According to cutting-edge archaeological findings, the Sumerians were most likely the first civilization to produce beer. Because recent excavations have revealed that fermenting wet bread was a common practice throughout Sumeria, archaeologists have concluded that beer must have been widely consumed. Through trade and exchange with the Sumerians, the Babylonians developed beer-brewing methods. Such methods seem to have thoroughly permeated the Mediterranean, as they turn up in archaeological finds across ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.

In Greece, Hippocrates proclaimed that beer was the best cure for fevers, as it helped to flush toxins and germs out of the body. The Romans advised that pregnant woman drink large quantities of beer, as they believed that the beverage enhanced the production of breast milk. The term beer can be traced back to ancient Rome, deriving from the Latin word "bibere," which means to drink.

Nevertheless, the ancestors of modern Germans, known as the Teutons, are believed to have embraced beer unlike any other civilization, producing large quantities not only for their own consumption, but also to sacrifice to the gods. Traditionally, Teuton brides would sip beer sweetened with honey for a month after their weddings because the concoction was thought to be an aphrodisiac. In fact, the word honeymoon derives from this tradition as honey would be consumed over the course of the moon’s monthly cycle.

Even so, it was not until the Middle Ages that beer production became systematic and refined. Beer, interestingly, was one of the only drinks that monks were permitted to drink during fasting periods. As a result, monasteries sought to perfect methods of beer brewing and the production of beer skyrocketed. Many people claimed that beer was an effective antidote to epidemics, most notably St. Arnould, who claimed that he had overcome cholera as a result of his beer consumption. Because medieval beer production was characterized by experimentation as the monks sought to improve their trade, the period is also characterized by a dramatic increase in instances of poisonings and hallucinations. Unfortunately, as these times were so prone to superstition, many women were accused of altering the fermentation process and burned as witches.

The ingredients involved in the process became largely standardized by the 18th century, and by the 19th century, large factories began producing beer. Artificial freezing and improvements in fermentation techniques allowed for the production of various kinds of beer, irrespective of season. Similarly, such developments enabled beer to be stored for longer periods and for its quality to be stabilized.