In Bible times, the only known practical way to preserve fruit and grain juices was to let the juice ferment. The resulting alcohol would then preserve the juice for many years, if needed. When it was ready to be served, most people mixed the fermented juice about one to three with water. The resulting drink had such low levels of alcohol that it was rare that intoxication occurred. (A person would have to drink a gallon or more to get intoxicated.) But when unscrupulous men wanted a good time, the juice (wine) was not mixed with water.

With the discovery of canning methods and refrigeration, preserving fruit juices by fermentation is no longer needed in our society, and the antique method of preservation by fermentation would have passed into oblivion (like many other primitive skills have, such as using cow horns to make combs and spoons) were it not for the fact that men like to get drunk.

If making a comb from a cow horn would get men high or drunk, you can be sure that it would be a common practice still today! I repeat, the only reason preservation of fruit juices by fermentation has survived in modern society is because of the desire for intoxication! We now have good reason to banish alcoholic drinks from our churches, since alcohol is no longer needed to preserve fruit juices. ~

That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. Ph. 1:10