Essay Questions

Beer is a very symbolic drink historically; what are some of the things it has been seen to symbolize?

In many ways, beer is a symbol of civilized life itself (which is surprising, given how uncivilized people seem to be when they have drunk too much of it.) This was true in Mesopotamia, one of the earliest civilizations known to have consumed it recreationally. To be able to drink a beer was to prove oneself a man, which symbolized the strength of a civilization and the fact that is would be able to continue in the safe hands of strong, determined men with the ability to bind together. Beer symbolizes life, and this was also true in the ancient civilizations of the Egyptians, some even being buried with beer around them, it was seen to have such importance. Because of this, it was also seen as something that enabled one to interact with the Gods.

It did not take long for beer drinking to reach the rest of the population, having been enjoyed by the ancient elite, and beer has the longest history of being enjoyed by the masses of any of the popular beverages that we enjoy today. It is seem as a social equalizer and so it is also seen as a symbol of universal friendship, of being down-to-earth and of social equality.

Why is coffee synonymous with innovation?

Coffee became particularly popular in Europe during the Enlightenment, when all of the thinkers, writers and artists would gather in dimly-lit coffee houses to discuss their ideas and new thinking without fear of reprisal or being ridiculed. Coffee houses have also always had an air of underground society about them; Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground wrote much of their music in New York's trendy coffee houses in the late 1960s and early 1970s, because the atmosphere was one of freedom of thought.