It all begins with Did you think alcohol was too volatile a substance for an archaeological dig? Not so! Under the expert guidance of Dr. Steven Batiuk and Lucas Livingston, archaeologists, hooch historians, and cocktail enthusiasts, we’ll explore such topics as the origins of alcohol; wine in Mesopotamia and on the Silk Roads; and brewing in Egypt, the Andes, and medieval Europe. Residue in pottery, remains of wine presses, and cakes of fermented grain have all provided archaeological evidence for the early and widespread use of alcohol—and perhaps for the thesis that humans drank beer before they ate bread.an idea.