1, 1862, the Lincoln administration enacted a recently passed tax of $1 per 31-gallon barrel on “all beer, lager beer, ale, porter and other similar fermented liquors, by whatever name such liquors may be called.” It was the first national excise tax on beer, and it had perhaps the furthest-reaching effect on the drink ...

The first solid proof of beer production comes from the period of the Sumerians around 4,000 BCE. During an archeological excavation in Mesopotamia, a tablet was discovered that showed villagers drinking a beverage from a bowl with straws.

Anchor Brewing (San Francisco), New Albion Brewing Co. (Sonoma) and Sierra Nevada (Chico) are credited with having kick-started the craft beer boom in the '70s and '80s.

If you have no way of measuring the temperature, though, you can keep your unopened beer in the fridge, where it will remain its best quality for up to eight months. You can also keep your unopened cans or bottles at room temperature, where they will stay the best quality for up to six months.