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Plato once said that the man who invented beer must have been a wise one, but he was wrong. It wasn't a man—it was women. Wise, ingenious, and with an intuition that would forever change the course of human history. Over 7,000 years ago, in fertile Mesopotamia, a group of women accidentally discovered that cereal grains mixed with water and left out in the sun didn’t just become edible but fermented, turning into a thick, nutritious, and intoxicating liquid. It was a revolutionary discovery—one that not only satisfied hunger but also lifted the spirit.

Soon, these women perfected their creation. With patience and wisdom, they developed fermentation techniques, experimented with herbs and spices, and became the first brewers in history. In Sumeria, the goddess Ninkasi was worshipped as the patroness of beer, a divine recognition of the importance of the women who made and sold it. For centuries, brewing was their exclusive domain. In Ancient Egypt, women were responsible for its production and distribution, considering it a gift from the gods.

The great shift came during the Middle Ages. The abbess Hildegard of Bingen, a woman ahead of her time, experimented with hops and discovered that not only did it add a delightful bitterness to beer, but it also preserved it for longer. Her discovery forever transformed brewing. A theologian, writer, botanist, and visionary, Hildegard left an indelible mark on beer history. However, with industrialization and the male monopolization of the trade, women's role in brewing was erased. What was once their legacy became a male-dominated industry. But history doesn’t fade so easily. Today, more and more women are reclaiming their place in the world of beer. They’re becoming brewmasters, brewery owners, and experts in the art of tasting. With each sip of craft beer, with every innovative new recipe, they’re asserting what has always been theirs. Because beer was never just a man’s domain—it was, is, and always will be a legacy of women.