Down Beer Street

Book excerpt: From the Irish monks who spread brewing techniques, and Christianity, across Europe, to how beer prompted Martin Luther's Theses, to its role as a sports drink in the Tour de France, Down Beer Street is the history of the world as seen through a pint glass. Discover the decisive role beer has had in the course of history, how it is central to many European cultures and customs, how it has inspired art, and even brought armies together in a cease fire in the midst of a world war. The history of beer stretches back as far as humans have engaged in agriculture, and it has been a basic food as long as bread. From ancient Mesopotamia to the spread of Christianity and abbey beers throughout Europe, up to Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution and the financial crisis of 2008, this history of the world has a frothy head.