Did you know that...The Mayflower abandoned its search for further destinations and landed in Plymouth because they had run out of beer? Women in ancient Sumeria dominated the art of brewing and tavern keeping, operating under the protection of Siduri, goddess of the brewery? Twenty people literally drowned in beer in 1814 when a vat in a London brewery exploded, creating a tidal wave of beer? Alewives in Colonial America brewed a special high-test groaning ale for a mother-to-be to swig while she was in labor?

Beer has inspired, influenced, and excited human beings for thousands of years. Alan Eames has traveled the world uncovering the Secret Life Of Beer--the untold stories, lore, and references to beer in poetry, song, literature, and human history.

From its origins among early civilizations to a hallowed place in the history of manking, the art, the history, the culture, and the mystery of fermented beverages is the subject of historical fact, mythological speculation, and philosophical enquiry. The Secret Life of Beer shares bits and pieces of this intriguing cultural history, along with quots from such diverse drinkers as Nietzsche and Charles Darwin, in an inviting, highly browsable format.