“…the fact that ancient Israel produced, consumed, and cherished wine by no means precludes beer production”

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…the fact that ancient Israel produced, consumed, and cherished wine by no means precludes beer production. Though often mistranslated as “strong drink” or “wine”, linguistic and archaeological evidence suggests that biblical šēkār is best translated as beer. Šēkār, or beer, played a large role in Israelite society. It was libated to Yahweh twice daily (Num 28:7-10), and Israelites drank it at sacrificial meals (Deut 14:26). While people who consumed beer in excess were condemned (Isa 5:11; 28:7; Prov 20:1; 31:4), its absence signified a melancholy occasion (Isa 24:9), and it was prescribed to the forlorn to temporarily erase their tribulations (Prov 31:6). Ancient Israel, like its neighbors, produced and consumed massive quantities of beer.

Michael M. Homan, “Beer and Its Drinkers: An Ancient Near Eastern Love Story”, Near Eastern Archaeology, vol. 67, no. 2 (2004), 93.

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