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alwyn
Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
~ Ben Franklin
Beer and civilization grew up together. For quite a long time social historians assumed our early ancestors gave up their migratory life and began to establish permanent settlements in order to cultivate grains to make bread. There’s a gathering body of evidence, however, that strongly suggests the first use of domesticated grain was to make–that’s right, beer.
Alcohol, after all, occurs organically — a lot of fruits and grains ferment naturally. Making and baking bread, on the other hand, requires a much more complex process. It’s easy to imagine our ancestors accidentally stumbling upon some fermenting grapes and becoming intoxicated on them. It’s impossible to imagine them stumbling on a loaf of bread. In addition, beer stimulates conviviality and encourages expansive thinking. It heartens the timid and emboldens the shy. Weak beer helped turn roving packs of survivors into mutually-supportive communities.
So the next time you lift a pint, remember this: you’re not just enjoying a refreshing beverage; you’re engaging in the very act that sparked the creation of society. You are, in a very real way, saluting the birth of civilization. So here’s to you, our Neolithic comrades. Sláinte chuig na fír, agus go mairfidh na mna go deo.
Blog photograph copyrighted to the photographer and used with permission by utata.org. All photographs used on utata.org are stored on flickr.com and are obtained via the flickr API. Text is copyrighted to the author, greg fallis and is used with permission by utata.org. Please see Show and Share Your Work
