Fermentation: The summer in winter

What do vinegar, beer and bread have in common? They are all results of fermentation. This is a cultural technique that goes back to the dawn of mankind. As early as 13,000 years ago people used fermentation to preserve their food. In the Rakefet Cave in northern Israel, mortars and vessels were discovered with residues suggesting that people at that time were already using a multi-step process: from malting to mashing to brewing.