A new study has revealed a surprising ingredient behind some of Sir Isaac Newton’s most revolutionary theories: beer.
According to research published in the Royal Society’s journal Notes and Records, the famed physicist may have drafted parts of his groundbreaking work using ink made with strong ale. The discovery sheds light not only on Newton’s scientific prowess, but also on the surprisingly home-grown methods behind his writing.
Professor Stephen Snobelen, a Newton expert from Dalhousie University and King’s College, Halifax, spent two years analysing Newton’s personal beer flagon. His findings suggest Newton followed a common 17th-century practice of using beer as a solvent in homemade ink.
“Newton’s two surviving ink recipes confirm he followed this craft, at least during his time in Cambridge,” said Professor Snobelen. One recipe called for wine, the other a quart of “strong beer or ale”. The ink was designed to “endure many years”, which may explain the lasting clarity of Newton’s original manuscripts.
While the notion of beer being used in scientific writing might conjure images of tipsy theorising, Newton was, by all accounts, a modest drinker. His lab assistant, Humphrey Newton (no relation), noted that the scientist consumed ale and beer with meals, but only in moderation.
From Apple Cider to Apocalypse
Newton’s interest in drink extended beyond ink. Surviving household papers reference beer, cider, ale, and wine, including notes on the best apples for cider-making. But it wasn’t all gravity and grapes—Newton also turned his mind to prophecy.
In a lesser-known 1704 letter, Newton predicted that the world would end in 2060. He based this date on his interpretation of biblical texts, particularly the Book of Daniel and Revelation. Using symbolic numbers such as 1260 and 2300, he arrived at a year that has intrigued scholars and conspiracy theorists alike.
Whether or not the world ends in 2060, the notion that Newton’s scientific revolution may have been literally soaked in beer adds a wonderfully human layer to the legend of Cambridge’s most famous thinker.
