Editing Beer (section)

== Society and culture ==

{{anchor|Beer culture}}
{{See also|Drinking culture|Category:Beer culture}}

[[File:Oktoberfest2.jpg|thumb|A tent at Munich's [[Oktoberfest]] in Germany. The event is known as the world's largest beer festival.]]

Some of the earliest writings mention the production and distribution of beer: the {{circa}} 1750 BC Babylonian [[Code of Hammurabi]] included laws regulating it,<ref>{{cite web |title=Beer before bread |department=Alaska Science Forum |id=1039 |editor-first=Carla |editor-last=Helfferich |publisher=[[University of Alaska]] |series=Geophysical Institute |place=Fairbanks, Alaska |url=http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF10/1039.html |access-date=13 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509121452/http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF10/1039.html |archive-date=9 May 2008}}</ref> while "The Hymn to [[Ninkasi]]", a {{circa}} 1800 BC prayer to the Mesopotamian goddess of beer, a recipe for it.<ref name=Nin-kasi>{{cite web |title=Nin-kasi: Mesopotamian goddess of beer |department=Spotlight |website=Matrifocus |year=2006 |editor-first=Johanna |editor-last=Stuckey |url=http://www.matrifocus.com/SAM06/spotlight.htm |access-date=13 May 2008}}</ref><ref name=sumer>{{cite book |last1=Black |first1=Jeremy A. |last2=Cunningham |first2=Graham |last3=Robson |first3=Eleanor |author3-link=Eleanor Robson |year=2004 |title=The Literature of Ancient Sumer |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-926311-0}}</ref>

In many societies, beer is the most popular alcoholic drink. Various social traditions and activities are associated with beer drinking, such as playing cards, darts, or other pub games; attending [[beer festival]]s; engaging in zythology (the study of beer);<ref>{{cite news |title=Don't worry, be hoppy: The Weekender's Guide to Beer |url=http://siouxcityjournal.com/weekender/community/don-t-worry-be-hoppy-the-weekender-s-guide-to/article_f7312865-b20b-59ef-8492-037060167bd8.html |access-date=17 August 2015 |work=Sioux City Journal |date=8 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=International Beer Day: 10 things you never knew about beer |url=http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/international-beer-day-10-things-you-never-knew-about-beer/story-fneuz92c-1227010274449 |access-date=17 August 2015 |work=The News |date=1 August 2014 |archive-date=28 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151028013448/http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/international-beer-day-10-things-you-never-knew-about-beer/story-fneuz92c-1227010274449 |url-status=dead}}</ref> visiting a [[pub crawl|series of pubs]] in one evening; visiting breweries; beer-oriented tourism; or [[rating beer]].<ref>[[Leslie Dunkling]] & Michael Jackson, ''The Guinness Drinking Companion'', Lyons Press (2003), {{ISBN|1-58574-617-7}}</ref> [[Drinking game]]s, such as [[beer pong]], accompany the drinking of beer.<ref name="Shott 2005">{{cite web |last=Shott |first=Chris |title=The Pong Arm of the Law |work=The Washington City Paper |date=7 October 2005 |url=http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/tell/2005/tell1007.html |access-date=27 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927215656/http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/tell/2005/tell1007.html |archive-date=27 September 2007}}</ref> Even having a "[[shower beer]]" has developed a following.<ref name="dailydot1">Fleishman, Cooper (11 December 2013). [https://www.dailydot.com/irl/showerbeer-internet-history/ The Internet history of the showerbeer], ''[[The Daily Dot]]''</ref> A relatively new profession is that of the [[beer sommelier]], who informs restaurant patrons about beers and food pairings. Some breweries have developed beers to [[Foodpairing|pair with food]].<ref name='Murphy'>{{cite news |first=Linda |last=Murphy |title=Chipotle beer heats up Cinco de Mayo |date=4 May 2006 |url =http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/04/WIGA7IJFVB1.DTL |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date =17 September 2007 }}</ref><ref name='Beervana'>{{cite news |first=John |last=Foyston |title=Fred Eckhardt 's Beer-and-Cheese Tasting |date=18 July 2007 |publisher=Oregonian |url=http://blog.oregonlive.com/thebeerhere/2007/07/fred_ecckhardt_s_beerand_chees.html |work=The Beer Here blog |access-date=17 September 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071124213528/http://blog.oregonlive.com/thebeerhere/2007/07/fred_ecckhardt_s_beerand_chees.html |archive-date=24 November 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Janet |last=Fletcher |title=Forget wine and cheese parties – the true soul mate for fromage isn't made from grape juice. |date=17 February 2005 |url =http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/02/17/WIGHKBA1OC1.DTL |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date =17 September 2007 }}</ref> Wine writer [[Malcolm Gluck]] disputed the need to pair beer with food, while beer writers [[Roger Protz]] and Melissa Cole contested that claim.<ref>Protz, Roger, ''The Guardian'': Word of Mouth (15 January 2009). [https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/jan/15/beer-wine-britain-drinking-habits Let's hear it for beer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101033319/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/jan/15/beer-wine-britain-drinking-habits |date=1 November 2022 }}</ref><ref>Cole, Melissa, ''The Guardian'': Word of Mouth (27 January 2009). [https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/jan/23/gluck-cole-beer-wine-drink The eye of the ale storm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101033211/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/jan/23/gluck-cole-beer-wine-drink |date=1 November 2022 }}</ref><ref>''[[The Guardian]]'': Word of Mouth (6 February 2009). [https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/feb/06/gluck-cole-beer-food-matching Beer-drinking sadsacks strike back] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305010931/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/feb/06/gluck-cole-beer-food-matching |date=5 March 2017 }}</ref>

Beer is considered to be a [[social lubricant]],<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-76964204.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611094703/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-76964204.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 June 2014 |title=Beer Boss |first=Michael |last=Sherer |journal=Cheers |date=1 June 2001 |access-date=14 November 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Dietler |first=Michael |title=Alcohol: Anthropological/Archaeological Perspectives |journal=Annual Review of Anthropology |volume=35 |pages=229–249 |year=2006|doi=10.1146/annurev.anthro.35.081705.123120 }}</ref> and is [[Beer consumption by country|consumed in countries]] all over the world. There are breweries in Middle Eastern countries such as [[Beer in Syria|Syria]], and in some [[Beer in Africa|African countries]]. Sales of beer are four times those of wine, which is the second most popular alcoholic drink.<ref>{{cite web |title=Beer Production Per Capita |work=European Beer Guide |url=http://www.europeanbeerguide.net/eustats.htm#consumption |access-date=17 October 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061028165040/http://www.europeanbeerguide.net/eustats.htm |archive-date=28 October 2006 |url-status=live}}</ref>