Ok, not strictly history as such but.....the origins of beer!

[Tim]

I suspect (not know) that it was mainly monsatic communities that first had running water, hospitals (no matter how primitive), and brewing beer all as part of a 'godly' living. People saw that they lived longer and healthier lives and therefore attibuted it to devotion. We know know that boiling water makes it safe to drink - by coincidence it also makes better beer and therefore was safer than drinking ordinary water. I have argued same with my wife but she is not convinced...