"Beer: A Global Journey Through the Past and Present offers a comprehensible and readable worldwide perspective on the dynamic origin and impact of beer, as well as rich descriptions of its continued importance among Indigenous societies today. Ancient and contemporary beers from the Near East, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas document the remarkable influence Indigenous beers have had in shaping the development of food production, state level societies, and is an essential food for contemporary Indigenous societies inspiring their social and economic actions. In the past and present beer was and is more than an intoxicating substance, it was and is an essential food integral to maintaining good health. Control over the technological knowledge and resources to produce beer created space for status differentiation and its use as capital motivated laborers. Beer also serves to unite people and connects the living with their ancestral past. The innovations by Indigenous brewers are now transforming the types of ingredients and flavors produced by the global craft brew industry. This unique book focuses on past and present non-industrial beers highlighting its significance in peoples' lives through four themes: innovating new technologies, ensuring health and well-being, building economic and political statuses, and imbuing life with ritual and religious connections"-- Provided by publisher.