Midas Touch Ale

Why waste your time with well-aged wines when you could crack open a 2,700-year-old ancient ale? Combining the qualities of beer, mead, and wine, Midas Touch is a Delaware-brewed beverage inspired by the libations discovered in King Midas’s tomb.

The iconic King Midas of Phrygia (located in what is now Turkey) didn’t actually turn things to gold, but he certainly had a lavish funeral. When excavators first entered Midas’s tomb in central Turkey, they happened upon more than 150 vats and jugs that had once been filled with booze from the king’s farewell dinner. After analyzing the residue, the scientists concluded that attendees of Midas’s funeral had sent him to the afterlife while sipping on an unusual elixir—containing wine, beer, and mead.

In an effort to bring the booze back to life, one archaeologist put out a plea for brewing companies to attempt to recreate it. Ultimately, Delaware’s Dogfish Head Craft Brewery made the best (and most palatable) replica. Containing muscat grapes, saffron, barley, and honey, Midas Touch has been compared to Sauternes, a dessert wine from Bordeaux.

Nowadays, you don’t have to mourn the death of a king to imbibe this especially strong brew. In fact, Midas Touch is available online and can be found in Delaware and across the United States.