As for beer, I've got this fantastic book of ancient herbal ritual beers: Secrets of ancient fermentation Never got around to brewing any as yet. But very tempted to go hunting nettles or coltsfoot one suitably totemic day/full Moon/whatnot and give it a shot.

There is something of an essential primordial magic in fermentation that captures the sacred imagination. One of the reasons I love to bake a ceremonial loaf on 'pagan' feast days - just a token gesture, but there's something of prayer and communion in bread baking - which certainly predates the 'breaking of bread' by a long way, and is far more profound by way of partaking in 'the mystery' than any crumby bit of lembas proffered by the hands on an intercessor.. IMO! Plus hunting nettles or other foraged foods for adding to the dough, make it fun. The inclusion of bloody offerings from bramble scored fingers also seem somewhat essential..

Haven't had any Newkie for a while, but I too was taught the method of topping up a half pint glass to keep the bubbles lively.