Why Agriculture? Was it Fermentation? Beer?! | #PSC 173

By Clay Gordon | 9 days ago | | 5 min read

Original fermentation photo Elijah Pilchard / Unsplash; beer mug generated using Nano Banana

Episode 173 of PodSaveChocolate takes a look at recent research into what might have motivated hunter-gatherer societies to become agrarian. Could it have been beer? And what does that mean for the use and domestication of cacao?

When and Where to Watch

🗓️

This stream begins at 11:00 MST (10:00 PST, 12:00 CST, 1:00 pm EST), on Tuesday, Jan 6th, 2026.

Links below to watch LIVE and to view the archived episode.

Watch and comment LIVE or view the archived episode!
Subscribe (free!) to the @PodSaveChocolate YouTube channel, like this video, comment, and share this episode to help grow the #PSC community.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Watch and comment LIVE or view the archived episode on LinkedIn. Join my network on LinkedIn to receive notifications and to refer business to each other.

Watch this episode on LinkedIn

Watch and comment LIVE or view the archived episode (for 30 days from the date of the livestream; thereafter on YouTube) on TheChocolateLife page on Facebook. (Follow TheChocolateLife on Facebook to receive notifications and catch up on other content.)

Watch this episode on Facebook

Overview - Episode 173

Episode 173 of PodSaveChocolate takes a look at new research expanding our understanding off the age-old argument: What motivated the development of agriculture ... why did hunter-gatherer societies become agrarian? And when?

There is increasing evidence that alcohol – and specifically “beer” – played a large role in this societal evolutionary process, with archaeological evidence indicating that brewing preceded agriculturalization.

And how does the use and domestication of cocoa fit into this new paradigm?

Cited Research

Centres of origin identified by Nikolai Vavilov in the 1930s. Area 3 (grey) is no longer recognised as a centre of origin, and Papua New Guinea (red, 'P') was identified more recently.

arranz-otaegui-et-al-2018-archaeobotanical-evidence-reveals-the-origins-of-bread-14-400-years-ago-in-northeastern-jordan

Archaeobotanical evidence reveals the origins of bread14,400 years ago in northeastern Jordan

arranz-otaegui-et-al-2018-archaeobotanical-evidence-reveals-the-origins-of-bread-14-400-years-ago-in-northeastern-jordan.pdf

1 MB

liu-et-al-2024-identification-of-10-000-year-old-rice-beer-at-shangshan-in-the-lower-yangzi-river-valley-of-china

Identification of 10,000-year- old rice beer at Shangshan in theLower Yangzi River valley of China

liu-et-al-2024-identification-of-10-000-year-old-rice-beer-at-shangshan-in-the-lower-yangzi-river-valley-of-china.pdf

6 MB

Other Research and Sources

02 - RevsitedHistoryCacaoDomestictionPreColumbianTimes

Revisited history of cacao domestication in pre‑Columbian times revealed by archaeogenomic approach

02 - RevsitedHistoryCacaoDomestictionPreColumbianTimes.pdf

2 MB

05 - InsightWildOriginMigrationDomestication

Insight intotheWildOrigin,Migrationand DomesticationHistoryoftheFineFlavourNacional TheobromacacaoL.

05 - InsightWildOriginMigrationDomestication.pdf

464 KB

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus

Author: Charles C Mann

Contrary to what so many Americans learn in school, the pre-Columbian Indians were not sparsely settled in a pristine wilderness ...

This book (and its companion 1493) should be considered required reading for anyone interested in the history of the use and domestication of cocoa in the Americas.

Purchase your copy of 1491 (Amazon Affiliate Link)

Pre-Columbian societies in the Amazon intensively managed forests, soils, and species; hearts of palm-producing palms were among the plants shaped by human selection. Modern intervention continues an ancient tradition of agroforestry and domestication rather than disrupting a “pristine” ecosystem.

Purchase 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created

Comments? Questions?

If you have questions or want to comment, you can do so during the episode or, if you are a ChocolateLife member, add them in the Comments below at any time.

Episode Hashtags and Socials

#ferment #fermented #fermentation #beer #alcohol
#cocoa #cacao #cacau
#chocolate #chocolat
#specialtychocolate #craftchocolate #beantobar
#PodSaveChoc #LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife

Future Episodes

🗓️

Tue, January 6th
TBD

#PodSaveChocolate and #TheChocolateLifeLIVE Archives

To read an archived post and find the links to watch archived episodes, click on one of the bookmark cards below.

⁉️

After a year-long+ experiment, the audio-only versions of PodSaveChocolate episodes have been taken down after an end-of-year review. There were not enough listens to continue uploading episodes and paying for hosting.