People have been making beer since time immemorial. This drink is loved all over the world for its light character, pleasant taste and mild effect. Its many varieties and brands indicate a rich history and vast geography. Finnish writers, historians and beer connoisseurs Mika Rissanen and Juha Tahvanainen explore the connections of beer with world politics, economics and culture. They were able to trace its path from the Sumerian civilization (4000 BC) to the present day. And it turned out that the drink, which initially turned up the noses of the sophisticated Romans, was appreciated not only by simple monks and soldiers, but also by great people such as Peter the Great and Catherine the Second, Martin Luther and Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Louis Pasteur and Fridtjof Nansen, and many other. You will learn how beer influenced the course of history, how it helped strengthen friendships, what legends were associated with it and what properties were attributed to it at different times. You will also delve into the peculiarities of modern brewing and, of course, learn to have an excellent understanding of beer.