National Geographic | THE COMPASS

National Geographic

THE COMPASS

This week, we dive into the world of beer, wine, and spirits. Discover how hallucinogenic booze fueled politics in ancient Peru, learn how mezcal is more popular than ever and why that’s bad news for bats, and journey into Armagnac, home of the world’s oldest brandy.

The Wari, who ruled much of coastal Peru between A.D 600-1000, drank a beer-like beverage known as chicha from these colorful vessels.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KENNETH GARRETT, MUSEO NACIONAL DE ARQUELOGIA ANTROPOLOGIA E HISTORIA PERU

Did hallucinogenic booze fuel politics in ancient Peru?

A discovery in a 1,100-year-old Wari outpost suggests that powerful, communal intoxicants may have helped foster alliances.

KEY TO POLITICAL POWER?

The lesser long-nosed bat, a crucial pollinator for desert ecosystems, is one of only three bat species in North America that feed on nectar.

PHOTOGRAPH BY TOM VEZO, MINDEN PICTURES

Mezcal is more popular than ever—why that’s bad news for bats

As consumption of the drink hits record levels in the U.S., wild agave plants are dwindling—but conservationists say there's a solution.

A HUNDRED YEARS OF OVERUSE

GOOD READS

1.

Women campaigned for Prohibition—then many changed their minds

2.

How to brew a greener beer

3.

Sweet success: how Louisville's bourbon scene is bouncing back in 2023

4.

How absinthe made a comeback in its Alpine homeland—after a century-long ban

Get a sense of what's on locals' everyday menus — hot dogs topped with sauerkraut, oozy gouda paninis — at Oxbow Public Market, the food hall in Napa city.

PHOTOGRAPH BY RYAN LAHIFF

Napa beyond the vineyards: innovative local restaurants and gutsy craft beer

It may be synonymous with vineyards and bold Cabernet Sauvignon, but dig deeper and you'll find experimental menus rich in local produce and a gutsy craft beer movement that prove there's more to the region than grapes.

WHICH OF THESE COUNTRIES HAS THE MOST CASTLES IN EUROPE?

A. WALES
B. GERMANY
C. SPAIN

CLICK TO SEE IF YOU'RE RIGHT!

Taverns and public houses at ports of call throughout the Atlantic were frequented by pirates and locals alike.

ILLUSTRATION VIA PICTURES NOW, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Where did pirates spend their booty?

The cash flowed—and so did the drinks—at taverns across the Caribbean during the golden age of piracy. But these watering holes weren’t just for getting drunk.

A PROPENSITY FOR DRUNKENNESS

The Armagnac region drifts through three French departments like a cloud of mist.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK PARREN TAYLOR

Photo story: a journey into Armagnac, home of the world’s oldest brandy

This historic region of southwest France is characterised by rolling vineyards and attractive villages, as well as the spirit that shares its name.

THE WORLD'S OLDEST BRANDY

WHAT WILL WE EXPLORE NEXT?

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