[legitster]

If we both went into a time machine, and had to make the choice, I think both of us would still end up drinking the small-beer over even the most pristine local water.

But regardless, this is still not a strong argument that we need to "debunk" the history as the original author is trying to do. We have written primary sources from the dawn of writing until the modern temperance movements in the 1800s that all basically say the same thing - humans in any agricultural society ended up supplying the majority of their hydration from prepared sources of water. Access to clean water was about bathing, preparing food or drink, and the occasional drink of water.

Regardless of how safe their water was or was not to drink, medieval people still ended up drinking small-beer a majority of the time if they could help it.

[willcipriano]

Im not the guy you are talking to but I drink water directly from streams now. Have done it since I was little.

I'm not a big beer guy, I'd find a moving, hopefully relatively cold water source.

I've never gotten sick from drinking water like that.