A Popular Drink

Mar Yanuka and Mar Kashisha the sons of Rav Hisda said to Rav Ashi: "Amemar once visited our town. Since we didn't have wine, we brought him beer [for havdalah], but he would not recite havdalah [over it], ‘and passed the night fasting.’ (Daniel 6:19) The next day we took the trouble to find wine for him, and he then recited havdalah and ate something. The following year he again visited our town, [and] we offered him beer. He said, ‘If so, this is the wine of the country,’ [so] he recited havdalah and ate a little." This proves three things: [1] [Even] one who recites havdalah in the Amidah must recite havdalah over a cup [of wine]; [2] one must not eat until one has recited havdalah; and [3] one who did not recite havdalah at the end of Shabbat may recite havdalah any time during the week.

Rav Hisda asked Rav Huna: Is it permitted to recite kiddush over beer? Said he to him, "Seeing that I asked Rav, and Rav asked Rabbi Hiyya, and Rabbi Hiyya asked Rabbi about pirzuma, fig beverage, and asne, and he could not resolve it for him, can there be a question about [barley] beer!" Now it was understood from him: kiddush indeed may not be recited over it, yet we can recite havdalah over it. Rav Hisda said to them, "This is what Rav said: 'Just as you may not recite kiddush over it, so may you not recite havdalah over it.'" Rav Tahlifa bar Avdimi also said in Samuel's name: "Just as you may not recite kiddush over it, so may you not recite havdalah over it." Levi sent to Rabbi beer that was refined thirteen times. He found that it tasted good [and] said: "Over something like this it is fitting to recite kiddush and to say all the psalms and praises in the world." That night he had pains [and] said: "It caused me pain and gains favor!"

Rav Joseph said: "I would vow in public not to drink beer." Rava said: "I would drink flaxwater before I would drink beer." Rava also said: "One who recites kiddush over beer will only have beer to drink in the future." Rav found Rav Huna reciting kiddush over beer [and] said to him: "Abba has begun to acquire money with beer."

Our Rabbis taught: "You recite kiddush over wine only, and you say a blessing over wine only." Do we then not recite the blessing shehakol over beer and water? — Abaye said, "this is what they mean: You only say, ‘bring a cup of blessing to say Grace [after meals],’ over wine."

Our Rabbis taught: "You do not recite kiddush over beer." On the authority of Rabbi Eleazar bar Rabbi Simeon they said: "You can recite kiddush [over it]."

In a place where wine is not available some say you can make kiddush over beer and other drinks, except water. Others say you may not make kiddush [over these drinks]. According to the Rosh, on Friday evening you may not make kiddush over beer, but rather over bread, and on Saturday it is better to make kiddush over beer and say shehakol before the motzi blessing, because if you say the blessing over the bread first, there is nothing special added, and [the Rosh's] opinion is a good one.

Over Beer - And if one likes brandy, one can make kiddush over it on Saturday even in an ideal situation in our culture because [brandy] is "the wine of the country". But beware that one must use a cup that holds 3-5 ounces and drink from it a full mouth's worth which is 1.5-2.5 ounces. If there are extenuating circumstances and one can't drink a full mouths worth, and one doesn't have wine or other drinks, the other diners can collectively drink one full mouth's worth.