Party socks with beer
The May holiday has made us more and more willing to reach for crazy socks with beer. The original model is a great choice both for enthusiasts of the golden drink and for all those who appreciate unconventional accessories. Beer socks can also become an inspiration to delve into the history of the popular drink. Some think that beer is a modern invention, but its origins can be sought as far back as antiquity. Documents from around 4000 BC confirm that the Sumerians made a beverage that resembled today's beer. The beverage was called sikar, or divine drink. Slices of bread were placed in clay vessels with water, which were fermented there. Women were responsible for making beer, as the patrons of this craft were exclusively female deities. However, ladies could only consume light, wheat beer, while gentlemen had as many as 16 varieties of stronger, dark liquor to choose from. The brewing tradition was later continued by the Babylonians, who made the drink from wheat, barley and spelt. They also often used fruit syrup to sweeten the beverage. The Babylonians were the first civilization to start using hops to make beer. Beer also played an important role in ancient Egypt. The beverage was a staple of the rations of soldiers and workers. It was important for beer to be deposited in the grave of a deceased person. It is in the Egyptian territory of Hierakonpolis that the oldest discovered brewery is located. It is estimated to have been established around 3700 BC. In ancient times, beer was also popular in Gaul, among other places. In the Middle Ages, monasteries, towns and manors became the most important centers associated with beer production. Until the 12th century, beer production was mainly concentrated in monasteries. Initially, monks produced the beverage for their own needs and those of pilgrims. In time, the beverage went on sale. The following centuries brought a thriving development of court and city brewing. On Polish soil, beer appeared with the Celts and Germans. Among alcoholic beverages, the Slavs most often chose beer and mead.
A handful of interesting facts
Nowadays it seems that the culture of beer drinking has taken over the whole world. We decided to bring you some facts and trivia that may make you like this golden beverage even more. Beer, like wine, was the permanent drink of armies. This was due, among other things, to the fact that bacteria, which easily thrived in water, had no chance to survive in alcohol. One of the well-known types of beer owes its origin precisely to the army. We are, of course, talking about India Pale Ale. In the 19th century, it was decided to import, stationed in India for British soldiers, the popular Pale Ale beer. However, this type of drink had no chance to survive the long journey, so a completely new recipe was created, in which hops played a very important role. The advantages of beer were also appreciated by Polish rulers. Among others, Sigismund the Old and Queen Jadwiga enjoyed beer. A mention of beer can even be found on the pages of a poem by one of our most popular bards. In Pan Tadeusz, Adam Mickiewicz described a nobleman's breakfast. The passage about beer relates to ladies who, having nourished themselves with coffee, proceeded to beer soup. It used to be a popular morning meal, but today it would be considered more of a dinner dish. Beer soup was served mainly to women and children. In addition to beer, the composition of the so-called gramatka included bread, curd, cream, egg yolks and orange peel. This non-trivial dish provided a solid portion of energy needed for the entire morning. Nowadays, in gastronomy, beer is used, for example, for baking bread, coating meat dishes or for casseroles. In Poland we have many beer lovers, and finding a gift for them is not at all a difficult task. A bottle of kraft liquor or an elegant mug will do great. You can also bet on accessories such as beer socks, a themed apron or an opener.
