Beer is one of the oldest beverages consumed by humankind. It dates back 6,000 years to the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians. The taste, ingredients and blend behind a good brew reveal the story of the men and women who lived in those times.

The Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project of Somerville has explored this further with a project called "Once Upon A Time." Advised by Amsterdam-based beer historian Ron Pattinson, Dann Paquette and Martha Holley-Paquette of Pretty Things are recreating beers as they would have been brewed at different times in history.

The latest installment of the "Once Upon A Time" series is the X Ale. Pretty Things has brewed two versions of the beer — one from 1838 and another from 1945.

Paquette and Pattinson join Radio Boston to explain the difference that 107 years makes in the wonderful world of beer.

Guests: