Field Museum's Wari Ale the latest homage to ancient brews

Fourteen years ago, University of South Dakota anthropology professor Matthew Sayre unearthed pepper tree seed from the southern tip of Peru, unaware he'd stumbled upon a spent ingredient from a small 1,000-year-old brewery.

That discovery evolved into a team from Chicago's Field Museum team excavating a larger 500-gallon batch operation at Cerro Baul and the issuance of an ale inspired by the ingredients and brewing practices of the ancient Wari people.

In the recent craft-beer booms, brewers have turned to ancient civilizations' obscure, millennia-old recipes using corn, rice, peppers and berries to set themselves apart from their colleagues' beers as well as the vast majority of modern beer, which is brewed primarily with barley, hops and yeast.