Beer: a global journey through the past and present

Review by Max Nelson Arthur presents a global history of beer inspired by his two-year stay with the Gamo people of Ethiopia. He begins with a brief introduction examining beer in terms of technology (as fermented malted cereal processed with various additives), health (as a nutritious food safer than water), ritual (as a communally consumed and socially important product), and economics (as a commodity that can motivate work). Chapter 2 expands on the technology of beer-production by detailing the variety of methods and the great diversity of ingredients used over the millennia. A useful appendix includes listings of known beer ingredients by place and time-period. The next four chapters