The Importance of Beer in History

The existence of beer dates back thousands of years, and its importance and influence are reflected in many and various cultures:

 

The earliest proven records of brewing beer date back to the ancient Sumerians, approximately 6,000 years ago.  Brewing recipes were recorded on clay tablets, and the beverage was noted for putting imbibers into a blissful state.

In the book "Noah's Arc and the Ziusudra Epic," author Robert Best reconstructs the biblical story of Noah’s Ark focusing on what would have been physically and factually possible, and concludes that the ark was actually a commercial barge loaded with beer.

It is theorized that errant translations of bible passages over time have led to the misinterpretation that Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding at Cana, when in fact he turned water into beer.

 

According to the log of the pilgrim ship, Mayflower, one of the main reasons for pulling into Plymouth Harbor on December 16, 1620 was that the supply of beer had run low.

Our nation’s two greatest founding fathers were brewers. George Washington maintained a brewery on his estate at Mount Vernon, and his handwritten beer recipe is on display at the New York Public Library. During Thomas Jefferson’s retirement, he enthusiastically pursued brewing on his estate at Monticello.

Today, Americans drink approximately 28 gallons of beer per capita per year, nearly seven times more than the combined amounts of wine and spirits.