I've decided to share the paper with those of you interested enough to read it. Keep in mind a very important quote I recently became familiar with thanks to the comic strip "Zits" (http://zitscomics.com/): Perfection is the enemy of the done.
I think this is now my mantra. It does, however, starkly contrast with my desire for perfection. Ok, desire might not be the right word...obsession? That's closer. Not perfect, though. Oh well.
Anywho, as I learned more about the topic of beer and its history in human society and culture, I completely geeked out over it. Fascinating stuff! Given more time I think I could include all the awesome information. So, as you read through, please keep in mind that I was working under a short deadline. Don't judge. But enjoy.
Beer: Brewing Up a Connection
I do not drink beer. Even after tasting many different styles of beer and most likely continuing to do so in the future, actually drinking an entire beer does not appeal to me. The brewing process fascinates me, though. The natural chemical and biological processes inherent in fermentation, flavor combinations based solely off which plant types are used, the time and care put into the process with nothing more than a hopeful expectation of the outcome all contribute to an appreciation for the connection between the brewer and the craft. Watching others who consider themselves connoisseurs of beer, or actually more likely the colloquialism ‘beer snob’, taste and consider the flavors, nose, mouth feel, head, lacing on the glass, et cetera, I recall watching this same care in relation to wine tasting by adults when I was younger. The language used in the tasting and enjoyment process was a bit different, though. I do not care for wine either. Nevertheless, I still appreciate the craft.
I prefer hard cider, which numerous beer drinkers claim is sweet but I disagree compared to the plethora of sweet mixed drinks many enjoy. I feel I must clarify one important point: while I am discussing the ingestion of alcoholic beverages, I do not drink these to experience the effects of alcohol through the body’s digestion and metabolization. I sincerely enjoy the flavor. Historically, hard cider was a drink apparently born out of necessity rather than pure enjoyment. With the planting of many apple trees by John Chapman, familiarly known as Johnny Appleseed, across the United States that produced apples too tart and bitter for eating, crushing the fruits made cider in the 1700s and 1800s as an alternative for unsafe water (Kapany, 2009). The fermentation process eliminated virus and bacteria that led to illness.
Increased alcohol consumption within the population of the United States, with cider a large contributor, preceded prohibition (Kapany, 2009), which was a time where producing and selling alcohol was illegal. The production and consumption of alcohol continued regardless, providing an excellent income source for makers and sellers (Thornton, 1991). The history of alcohol in human society extends much farther back than the years prior to prohibition, which brings the focus back to beer and how to make it.
How to Make Beer
Yeast Yield Deliciousness
Many fruits contain high levels of sugar, so as the fruit ripens, the sugars concentrate. Continued ripening softens the skin or coating of the fruit, revealing the flesh for easy consumption by animals or decomposing organisms such as fungi, of which yeast is one. This relationship is beneficial to both the fruiting plant and the consumer. The dispersal of seeds the plant to other locations for depositing and, ideally, growth benefits the stationary plant to pass on genetics to new generations, while the consumer benefits through the ingestion and resulting energy from digestion of the fruit. Fermentation occurs naturally through yeast cells consuming sugars and excreting alcohol and carbon dioxide. It is likely early humans as far back as 100,000 years ago discovered sources of naturally occurring fermented alcohol (Tucker, 2011). The first appearance of human-made beer occurred approximately 10,000 years ago in what is now Asia, with the advent of agriculture that brought farming of grains (Standage, 2009). What humans consume now as beer is quite different from early forms.
Ingredients Make the Brew
The first known recipe for beer is from ancient Sumerian tablets dated 3,900 years old, which contained a poem to Ninkasi, the goddess of brewing (Beer100.com). Evidence found of human brewing activity dates 4,000 years prior to this written recipe (Hieronymous, 2013).The recipe describes beer made from barley in bread. The first recipe describes mixing soaked grains with bread and water, which leads to the assumption that the bread is the source for the yeast (Butler, 2013). Barley, hops, water, and yeast are the main staples for beer, recognized and standardized by a beer purity law in Bavaria in 1516 (Hieronymous, 2013). Testing on storage vessels indicate ancient brewing included other ingredients aside from these main staples, such as spices and oils, and even hallucinogens (Tucker, 2011).
Although lacking consensus on ancient brewing techniques, there is a simplified description available.
Beer loaves were formed from a richly yeasted dough that may or may not have been made from malt. This dough was lightly baked, and the resulting bread was crumbled and strained through a sieve with water. It may have been at this stage that ingredients such as dates or extra yeast were added. The dissolved bread, enriched by sugars from the dates, was then fermented in large vats; the liquid was decanted into jars, and these were finally sealed for storage or transport. (Samuel, 1996)
Reliance on wild (found in the air, on plant and animal surfaces, etc.) yeast likely did not occur. Within the fermentation process, the output of yeast is carbon dioxide and alcohol. Carbon dioxide is the carbonation with which modern society is accustomed in colas and beers, and is what causes bread to rise. Skimming off the frothy layer of yeast and carbon dioxide from the top of the fermenting beverage allows for harvest and use in subsequent brewing or baking (Cavalieri, McGovern, Hartl, Mortimer, & Polsinelli, 2003).
Changes with the brewing process and ingredients coincide with human advances in technology and agriculture. Refining techniques and ingredients continued in Christian abbeys, where recipes were stored (Butler, 2013). Post-colonization of North America, the use of pumpkin, artichoke, corn, molasses, and oats in addition to the more customary wheat and honey became common (Baugher, 2013). Beer was a safer alternative to water, as Americans determined cider later. Human settlements concentrate bacteria and viruses, many of which travel through the water supply and redistribute to human inhabitants of the area. Drinking contaminated water in a time with rudimentary medical treatments increased the likelihood of debilitating illness or death, neither of which is desirable.
The continuing increase in agricultural-based society allowed family brewing, usually performed by the women, for personal consumption. The differences in agriculture from that time to present day are stark. Rotational crops, lack of chemical pesticides, seasonal plants, and only local use prevented misuse of the land. Recovery of nutrients during fallow times allowed better quality plant-based food sources during growing seasons. Ingredients in the beer were dependent upon local availability and harvesting.
Today’s American society equates enjoyment of social gatherings and sports with drinking beer and other alcoholic beverages. If one believes commercial advertisements, popular large-scale brands of beer are the best for these situations. I, for one, do not readily believe what marketing companies try to sell me, hence why I am not a beer drinker. The marketing just reinforces a preexisting human-beer connection.
Given the integration of beer, and other fermented beverages, with human society, it is unlikely the discontinuation of consumption will occur. Craft breweries focusing on sustainable and economical practices lend hope to shifting cultural expectations and awareness of from where human food really comes. This awareness will ideally return an ever-increasing portion of the human population to a more connected relationship with the land.
I fully support the home brewers and craft brewers who think and act sustainably. I recognize that humans have a relationship with fermented beverages, especially beer, and our current society is present due directly to consumption of beer. I also understand that many current social practices undeniably result from early human thoughts and culture surrounding beer. Human economy and ecology have and can continue to benefit from this drink. To hopes for a more sustainable human culture while remembering our past, I raise my glass.
The first known recipe for beer is from ancient Sumerian tablets dated 3,900 years old, which contained a poem to Ninkasi, the goddess of brewing (Beer100.com). Evidence found of human brewing activity dates 4,000 years prior to this written recipe (Hieronymous, 2013).The recipe describes beer made from barley in bread. The first recipe describes mixing soaked grains with bread and water, which leads to the assumption that the bread is the source for the yeast (Butler, 2013). Barley, hops, water, and yeast are the main staples for beer, recognized and standardized by a beer purity law in Bavaria in 1516 (Hieronymous, 2013). Testing on storage vessels indicate ancient brewing included other ingredients aside from these main staples, such as spices and oils, and even hallucinogens (Tucker, 2011).
Although lacking consensus on ancient brewing techniques, there is a simplified description available.
Beer loaves were formed from a richly yeasted dough that may or may not have been made from malt. This dough was lightly baked, and the resulting bread was crumbled and strained through a sieve with water. It may have been at this stage that ingredients such as dates or extra yeast were added. The dissolved bread, enriched by sugars from the dates, was then fermented in large vats; the liquid was decanted into jars, and these were finally sealed for storage or transport. (Samuel, 1996)
Reliance on wild (found in the air, on plant and animal surfaces, etc.) yeast likely did not occur. Within the fermentation process, the output of yeast is carbon dioxide and alcohol. Carbon dioxide is the carbonation with which modern society is accustomed in colas and beers, and is what causes bread to rise. Skimming off the frothy layer of yeast and carbon dioxide from the top of the fermenting beverage allows for harvest and use in subsequent brewing or baking (Cavalieri, McGovern, Hartl, Mortimer, & Polsinelli, 2003).
Changes with the brewing process and ingredients coincide with human advances in technology and agriculture. Refining techniques and ingredients continued in Christian abbeys, where recipes were stored (Butler, 2013). Post-colonization of North America, the use of pumpkin, artichoke, corn, molasses, and oats in addition to the more customary wheat and honey became common (Baugher, 2013). Beer was a safer alternative to water, as Americans determined cider later. Human settlements concentrate bacteria and viruses, many of which travel through the water supply and redistribute to human inhabitants of the area. Drinking contaminated water in a time with rudimentary medical treatments increased the likelihood of debilitating illness or death, neither of which is desirable.
The continuing increase in agricultural-based society allowed family brewing, usually performed by the women, for personal consumption. The differences in agriculture from that time to present day are stark. Rotational crops, lack of chemical pesticides, seasonal plants, and only local use prevented misuse of the land. Recovery of nutrients during fallow times allowed better quality plant-based food sources during growing seasons. Ingredients in the beer were dependent upon local availability and harvesting.
Producing Beer for Public Consumption
The Industrial Revolution ushered in new methods of planting, caring for, and harvesting agriculture. It also altered beer brewing, extending consumption from home brewing to production for widespread sale. It is important to note, though, that the possibility of sale of beer in ancient times is likely, although difficult to confirm. In addition, population increases along with ability to distribute on a large scale over many hundreds and eventually thousands of miles is quite different from selling in bazaars or markets that attract locals or travelers. Preparing beverages for large-scale production and distribution increases material and fossil fuel use.
The first industrial scale production breweries opened in the late 1800s when refrigeration was possible (Ascher, 2012; Raley, 1998). Automatic bottling and facilitated transportation by train continued to increase the popularity of commercial brews, especially with the use of refrigerated rail cars, icehouses, and pasteurization (ibid). The amount of ingredients necessary for large scale brewing increased the demand on agriculture. Railroads and trains already in production expedited the distribution, but the brewery reliance upon this transportation increased demand and use of the materials and fossil fuels. Less negatively environmentally impactful was bottling with glass bottles, which enabled reuse of this necessary material. The 1920s brought about aluminum cans that did not alter the flavor of the beer and were sturdy enough for shipping (Ascher, 2012).
Shipping included use of refrigerated trucks in addition to railways, increasing the use of fossil fuels and materials needed for production of transportation. It is likely that costs of the product, beer, remained low to increase purchasing and consumption, but the quality of the ingredients and simplification of production offset those costs. Large breweries were and are able to advertise heavily to the public, again driving purchasing of these brands, while reducing consumption of small-scale, or craft, brewery products (Ascher, 2012). The larger companies continued to grow as the smaller companies lost the ability to remain financially viable. Again, large-scale production calls into question quality in relation to flavor varietals from brew recipes of the past. Anecdotally, the ‘beer snobs’ espouse craft brewery products as better quality and flavor, even though the cost to purchase is generally higher.
Glass bottles and aluminum cans are still used today to store and transport beer. These products are recyclable, if consumers follow through with this important step in the process. Shipping continues today through fossil fuel-heavy transportation. Brewing the beer does need metal containers for the process and storage, and energy, in the form of heating the water for soaking the grains, combining the ingredients, and refrigeration before and during distribution. In addition, water usage is high considering output. Byproducts of brewing, though, are minimal and generally limited to steam, soaked grains, and greenhouse gases.
The Industrial Revolution ushered in new methods of planting, caring for, and harvesting agriculture. It also altered beer brewing, extending consumption from home brewing to production for widespread sale. It is important to note, though, that the possibility of sale of beer in ancient times is likely, although difficult to confirm. In addition, population increases along with ability to distribute on a large scale over many hundreds and eventually thousands of miles is quite different from selling in bazaars or markets that attract locals or travelers. Preparing beverages for large-scale production and distribution increases material and fossil fuel use.
The first industrial scale production breweries opened in the late 1800s when refrigeration was possible (Ascher, 2012; Raley, 1998). Automatic bottling and facilitated transportation by train continued to increase the popularity of commercial brews, especially with the use of refrigerated rail cars, icehouses, and pasteurization (ibid). The amount of ingredients necessary for large scale brewing increased the demand on agriculture. Railroads and trains already in production expedited the distribution, but the brewery reliance upon this transportation increased demand and use of the materials and fossil fuels. Less negatively environmentally impactful was bottling with glass bottles, which enabled reuse of this necessary material. The 1920s brought about aluminum cans that did not alter the flavor of the beer and were sturdy enough for shipping (Ascher, 2012).
Shipping included use of refrigerated trucks in addition to railways, increasing the use of fossil fuels and materials needed for production of transportation. It is likely that costs of the product, beer, remained low to increase purchasing and consumption, but the quality of the ingredients and simplification of production offset those costs. Large breweries were and are able to advertise heavily to the public, again driving purchasing of these brands, while reducing consumption of small-scale, or craft, brewery products (Ascher, 2012). The larger companies continued to grow as the smaller companies lost the ability to remain financially viable. Again, large-scale production calls into question quality in relation to flavor varietals from brew recipes of the past. Anecdotally, the ‘beer snobs’ espouse craft brewery products as better quality and flavor, even though the cost to purchase is generally higher.
Glass bottles and aluminum cans are still used today to store and transport beer. These products are recyclable, if consumers follow through with this important step in the process. Shipping continues today through fossil fuel-heavy transportation. Brewing the beer does need metal containers for the process and storage, and energy, in the form of heating the water for soaking the grains, combining the ingredients, and refrigeration before and during distribution. In addition, water usage is high considering output. Byproducts of brewing, though, are minimal and generally limited to steam, soaked grains, and greenhouse gases.
It is the Process and the Product
Understanding the fermentation, ingredients, and large-scale production of beer is not complete without knowledge of the actual brewing process. For home brewers, those brewing on a very small scale for personal consumption, there are kits available for purchase and easy instructions to follow. Brewing beer is not just about following the directions on the back of a kit, akin to convenience cake mixes. Dedicated home brewers respect the chemistry, technique, and finesse involved in producing the right flavor combinations, mouth feel, odor, and so forth. Many go so far as to conduct personal tasting research of available brews to determine preferences and styles.
Like large-scale brewing, supplies are necessary and generally acquired through purchasing. Consumerism can drive the home brewer to purchase new and visually appealing products for brewing, but repurposing existing pans, electric or propane burners, and ice chests, for example, provides sufficient supplies for the process. Water usage is significant, though, with a beginning amount of twenty gallons ending up as six gallons of beer. Granted, grain absorption (from soaking the grains) and steam evaporation during boil contributes to the use of two gallons. The cooling part of the process utilizes the remainder. Electricity, rather than propane, is more energy efficient, but considering that part of the process produces unpleasant odors, brewing in a well-ventilated area such as outdoors can limit availability of effectual electric burners.
Purchasing and preparing supplies and ingredients precede the start of the actual brewing process. Grains and hops are soaked and heated to a temperature optimal for release of sugars. Rinsing the soaked grains allows for collection of the sugared juices, which becomes food for the yeast. Cooling is necessary before introducing yeast so as not to kill off the yeast organisms. Maintenance of proper temperatures is required for successful fermentation. After completing fermentation, transferring the resulting brew into consumption vessels, which oftentimes are reused bottles or kegs, removes excess sediment. Following the entire brewing process is enjoyment of the product.
Understanding the fermentation, ingredients, and large-scale production of beer is not complete without knowledge of the actual brewing process. For home brewers, those brewing on a very small scale for personal consumption, there are kits available for purchase and easy instructions to follow. Brewing beer is not just about following the directions on the back of a kit, akin to convenience cake mixes. Dedicated home brewers respect the chemistry, technique, and finesse involved in producing the right flavor combinations, mouth feel, odor, and so forth. Many go so far as to conduct personal tasting research of available brews to determine preferences and styles.
Like large-scale brewing, supplies are necessary and generally acquired through purchasing. Consumerism can drive the home brewer to purchase new and visually appealing products for brewing, but repurposing existing pans, electric or propane burners, and ice chests, for example, provides sufficient supplies for the process. Water usage is significant, though, with a beginning amount of twenty gallons ending up as six gallons of beer. Granted, grain absorption (from soaking the grains) and steam evaporation during boil contributes to the use of two gallons. The cooling part of the process utilizes the remainder. Electricity, rather than propane, is more energy efficient, but considering that part of the process produces unpleasant odors, brewing in a well-ventilated area such as outdoors can limit availability of effectual electric burners.
Purchasing and preparing supplies and ingredients precede the start of the actual brewing process. Grains and hops are soaked and heated to a temperature optimal for release of sugars. Rinsing the soaked grains allows for collection of the sugared juices, which becomes food for the yeast. Cooling is necessary before introducing yeast so as not to kill off the yeast organisms. Maintenance of proper temperatures is required for successful fermentation. After completing fermentation, transferring the resulting brew into consumption vessels, which oftentimes are reused bottles or kegs, removes excess sediment. Following the entire brewing process is enjoyment of the product.
Humans Drink Beer
Today’s American society equates enjoyment of social gatherings and sports with drinking beer and other alcoholic beverages. If one believes commercial advertisements, popular large-scale brands of beer are the best for these situations. I, for one, do not readily believe what marketing companies try to sell me, hence why I am not a beer drinker. The marketing just reinforces a preexisting human-beer connection.
Survival of the Consumer
Tracing the consumption of beer back through human society shows an interconnected relationship of this commodity with human social systems. Early hominids (the species prior to current homo sapiens sapiens) most likely consumed mainly vegetative matter, of which fruit is an excellent source of energy due to natural sugar content; naturally fermenting fruits potentially attracted these consumers and contributed to the human relationship with alcohol (McGovern, 2009). Humans are biologically adapted to consume efficiently moderate amounts of alcohol with clear benefits such as increased heart health and longevity, since seasonally abundant fruits attracted consumers in order to stock up on internal energy reserves (ibid).
Jumping forward in the timeline of Earth and what can be considered modern humans, it is ideal to recall that this paper already presented the consumption of beer as an alternative to unsafe drinking water, another health benefit for survival. Discovery of beer feasibly occurred as humans shifted from a nomadic lifestyle to settlements near wild grain growth areas, harvesting the wild grains and soaking them for consumption; extended storage of the soaked grains fermented from wild yeasts, creating beer (Standage, 2009). Storage of this early beer was simple with the integration of stone receptacles, animal stomachs, trees, shells, et cetera (ibid). Humans quickly recognized and assigned other values to grain, as early civilization economics relied on it, leading to wage payment in the form of bread and beer (ibid). This links the nourishment gained from beer with economic value, in addition to other social uses.
Tracing the consumption of beer back through human society shows an interconnected relationship of this commodity with human social systems. Early hominids (the species prior to current homo sapiens sapiens) most likely consumed mainly vegetative matter, of which fruit is an excellent source of energy due to natural sugar content; naturally fermenting fruits potentially attracted these consumers and contributed to the human relationship with alcohol (McGovern, 2009). Humans are biologically adapted to consume efficiently moderate amounts of alcohol with clear benefits such as increased heart health and longevity, since seasonally abundant fruits attracted consumers in order to stock up on internal energy reserves (ibid).
Jumping forward in the timeline of Earth and what can be considered modern humans, it is ideal to recall that this paper already presented the consumption of beer as an alternative to unsafe drinking water, another health benefit for survival. Discovery of beer feasibly occurred as humans shifted from a nomadic lifestyle to settlements near wild grain growth areas, harvesting the wild grains and soaking them for consumption; extended storage of the soaked grains fermented from wild yeasts, creating beer (Standage, 2009). Storage of this early beer was simple with the integration of stone receptacles, animal stomachs, trees, shells, et cetera (ibid). Humans quickly recognized and assigned other values to grain, as early civilization economics relied on it, leading to wage payment in the form of bread and beer (ibid). This links the nourishment gained from beer with economic value, in addition to other social uses.
Early Societal Influences
Archeologists postulate that human consumption, and the resulting physiological and mental alterations, of beer contributed to artistic recordings, shaman or medicinal advancements, and cultural rituals (Tucker, 2011). Social normatives surrounding alcoholic beverages stem from sharing beer out of a communal container, as evidenced in Sumerian art depicting two persons drinking from straws in a single bowl (Standage, 2009). Additionally, since the natural fermentation process appeared unexplainable, considering the lack of knowledge of yeast, humans linked beer and the gods, connecting natural to the supernatural; symbolic offerings of “raising a glass” continue into modern society (ibid).
Archeologists postulate that human consumption, and the resulting physiological and mental alterations, of beer contributed to artistic recordings, shaman or medicinal advancements, and cultural rituals (Tucker, 2011). Social normatives surrounding alcoholic beverages stem from sharing beer out of a communal container, as evidenced in Sumerian art depicting two persons drinking from straws in a single bowl (Standage, 2009). Additionally, since the natural fermentation process appeared unexplainable, considering the lack of knowledge of yeast, humans linked beer and the gods, connecting natural to the supernatural; symbolic offerings of “raising a glass” continue into modern society (ibid).
Americans Continue Drinking
In Colonial times, taverns were popular gathering places, extending the connection between human society and beer. Political changes, such as the Sons of Liberty meeting in taverns sympathetic to the democratic cause, or the writing of the first draft of the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson in a tavern in Philadelphia, are also linked to this alcoholic beverage (Ascher, 2012). Other notable characters in United States history are reportedly brewers: George Washington’s recipes currently reside in the Library of Congress and Thomas Jefferson began home brewing after his presidency (Staten, 2013).
After Prohibition, the growth and standardization of the beer industry increased, leading to the large-scale manufacturers who dominated the market for many years. Craft brewers continued to persevere, though. Popular microbrews diversify the available beer types and flavor profiles. Community culture links to local craft brewing companies, reflecting how the creation of the products uses resources.
Beer with a Conscience
Current social trends of permaculture, slow food, organic, and locavore habits are not widespread, but do influence dedicated home brewers. Those involved in permaculture may grow grains and hops. Finding local and organic sources for the ingredients is also an option. Backyard chickens, or other animals, potentially benefit from spent grains, or donation to persons who have these animals is possible. These dedicated home brewers likely frequent or support those craft breweries with similar philosophies and environmentally mindful behaviors. Luckily, craft breweries conscious of environmental impact are not scarce.
Greenhouse gases, energy usage, solid waste, and water usage are major concerns for these types of craft breweries (Brewers Association, 2013). Reduction of output such as greenhouse gases and solid waste benefits the local, and global, environment. Mindfulness of packaging materials and low energy and water usage are not only environmental benefits, but also an economic benefit. An additional economic benefit is, as stated previously, those consumers who intentionally patronize these breweries to promote the ecologically friendly sustainable practices surrounding a human cultural staple.
In Colonial times, taverns were popular gathering places, extending the connection between human society and beer. Political changes, such as the Sons of Liberty meeting in taverns sympathetic to the democratic cause, or the writing of the first draft of the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson in a tavern in Philadelphia, are also linked to this alcoholic beverage (Ascher, 2012). Other notable characters in United States history are reportedly brewers: George Washington’s recipes currently reside in the Library of Congress and Thomas Jefferson began home brewing after his presidency (Staten, 2013).
After Prohibition, the growth and standardization of the beer industry increased, leading to the large-scale manufacturers who dominated the market for many years. Craft brewers continued to persevere, though. Popular microbrews diversify the available beer types and flavor profiles. Community culture links to local craft brewing companies, reflecting how the creation of the products uses resources.
Beer with a Conscience
Current social trends of permaculture, slow food, organic, and locavore habits are not widespread, but do influence dedicated home brewers. Those involved in permaculture may grow grains and hops. Finding local and organic sources for the ingredients is also an option. Backyard chickens, or other animals, potentially benefit from spent grains, or donation to persons who have these animals is possible. These dedicated home brewers likely frequent or support those craft breweries with similar philosophies and environmentally mindful behaviors. Luckily, craft breweries conscious of environmental impact are not scarce.
Greenhouse gases, energy usage, solid waste, and water usage are major concerns for these types of craft breweries (Brewers Association, 2013). Reduction of output such as greenhouse gases and solid waste benefits the local, and global, environment. Mindfulness of packaging materials and low energy and water usage are not only environmental benefits, but also an economic benefit. An additional economic benefit is, as stated previously, those consumers who intentionally patronize these breweries to promote the ecologically friendly sustainable practices surrounding a human cultural staple.
The Future is Now
Given the integration of beer, and other fermented beverages, with human society, it is unlikely the discontinuation of consumption will occur. Craft breweries focusing on sustainable and economical practices lend hope to shifting cultural expectations and awareness of from where human food really comes. This awareness will ideally return an ever-increasing portion of the human population to a more connected relationship with the land.
I fully support the home brewers and craft brewers who think and act sustainably. I recognize that humans have a relationship with fermented beverages, especially beer, and our current society is present due directly to consumption of beer. I also understand that many current social practices undeniably result from early human thoughts and culture surrounding beer. Human economy and ecology have and can continue to benefit from this drink. To hopes for a more sustainable human culture while remembering our past, I raise my glass.
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Staten, C. (2013). 3 beery
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The beer archeologist. Smithsonian Magazine.
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