Ancient Beer from the Middle East

B"H 

Some time ago, I wrote about the ancient Babylonian food "Kutach". This kind of food is also mentioned in the Talmud. Moreover, the Talmud Tractate Pesachim 42a teaches us how people in the Middle East region were brewing beer in ancient days. The standard beer was made out of dates. Dates only and without any further additions or ingredients. 

At a different place, the Talmud tells us that there actually existed a certain kind of dates causing people to get drunk. The Talmud states that if a Cohen ate a certain kind of date, he was not allowed carrying out his Temple service. Drunk Cohanim are forbidden to work in the Temple. 

The Midianites were brewing their beer from water and barley whereas the Egyptians made their beer out of barley or wheat, salt and safflower.