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Unlike today, the ancient Egyptians did not possess a variety of different types of alcohol, with only wine and beer being available because the distillation process was yet to be discovered. Wine, known in the ancient Egyptian language as <i>irep</i> was most commonly produced from fermented grapes, but wine made from palms and dates were also consumed. The process was extremely simple and not very different than methods used today to make wine: the grapes or dates were pressed in a container and then the liquid was bottled into vases. The final product had varying degrees of alcoholic content and could be either white or red wine. Although the process was easier than making beer, the fruits needed to make wine were less plentiful and therefore wine became the alcoholic beverage most consumed by nobles. <ref> Lucas, A. and J.R. Harris. <i>Ancient Egyptian Materials and Industries.</i> (Mineola, New York: Dover, 1999), p. 16</ref>
Besides wine, the other alcoholic drink that the Egyptians produced was beer, which they referred to by the ancient Egyptian word <i>henqet</i>. Modern scholars believe that the ancient version of Egyptian beer was probably very similar to the modern Nubian beer known as <i>bouza</i> in its taste, alcoholic content, and ingredients. <i>Bouza</i> is a wheat beer that ranges from 6.2% to 8.1% alcohol content, which can be modified to create different varieties. <ref> Lucas and Harris, pgs. 11-12</ref> Similar to wine, the Egyptians documented their beer making methods in a number of tombs during the New Kingdom (ca. 1550-1075 BC). Since beer is made from fermented wheat and other grains, the ever industrious Egyptians would often make bread and beer at the same time and location. <ref> Lucas and Harris, pg. 13</ref>
===Alcohol for Leisure and Sustenance===
