For many centuries and even up until recently, drinking water was unsafe for us humans due to the number of pathogens and bacteria. Fortunately, though, alcohol acts as a water “purifier”, making the water much safer to drink and (hopefully) tastier. The Egyptians were a great example of having “work beers”, since beer was considered a form of payment for the builders of the pyramids.

Such workers were not slaves (as most people might believe), but were regular workmen, farmers, and craftsmen. Their daily “beer” ration (beer in quotes due to how different it actually was - to be explained) was around 4 to 5 litres, or 8 to 10 pints… Apart from the main benefit that beer brought by killing bacteria, its nutritional value at the time was also quite necessary, since it was packed with carbs, vitamins, and minerals (think of a cloudy, porridge-like paste that had isotonic properties). These macronutrients and micronutrients were usually lost through sweating and were essential in maintaining fitness.

When contrasting modern beer to the old Egyptian variant, it is hard to even call them the same substance. Modern beers are clear, filtered, and carbonated, with a density very close to that of water, whereas the Egyptian variant had a thick, slimy texture (and density), had seeds floating around in it, and sediment. It even needed to sometimes be consumed through straws in order to filter out particles. The ABV content was actually much lower than that of current beer, at between 2% and 3.5%. This meant that it was more drinkable without getting severely intoxicated while working. Another stark difference is unsurprisingly the flavour, which used to be quite fruity, sweet, and probably closer to a modern cider than a beer. Flavour would have changed considerably based on the fruits used for fermentation and what was seasonal at the time.

An important question to ask might be, “Did they even enjoy their beer?” And the consensus does seem to be a resounding yes! Egyptians felt privileged to drink it and referenced it many times in their art and poems. Many love poems included beer references and many parties had different “quality” grades for beer depending on the significance of the celebration. It is quite safe to say that the Egyptians were indeed a nation with drinking ingrained into their culture.