#24 Alcohol and Humanity Part 3: Beer, 150 Years to Hegemony

The surprisingly unknown history of beer is fascinating.

We begin with our usual casual chat about alcohol preferences between Sakai-san and Shimada-sensei. In fact, until about 150 years ago, beer was a highly localized drink, brewed and consumed within local communities. We unravel the history of how it transformed into a beverage consumed on a global scale.

Technological advancements spread beer across the world.

In the latter half of the 19th century, there were three key figures behind the scenes who made the stable, mass production of beer possible. Through the development of a certain technique by Pasteur, pure yeast cultivation by Hansen, and the introduction of refrigeration machines by Linde, beer evolved dramatically. We dive deep into the specific mechanisms of how these innovations led to its global expansion.

We also touch upon the current state of the Japanese beer market.

Using concrete data, we discuss the market share of beer in Japan and its relationship with other alcoholic beverages like sake. By toggling between global and Japanese perspectives, you will start to see the reasons why beer has become so deeply embedded in the lives of modern people. Please be sure to listen to the full episode for more detailed stories.