The duo believe large-scale beer drinking was carried out in Ireland long before the 6th century AD when brewing was first documented.
Studies of residues found at prehistoric sites in the Far East have dated beer back to 5,000 BC. But Moore and his colleagues claim the proliferation of fulacht fiadhs in Ireland suggests ancient brewing on an unprecedented scale.
“It means that there were up to 4,500 breweries in Ireland in the Bronze Age, which means it was the most widespread brewing industry in prehistory in the world,” said Moore.
“We were not simply on a quest for beer. We were only interested in fulacht fiadhs and we were trying to find out what they were used for. It just so happens that they make an acceptable quality of beer,” The Daily Telegraph quoted Quinn as saying.
Source-ANI
LIN/J