Reader: Beer made human civilization possible!

Did beer save the world? According to this infographic, beer has been a boon to mankind since the time of the Egyptians (who used it as medicine), an economic driver behind railroad development, commercial refrigeration and, yes, the automatic (and hypnotic) bottling process...

By Patricia Calhoun

March 19, 2012

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Did beer save the world? According to this infographic, beer has been a boon to mankind since the time of the Egyptians (who used it as medicine), an economic driver behind railroad development, commercial refrigeration and, yes, the automatic (and hypnotic) bottling process.

Says Zachary:

Hmm. You know, it has been suggested that our ancestor's thirst for brews made human civilization possible -- by driving man to cultivate cereal crops, fruits and vegetables to ferment. I suppose hunger may have had something to do with the development of agriculture as well, but after all, isn't beer food?

What other great contributions has beer made to human civilization?

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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