Beer is one of the oldest intoxicating beverages consumed by human beings. Even a cursory survey of history makes clear that, after human beings have taken care of the essential needs of food, shelter, and rudimentary laws for the community, their next immediate concern is developing intoxicants. In ancient Mesopotamia, this was accomplished circa 4000 BCE.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 5000 BCEGodin Tepe settled.
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c. 3500 BCE - c. 3100 BCEBeer brewed at Godin Tepe.
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c. 2250 BCEBeer brewed in Egypt.
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c. 2150 BCE - c. 2000 BCEWritten form of the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, which mentions beer.
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2050 BCEThe Alulu Beer Receipt Tablet written at the city of Ur.
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c. 1800 BCEWritten form of the Hymn to Ninkasi, the goddess of beer.
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c. 1800 BCEThe Sumerian Hymn to Ninkasi, goddess of beer, written down.
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c. 1700 BCEThe Code of Hammurabi, with laws regulating beer, written at Babylon.
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800 BCEBeer brewed in Germany.
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496 BCE - 406 BCELife of Greek playwright Sophocles, who suggests moderation in drinking beer.
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56 CE - 117 CELife of the Roman writer Tacitus who mentions beer in his work.
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179 CEBeer brewed at the Roman outpost Casta Regina on the Danube.
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331 CE - 363 CELife of the Roman Emperor Julian who wrote poem disparaging beer.
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770 CEKing Charlemagne appoints brewers. Beer brewed in France.
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c. 1600 CEThe Finnish Saga of Kalevala written down from older sources. Describes creation of beer using hops.
