About the Title

It is now generally believed that, whereas Benjamin Franklin made many great observations, he did not actually say that “beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” It seems that he did write, in a 1779 letter to the French economist André Morellet: “Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards, there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine, a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.” I am sure he had beer in his heart of hearts, though.