8 Mind-Blowing Facts About Beer

With a rabid following of enthusiasts spanning the globe, beer has long been the most popular alcoholic drink on Earth. In fact, it's the world's third most consumed beverage overall ⁠— behind only tea and water.

Sure, beer tastes greats, and it can be an excellent way to help one relax after a hard day's work. However, this beloved beverage is more than just a simple consumer stable; beer has become part of the very fabric of our society. In truth, the world's alcoholic drink of choice has changed the world.

To illustrate just how important beer has been in helping shape civilization, we are going to take a look at some of the many ways this remarkable drink has had an impact on our lives. To be fair, it hasn't always been a positive impact. After all, as wonderful as it can be, even beer isn't perfect. That being said, there are also some excellent examples in which beer has helped build communities ⁠— quite literally.

It's now time to take a look at eight little-known, fascinating, and often bizarre facts surrounding this life-altering drink.

The iconic pyramids of Egypt have been around since as far back as 2580 BC (give or take). The largest of the three structures, the Great Pyramid of Giza, is listed among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Sure, the pyramids are a remarkable sight, but building them couldn't have been any fun. Moving around massive pieces of limestone and granite, with little more than a standard rope, is no one's idea of a good time. So what motivates men to haul around large rocks in the scorching desert heat? The answer is beer.

As Smithsonian Magazine's Dr. Patrick McGovern explained, “It was a source of nutrition, refreshment, and reward for all the hard work. It was beer for pay. You would have had a rebellion on your hands if they’d run out. The pyramids might not have been built if there hadn’t been enough beer.”

If not for a group of hard-working ancient Egyptian brewers, there would probably be one fewer Wonder of the Ancient World.