<i>In ancient Egypt, beer was so essential it was treated principally as a type of food – it was consumed daily and in great quantities at religious festivals and celebrations. Beer was an essential for labourers, like those who built the pyramids of Giza, who were provided with a daily ration of 1⅓ gallons (over 10 pints). Yet it still had divine status, with several gods and goddesses associated with beer. Hathor, the goddess of love, dance and beauty, was also known as 'The Lady of Drunkenness'.</i><p><a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/sip-history-ancient-egyptian-beer#:~:text=The%20Culture" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/sip-history-ancient-egypt...</a><p>My recollection: When they recreated ancient Egyptian beer as best they could, they remarked that it wasn't bitter like modern beer.