Drink to Ninkasi", a prayer to the Mesopotamian goddess of beer, served as both a prayer and as a method of remembering the recipe for beer in a culture with few literate people. Today, the brewing industry is a global business, consisting of several dominant multinational companies and many thousands of smaller producers ranging from brewpubs to regional breweries. Cider is a fermented alcoholic drink made from fruit juice, most commonly and traditionally apple juice, but also the juice of peaches, pears ("Perry" cider) or other fruit. Cider may be made from any variety of apple, but certain cultivars grown solely
Alcoholic beverage industry in Europe Alcoholic beverage industry in Europe The alcoholic beverage industry in Europe is the source of a quarter of the world’s alcohol and over half of the world's wine production. Trade is even more centered on Europe, with 70% of alcohol exports and just under half of the world's imports involving the European Union (EU). Although the majority of this trade is between EU countries, the trade in alcohol contributes around 9 billion euros to the goods account balance for the EU as a whole. At least 1 in 6 tourists returns from trips abroad with alcoholic drinks, carrying an average