Bacchus Uncorked: Beer in Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt

Food & Drink in Bacchus Uncorked series

Saturday, Oct 10, 2026

5:15-8:30pm

Getty Villa

Villa Auditorium

$110

Tickets include a thematic selection of beer, hearty appetizers, friendly conversation, and fun vibes. Non-alcoholic beverages provided. Limited capacity. 21 and over.

Tickets must be purchased for event entrance and are non-refundable. Your event ticket will also serve as your Villa entrance reservation. Please note, there is an additional fee for parking.

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About

The world’s first great beer cultures emerged more than 5,000 years ago along the banks of the Tigris, Euphrates, and Nile rivers. In ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, beer was both a staple of daily life and a beverage for special occasions. Artists, scribes, brewers, and drinkers left behind ample traces of ancient brewing and drinking traditions. Archaeologist Tate Paulette draws on this evidence to illuminate the world of ancient beer and recounts his own experiences recreating it. He is then joined by classicist and beer historian Travis Rupp, who explores flavor profiles from the earliest brewing traditions and introduces the evening's modern brews inspired by ancient practices. Guests then head to the Villa’s Café Terrace to enjoy brews, bites, and conversation.

Copies of Tate Paulette's book In the Land of Ninkasi: A History of Beer in Ancient Mesopotamia will be available for sale in the Museum Store before the program begins.

This program is generously supported by the Getty Museum Villa Council.

Event Categories and Location List

Food & DrinkGetty Villa

Speakers

1. Tate Paulette
   Archaeologist and ProfessorTate Paulette is an archaeologist and associate professor in the history department at North Carolina State University. His book In the Land of Ninkasi: A History of Beer in Ancient Mesopotamia was awarded the Felicia A. Holton Book Award (Archaeological Institute of America) and the Nancy Lapp Popular Book Award (American Society of Overseas Research). He is also editing A Cultural History of Wine in Antiquity. Paulette has conducted archaeological fieldwork in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Türkiye, Cyprus, Scotland, and the US and is currently co-directing a field project and field school at the site of Makounta-Voules-Mersinoudia in Cyprus.
2. Travis Rupp
   ClassicistTravis Rupp is an assistant teaching professor of classics at the University of Colorado Boulder. He teaches courses on Egyptian, Greek, and Roman archaeology. His scholarly expertise focuses on ancient food and alcohol production and ancient sport and spectacle. He is the founder and owner of The Beer Archaeologist LLC, which is a research brewery dedicated to exploring historic brewing processes and recreating ancient and historic drinks.

Know Before You Go

Planning your arrival

Please bring your tickets with you and have them open on your mobile device or printed. Your event ticket is also your entry to the Villa and will be checked upon arrival.

Your ticket will also be checked at the event entrance.

We recommend planning your visit to allow for at least 20 minutes to park, go through security, and make your way to the event.

Museum galleries are open from 10am until 5pm. Presentations take place in the auditorium starting at 5:15pm followed by beer enjoyment on the Villa's Cafe Terrace from 6:30–8:30pm. The special exhibitions Sculpted Portraits of Ancient Egypt and The Egyptian Book of the Dead are open for viewing between 7:30pm and 8:30pm.

Event Check-In

Check-in begins 60 minutes before program start time at the Auditorium.

Doors open 30 minutes before program start time.

Seating

Unless otherwise noted, all seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend arriving early to guarantee a seat.

Accessibility

Wheelchairs are available for free rental on a first-come, first-served basis in the Entry Pavilion.

For the talk portion of this event, seating for wheelchair users and their party is available at the back of the auditorium, as well as at the front of the space. If you'd like to sit in the front, please let a Visitor Services associate know when you check in and they can escort you to these seats.

Assisted listening devices are available for this event. Please request one from our Visitor Services associates when you check in.

For more information on how we can support your visit to the Getty Villa, learn about accessibility at Getty.

Series Information

1. Bacchus Uncorked
   Explore art, wine, and culture in the ancient world while enjoying the picturesque outdoor setting of the Getty Villa