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
Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board report to the Governor and General Assembly as well as submit a wine liter and malt beverage tax collections report to the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Senate Finance Committee and the Virginia Wine Board each year. Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board is a three-person board that oversees the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The Board consists of a chairperson and two commissioners who direct all agency operations. Board members are full-time state employees appointed by the Governor of Virginia. The Board is vested with the power to control the possession, sale,