How Beer Shaped the Modern World

Without beer, it's quite possible that civilization would not have evolved into what it is today. In fact, the world's first civilizations depended on beer, which was used as both a wage and a critical part of daily sustenance.  Today, beer is associated with leisure and celebration, but understanding its rich history may make it even more enjoyable.

Beer’s role in early human settlements

Some anthropologists have suggested that beer played a significant role in the adoption of agriculture, a major turning point in human history. This transition happened first in what we know as the Fertile Crescent where people began cultivating grains like barley and wheat instead of gathering them in the wild. This shift away from a nomadic, hunter-gatherer existence led to the development of the first permanent settlements.

While these grains were not suitable for consumption when raw, they could be made edible by crushing and soaking them in water – Initially, they were probably used as a base for soup, porridge, or gruel. Unlike other foods, they could be stored for months or even years later if kept dry and safe.  Most scientists believe that the storage of grains led to the accidental discovery of their fermentation.  Gruel, left sitting around for a couple of days, would become slightly fizzy and intoxicating - the wild yeasts from the air would ferment the sugar in the gruel into alcohol – and beer was born.

Some characteristics of beer directly contributed to the success of early settlements. Long-term storage of beer would have been difficult back then, and complete fermentation takes up to a week, so it is speculated that early beer would have been consumed while still fermenting.  As a result, it would have been rich in yeast, dramatically improving its protein and vitamin content, especially vitamin B, which would have helped to compensate for less meat in the diet.  Also, importantly, since beer was made from boiled water, it was safer to consume than water, which can quickly become contaminated where humans settle.  

Beer as a dietary staple

Some early Mesopotamian societies provided daily rations to the community, which were their primary food source.  Modern analysis of their records indicates that these rations might include bread, beer, dates, onions, and sometimes meat, fish, or lentils.  Dates provided vitamin A, beer provided vitamin B, onions provided vitamin C, and the whole ration would have equaled between 2,500-3,000 calories, in line with a typical, modern daily caloric intake for an adult.  

As beer grew in popularity, it was quickly refined and perfected, with improvements to taste and adjustments to alcohol content. Egyptian records mention at least 17 kinds of beer.  Early written references to beer from Mesopotamia include lists of over twenty different kinds, including fresh, dark, strong, red, light, and pressed beer.

Beer as a living wage

It turns out that liquids, being easily divisible, made the ideal currency in ancient civilizations.  And no liquid was as coveted as beer.  

Ancient Sumerian records indicate that the temple workforce were issued a “sila” of beer a day (roughly equivalent to two pints) as part of their ration.  Junior officials were given two sila, higher officials and ladies of the court three sila, and the highest officials five sila.  These senior officials were given more beer not because they drank more, but so that they would have some leftover for tipping.

The greatest example of the use of beer as payment comes from Egypt.  The workers who built the pyramids of Giza were paid in beer, according to records found near the site.  These records indicate that the standard ration for a laborer was three or four loaves of bread and two jugs containing about 8 pints of beer (wow!).  Managers and officials received even larger quantities of each.  Detailed records of payments to the construction workers show that the pyramids were built by hired workers, rather than by slaves, as was once widely believed.  

While beer is no longer used as a form of payment, in much of the world it is still considered the staple drink of the working class.  Toasting someone’s health before drinking beer is a remnant of its history as a dietary staple.  Beer has brought people together, literally, since the dawn of civilization – something to consider the next time you raise a toast with your friends.