Every young adult of today’s age has had to deal with beer, whether it was consuming it or seeing some one partake in the action. Yes I think it’s safe to say that beer is an influential part of a college student’s life. I’m sure we all remember our orientation and introduction courses and how boring they were. All the drilling into your head that school is first and alcohol is very bad. I wonder how many bad people are reading this very article. Like it or not people will drink if they want. Throughout our history people have been drinking alcohol so much that it has literally influenced our culture and the way our society functions today.
Like the caveman chiseling the famous stone to create the first wheel, ancient people such as the Sumarians and the Egyptians were fermenting bread to create a new drink. The oldest proven records of beer brewing were the Sumarians some 6000 years ago. Discovering this beverage by chance they quickly learned its effects. Alcohol was held as high as the gold and sliver they offered their gods. In the Middle Ages beer became just as important as church. Monasteries created the drink to go with their dinners which were small portions and poorly cooked meals. It was a way to disconnect from the struggle called the middle ages. The monks didn’t have computers or an Xbox so in their free time they drank. Some monasteries allowed as much as 5 liters of beer per day, which is enough for anyone to become thoroughly trashed. The brewing process back then was unexplained and usually connected with superstitions. As late as 1591 “beer witches" who were responsible for tainting breweries were hung for this terrible crime.
With the coming of modern times inventions helped the transportation and distribution of beer. The steam engine and the train helped to bring beer to areas that normally wouldn’t even see a car let alone a keg. Carl Linde helped the beer industry by discovering that brewing had to take place at certain temperatures. This then led to the creation of the refrigerator. Munich, Germany was now on the map in the 18th century for alcohol. This milestone allowed the drink to be easily brewed and stored bringing the spins and beer goggles to bars around the world. Soon after it was revealed that microorganisms were responsible for fermenting in the brewing process. Once all the necessary knowledge was acquired brewing stations sprung up all over the world like weeds in a field. Beer was transported in wooden barrels which were replaced by metal kegs in the mid 1960’s allowing for a tighter seal and easier tapping for bar personal.
Today there are so many different types of beer depending on where a person is in the world. From Ale, a light beer that is usually taken from the top of the brewing process, to Weissbeir, a thicker and richer beer from the bottom of the brew. An individual can choose whatever type of beer suits them. In the 1920’s the 18th amendment was passed by the United States which outlawed alcohol consumption due to the problems it caused in the new nation. However, like a snowball down a mountain the United States now had even more problems with alcohol then before the amendment was passed. The 21st amendment was passed December 5, 1933 ending prohibition and creating new laws for alcohol distribution. In 1987 the age limit for consumption and possession was changed from 18 to 21 in the U.S. due to a high death rate in young drinkers. This didn’t push people away though. The numbers of underage drinkers are at new highs in our modern society.
Is this rise in consumption a cause of new laws or is it because drinking is in our culture? We should all know our history of our families and where we came from. Along with that, what affected our heritage? Alcohol has played a large role in the development of our way of life. It is not something to hid but something to be proud of. With responsibility and understanding beer will be around for a long time. Giving people a great past-time to gather at the bar and all become intoxicated together.
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