. (Institut für Botanik, Universität Hohenheim -210, Garbenstr. 30, D-70599 Stuttgart, Germany)

A few hundred years after this (424BC), Stout wooden barrels held together with an iron hoop were developed by north European Celts during the Iron Age for storing all manner of goods. The underlying ‘real ale’ principle is still used today with containers, being that “They all contained unfiltered, unpasteurised beer”.

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Rhyfelwyr – Silures
Bracis a Curmi / 48 - 78 BC

During the centuries of Roman invasion into Great Britain, it is likely that the names Bracis (or Braces) and Curmi (or Kurmi), meaning malted barley and beer respectively were used commonly in the Celtic homelands. Thus, showing more evidence of the developed Celtic brewing culture.

Today the French word for Brewery, ‘Brasserie’ stems from the celtic name ‘Bracis’ and the Spanish name for beer, ‘Cerveza’ is likely to have mutated from the Celtic name ‘Curmi’.

The Romans marched through most of Britain, but struggled and were defeated once by a Celtic tribe known as the Silurians, who had a territory in what would be today’s South East Wales.

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Arthwr
Cwrwf / Korev / Cuirm / 400 - 600 AD

During the Dark Ages, After the retreat of the Romans from Britain, Germanic Tribes known as the Anglans and the Saxons began to invade the Island. The Celts were pushed upwards and Westwards into present day Scotland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany in Northern France. One of the Celtic legends from this period was King Arthur, whom was believed to have won a series of battles against the foreign invaders.

Not much information is known about the Celtic brewing history during the Dark Ages. However the names ‘Cwrwf’, ‘Korev’ and ‘Cuirm’ (Welsh, Breton and Old Scottish for beer) all derived for around this period, suggesting there was a significant presence of Celtic beer.

• Iaith Lafar-Heddiw
• Cwrw (Cymru)
• Coreff (Breizh)
• Beoir (Eire)
• Leann (Alba)
• Lhune (Mannin)

Today, all the Celtic speaking nations have names that are likely to stem back to the original Celtic brewing traditions.