Here were also wheat, barley, and beans, and barleywine in large bowls. Floating on the top of this drink were the barley-grains.
— Xenophon, Anabasis
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Wort preparation, the third essential step in making beer, is the central feature that distinguishes beer from other fermented beverages. To make wine, you crush grapes. To make cider, you crush apples. To make mead, you dissolve honey in water. And to make beer, you prepare wort.