Some may say that. It has been used as a payment to workers, it was drunk in Britain when water was too dirty to drink during the Cromwell era. It was also used for medical purposes (placebo effect, maybe?). In fact, midwives used a strong type of beer to ease labour pains.

Well, I remember those old Western movies where injured, hard men were given a bottle of whisky before a doctor extracted a bullet from their leg. Getting drunk to avoid feeling pain.

Nonetheless, there is a passion for beer, to the point that it has been flavoured with a variety of herbals and other things, ie, chocolate, wormwood seeds, even, crab claws. Pubs in London sell many different types of beer: chocolate, peach, honey, etc. Being a self-confessed chocoholic, I have to admit I hated chocolate beer. Are there any flavours you don’t like?

It is interesting to note how it is perceived here. I have always liked drinking beer. When arrived to London, I noticed that most girl drank beer sometimes, but wine was actually their poison. It was considered as more classy, and I have to say, it saves you from having to go to the loo every five minutes!

In preparation for the Oktoberfest this weekend, I am posting a cool infographic below from the National Geographic website to illustrate this matter. I will report after my trip to Munich next week. Stay tuned! Thanks for reading.

Beer, the cause of, and solution too, all of life’s problems – Homer Simpson