ABSTRACT
From the very earliest of times, humankind has been involved with making intoxicating drinks of one kind or another. The procedures involved in producing these beverages, which had such a euphoric effect on the psyche, gradually took on the ceremonial ritual of a religious act of worship. In most cases, making the brew was the prerogative of either a group of elders or a highly respected member of the tribe. These people looked on their role with such jealousy that they were willing to commit murder to safeguard their right to secrecy of the recipe. Much of the production process was open to be witnessed by the rank-and-file members who were generally involved with procuring and readying the basic raw materials. However, some of the ingredients used had always been a closely guarded secret, with perhaps certain components being known to only one person alone. In many cases, the brew was usually not fermented in the way we know it today, even to the extent that the fermentation process of the concoction took place within the imbiber's digestive system. This sometimes had very serious consequences, in some cases even resulting in the death of the person involved.
