Drink produced by the saccharification of starch and fermentation of the resulting sugar. The starch and saccharification enzymes are often derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat. Most beer is also flavoured with hops, which add bitterness and act as a natural preservative, though other flavourings such as herbs or fruit may occasionally be included. The preparation of beer is called brewing. Beer is the world's most widely consumed alcoholic drink, and is the third-most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is said to have been discovered by goddess Ninkasi around 5300 BCE, when
Realgar wine Realgar wine Realgar wine or xionghuang wine (Chinese: , "xiónghuángjiǔ") is a Chinese alcoholic drink that consists of Chinese cereal wine ("huangjiu", "yellow wine") dosed with powdered realgar, a yellow-orange arsenic sulfide mineral (AsS). It is traditionally consumed as part of the Dragon Boat Festival at the height of summer. A pesticide and insecticide used (particularly) against mosquitoes, realgar was considered to be a universal antidote against poison by traditional Chinese medicine, which therefore advocated its use for protection against disease, snakes, and evil spirits. The Dragon Boat Festival coincides with what Chinese astronomy considers the height of summer and