Page 204 - The Lost Ways

- By Susan Morrow -

“There are good ships, and there are wood ships, the
ships that sail the sea. But the best ships, are

friendships, and may they always be.”

- Old Irish drinking toast

There is no reason why, even in the darkest of days, we can’t have a tipple or

two. Alcoholic beverages have an ancient and noble history and, in moderation, are even
good for us. Our grandparents, even during times of temperance, would have partaken
of the odd glass. I’ve made beer myself and dabbled with making stronger stuff too (when
I was a chemist).

The art of the alcoholic beverage is alive and kicking and is a valuable skill to possess.

Without much ado, I’ll settle back with a glass of wine and talk of brewing and stills and
all things alcoholic.

Beer has a long history. Dating back to around 4000 BC, clay tablets from ancient
Babylonia were found to have recipes for beer inscribed on them. The Egyptians also liked
a tipple and brewed a beer made from barley. They even included it in burials as an
aperitif for the long journey into the afterlife.

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Northern Europe has always loved beer. In 16 century Europe, people drank around 250
liters of beer per person per year and even drank lower alcohol content beers for
breakfast.

Drinking beer in medieval times was a necessity due to the lack of clean water. Beer does
not spoil as quickly as the water.

This tradition of beer drinking was brought over to colonial America, and it was common
for beer to be drunk instead of water, including at breakfast time. Even colonial American
children were given beer to drink. There is also truth in the fact that beer contains more
nutrients than water and, let’s face it, is often tastier.

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