Stand down the panic.
A scientific paper has been published that is inextricably linked to this channel.
Let me clarify straight away: it’s about settling down, not about beer-soaked benders.
Scientists: humanity may have settled down because of beer.
Archaeologists have found the first direct evidence of beer being used in funeral rituals in southern China — around 9,000 years ago.
The conclusion is based on analysis of microfossils (starch, phytoliths, fungi) in ceramic vessels from the Qiaotou site.
Why it matters
Alcohol played a cultural and ritual role as early as the Neolithic — not a side effect of civilisation, but one of its tools.
The fermentation method recorded predates written sources on brewing by roughly 8,000 years.
It sheds new light on social practices in East Asia: beer is not just a drink but part of collective memory and ritual.
In light of these archaeological discoveries and the growing body of evidence, I have taken the responsible and considered decision to continue organoleptic research into the beer culture of planet Earth.
The aim of the research: an in-depth understanding of beer’s role in the emergence of settled life, social cohesion and humanity’s ability to reach agreement. Fieldwork will be conducted chiefly in pubs. Rigorous peer review to follow, usually around closing time.
Kanpai 🍻
#beer #china
