Modern civilization is beer
civilization. Yet, agriculture, cities, writing, and religion all have ties to
ancient craft brewing.
More than
10,000 years ago, early hipster hunter-gatherers crafted the first brews. Ancient
Egyptians, Sumerians, Chinese, and others each perfected the brewing arts in
interesting, and even strange, ways. Beer-loving headhunters from the Amazon,
for example, did the amazing trick of chewing poisonous cassava root so it
could become a drinkable beer.
Since then,
beer has spread across the globe and has come to be known by many names. Other than water, coffee, and perhaps tea, it
is the most widespread drink in the world.
San Diego
Museum of Man’s “Beerology” exhibit offers other intriguing beer centric
stories, including ancient artifacts that reveal the links between beer and
culture, such as the solid gold beer cup of an Inca king.
Brewing beer
led early humans to grow crops, build cities, and write the earliest
recipes. As our relationship with beer
continued, it became part of our daily life, religion and culture.
Craft beer
has roots. It reflects the foundations
of civilization.
“Beerology,”
The Exhibit is linked with occasional live beer pairings at the venerable
Balboa Park museum (under the California Tower). For info and beer tasting dates check in at http://www.museumofman.org/exhibits/beerology/
“Beerology”
at the San Diego Museum of Man closes in February, 2017.
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