are wonderful topics. last year there was a science report that (NYTimes science section, excert from Science mag) that put forward the opinion that the rise of agraculture was fostered by the knowledge of how to make beer.
and that all of civilation is based on man need to have a ready supple of beer.
early grain was ground, made into bread, the bread was dried, ground and feremted. somewhere along the way, someone discovered malting was as good as yeast for turning complex starches into sugars that could then be turned into alcohol.
late in the game, someone figured out how to distill.
first wine (brandywine, which comes from ??? for burnt or cooked wine) and soon also sorts of fermented liquids.
before brandy, in northern climates, people had used cold to distill. the apple brandy of france is just like americana "apple jack" distilled by freezing cider. the water in the cider freezes at 32°(f), but the alcohol is still liquid, drained off, and collected, it is a very high proof liquor.
