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istockphoto.com/©Mlenny Photograhy/Alexander Hafemann

One of the most popular grains for producing beer, barley was plentiful in ancient Israel. It is listed among the seven species of plants with which the Holy Land was blessed (Deuteronomy 8:8). It was so common that it cost half as much as wheat (2 Kings 7:1, 16, 18). Author Michael Homan planted a barley crop at the Albright Institute in Jerusalem to experiment with ancient beer-making techniques.