Beer is one of the oldest beverages humans have produced, dating back to at least the 5th millennium BC (prior even to writing), and recorded in the written history of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. As almost any substance containing carbohydrates, namely sugar or starch, can naturally undergo fermentation, it is likely that beer-like beverages were independently invented among various cultures throughout the world.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer#Historyen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer#History

How Beer Is Made

Mashing: The first phase of brewing, in which the malted grains are crushed and soaked in warm water in order to create a malt extract. The mash is held at constant temperature long enough for enzymes to convert starches into fermentable sugars.

Sparging: Water is filtered through the mash to dissolve the sugars. The darker, sugar-heavy liquid is called the wort.

Boiling: The wort is boiled along with any remaining ingredients (excluding yeast), to remove excess water and kill any microorganisms. The hops (whole, pelleted, or extract) are added at some stage during the boil.

Fermentation: The yeast is added (or "pitched") and the beer is left to ferment. After primary fermentation, the beer may be allowed a second fermentation, which allows further settling of yeast and other particulate matter ("trub") which may have been introduced earlier in the process. Some brewers may skip the secondary fermentation and simply filter off the yeast.

Packaging: At this point, the beer contains alcohol, but not much carbon dioxide. The brewer has a few options to increase carbon dioxide levels. The most common approach by large-scale brewers is force carbonation, via the direct addition of CO2 gas to the keg or bottle. Smaller-scale or more classically-minded brewers will add extra ("priming") sugar or a small amount of newly fermenting wort ("kräusen") to the final vessel, resulting in a short refermentation known as "cask-" or "bottle conditioning".

After brewing, the beer is usually a finished product. At this point the beer is kegged, casked, bottled, or canned.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer#Historyen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer#History

Beer Trivia

What is the most expensive beer in the world?
Answer: It's called "Tutankhamen" and is prepared according to the recipe recovered by a group of University of Cambridge archaeologists in Queen Nefertiti's Temple of the Sun in Egypt. It costs US$52 a bottle, and is produced in limited and numbered edition.

What country has the most individual beer brands?
Answer: That would be Belgium, with 400.

From what part of brewing did the term "rule of thumb" originate?
Answer: Before the advent of thermometers, brewers tested the temperature of their maturing brews with their thumbs -- too cold, and the yeast wouldn't grow; too hot, and it would die.

Who was the first American to brew lager-type beer?
Answer: The first US lager was brewed in 1840 by John Wagner, who had a small brewery in the back of his house on St. John Street in Philadelphia. Wagner brought the first lager yeast to the United States from a brewery in Bavaria.

What is Cenosillicaphobia the fear of?
Answer: Fear of an empty glass

What is brew master in Latin?
Answer: Braxator

What is the best selling brand in the Western Hemisphere outside of the United States? What country is it brewed in?
Answer: Brahma Beer. It is brewed in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Source: www.beermachine.com/files/beer-trivia.htm