TODAY is International Beer Day.

In honour of this joyous occasion, which fittingly falls a day after Dry July ends, here are 10 awesome facts about beer.

The oldest beer ad was found on a clay tablet, dated 4000BC

It was adorned with an ample-bosomed woman holding two golden goblets and inscribed with the caption, “Drink Elba Beer — the beer with the heart of a lion!”

Never clink glasses when drinking in Hungary.

Instead make eye contact, raise your glass up to eye level and say ‘Egeszsegere!’ (Hungarian for ‘Cheers!’)

Cenosillicaphobia is the fear of an empty beer glass

The first recorded drink driving incident was in 2000BC

In ancient Egypt, an inebriated charioteer was apprehended after running down a vestal virgin of the goddess Hathor. The culprit was crucified on the door of the tavern that sold him the beer and his corpse allowed to hang there until scavengers reduced it to bones.

Beer and marijuana are cousins. The hops used in beer are in the same family of flowering plants as cannabis.

Zythology is the study of beer and beer-making, including the role particular ingredients play in the brewing process.

When drinking beer in Spain, non-verbal rituals must be respected

One example is rubbing the bottom of your glass in a circular motion on the bar or table and banging it down. This takes place between saying ‘Salud’ (‘Cheers’ in Spanish) and having your first sip.

Egyptian pyramid workers were paid with beer. They received 4L a day as payment.

In the middle ages, beer was consumer more than water, as the alcohol made it safer.

At any given time, 0.7 per cent of the world is drunk. So that means 50 million people are drunk right now.

The strongest beer in the world has a 67.5 per cent alcohol content.