Eric Zuelow interviewed by The Why Files for story on early alcohol

Eric Zuelow, Ph.D., assistant professor of history, was quoted in a feature for The Why Files, a leading science website that focuses on the "science behind the news," for a story published Dec.24, 2010 on the history of alcohol. Zuelow explained that the earliest written evidence for brewing is the Epic of Gilgamesh, an epic that "dates to about 3400 BC to 2200 BC. It's the oldest story we've got, and it has clear reference to beer, and the copious consumption of it." Zuelow is currently researching the rise and fall of local pubs in England and is planning to teach a small readings-based seminar on "Drink" (covering tea, coffee, and alcohol) in fall 2010. His most recent book is Making Ireland Irish: Tourism and National Identity since the Irish Civil War.