Gruel & Vine: The History of Beer and Wine's Relationship with Humanity

Mankind has endured centuries of hard times whether it was foul plagues or epic wars; but one substance seems to be a key, and possibly contributing factor as well as the fastest-albeit temporary-solution to such strife. That substance is none other than the mystical liquid known as alcohol. It has always been there after a long day's work, and it is often involved (some way or another) in many pivotal periods throughout man's existence.

As man wandered through the prehistoric region known as Mesopotamia he only knew one thing-survival. Small groups or tribes roamed the land from temporary camp to temporary camp killing whatever animal that could feed, clothe or provide materials for weaponry or construction. These groups also gathered whatever plants were available and more importantly edible, but since they had a tendency to use up many of the resources that helped them maintain life there often came a time where they were forced to pick up and go. However, these tribes came to learn that cereal grain, which flourished in the region, was a reliable source of food even though it lacked in taste (Standage 12). And the tale of alcohol's fateful introduction to humanity begins.

Since the hunter-gatherers had a knack for putting strain on the land, cereal grain became a vital part of their means of survival. Wild grain had a remarkably long shelf life, as it were, and if kept dry it could be used up to months at a time. Since it could not be consumed raw it was often ground up and made into gruel. Consequently their reliance on cereal grain as a consistent source of food provoked a need to store the grain, which caused the groups to stay in one spot for a longer period of time (Standage 13).

One thing that was soon discovered about cereal grain was that, if mixed with water, the grains would sprout causing the release of diastase enzymes that allowed the starch in the grain to become malt (Standage 14). This caused a sweet sensation to occur in the mouth of the person ingesting the mixture. More importantly was the accidental discovery that took place when gruel made with malted grain was left in the sun for a few hours. Wild yeasts that floated through the air would ferment the sugars found in the malted grain creating the first beer (Standage 16). Apparently one hungry or thirsty chap came across gruel that was sitting out for awhile, slurped it down and found himself in the midst of a mind bending experience.

Nevertheless, the first person to test his luck with the fermented gruel was not the first person to become drunk. Gathered fruit had a tendency to create an intoxicating substance, but since fruit was easily perishable due to the lack of pottery or proper means of storage, beer became the first alcoholic beverage produced in large quantities (Standage 15). The lust for beer took the ancient world by storm as it called for greater quantities of cereal grain, and this meant man had to do more than simply gather it-he must grow it.

Since the region known as the Fertile Crescent was perfect for the cultivation of grain, beer flourished as did the societies that drank it. From 7000 BCE to 5000 BCE farming became an important part of many of the former hunter-gatherer tribes that began to settle down causing the populations to grow and civilizations to rise. Beer's role in such growth is not as acknowledged as it should be, but it was consumed by nearly every citizen of many of the great Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations whether they were young or old, well-to-do or of the peasant persuasion (Standage 39).

The social aspect of beer is probably the greatest and most stunning contribution made by the malted substance. It brought people closer (at times real close) as it also tore people apart. Not to mention it always provided a reasonable excuse for crude behavior as beer was and still is the scapegoat for many questionable acts. "I never meant to touch her that way, it was the beer. Please believe me!" Right, and while beer made life much more interesting it also was partly responsible for something that humanity would exist differently without-the written word. Since pottery was invented circa 6000 BCE it enabled man to store grain and other foodstuffs much more efficiently than the previous animal stomach technique. With an increase in stored goods, a method of keeping track of it all was needed as food, particularly grains, were the primary currency of the day (Standage 31).

With a need to maintain a close eye on where and who the grain was being distributed to or when it was initially stored, people began etching symbols into clay tablets that would be baked and remain as permanent inventory records. This style of writing was known as cuneiform, a system that used pictograms over the common alphabetical system (Coffin and Stacy 16). Eventually the simplistic cuneiform method evolved into the lettered style used in modern times.

Beer might have been the first alcoholic drink produced in quantity, but it was soon joined by another intoxicator that used the natural sugars in fruit to get the desired reaction. Wine was not so much a new discovery as it was stumbled upon in similar fashion to beer, but as stated earlier the storage of wine was difficult without the invention of pottery. When pottery entered the world regions that were able to plant and harvest grapes began producing wine and allowing it to ferment much longer in big clay jugs and barrels (Standage 47). Yeasts found on the grapevine allowed the sugars found in the juice of crushed grapes to ferment resulting in wine. But due to the agricultural conditions of Mesopotamia wine was scarce and extremely expensive to import, which meant that only the rich would be of those to consume it while the rest continued to slug down beer (Standage 46).

While wine came into existence around the same time beer was gaining popularity (roughly between 9000 BCE and 4000 BCE) it created a profoundly different outlook in the people who were able to consume it frequently (Standage 47). For instance in Mesopotamia it was sign of wealth and superiority if one could purchase wine due to its great cost; while in eastern and western Mediterranean regions there was more of an elitist outlook, as they saw beer drinking as brutish compared to the great intellect they felt came with the consumption of wine (Standage 52). It was more or less a symbol for those who were civilized versus those who ran with the animals.

This elitist mentality that fermented from the fermentation of grapes into wine was prevalent in Greece where their competitive nature resulted in extreme displays of extravagance and intellect. In Greece there were many festivals of theater and dance that honored the god of wine, Dionysus (Jobe 5). Dionysus may commonly be referred to as the god of wine, but his role in Greek society has much more importance than merely being the god of wine. He was a symbol for the end of all care, but more importantly he was the symbol for individual freedom and peace between others (Jobe 6). Ironically, many of the festivals in his honor often turned into massive, lust crazed orgies that provoked Greek officials to reduce the amount of people allowed to consume wine each year until it withered down to a small choir of citizens (Jobe 4).

However, the one thing that these mass gatherings of wine consumption and displays of the arts seemed to do was open humans up to the idea of freedom for the individual, which at the time was sacrificed for the greater good of the empire. That may very well be the reason why the Roman senate banned the Bacchanalia, which were the Roman equilvalent to the Greek festivals (Jobe 7). And with the idea of the carefree life that comes with personal freedom it is not hard to see why wine played an integral role in religion, even to this very day.

One thing religion appears to offer those who choose to follow is answers to all of life's problems. This kind of mentality is seen through similar worship of Dionysus and Bacchus, who like Jesus made miracles involving wine as well as returning from death (Standage 85). The stories of Dionysus, Bacchus and Jesus have a tendency to empower those who feel like they are guaranteed certain ill-fate, and that same empowerment can also come from wine and alcohol in general. The two go hand-in-hand as both alcohol and religion are both able to help boost one's self-esteem.

With that said it is easy to understand why beer and wine had such a massive impact on the growth of humanity. Both allowed people to alter their perception in order to see things from a completely different angle, which to some, opened their minds to vast possibilities while stranding others in a dark pit that would leave them disgraced for the rest of time. Nevertheless, the innovations that came as the result of the discovery of alcohol such as farming, writing, and pottery allowed for numerous advancements that were the stepping stones to the modern day. Without them we can be sure that the world as we know it would be drastically different, but to say if it would be better or worse is impossible as there is no way to accurately judge how things would have turned out. In the end who knew gruel and vine would end up being so essential in the growth of humanity?

Bibliography

G. Coffin, Judith and Robert C. Stacey. Western Civilizations. 15th ed. New York: W. W. Norton &Company, 2005.

Jobe, Joseph. The Great Book of Wine. New York: BBS Publishing Corporation, 1991.

Standage, Tom. A History of the World in 6 Glasses. New York: Walker & Company, 2005.