Humans have deliberately produced and consumed ethanol (EtOH, hereafter alcohol) for 10,000 to 12,000 years (Dietrich et al., 2012). The original motivations for producing alcohol were probably quite varied and could have included the need for clean sources of hydration, a mechanism to bring individuals together for cultural festivals, and a form of payment for laborers (Dietrich et al., 2012). Although moderate alcohol consumption is associated with some health benefits (Spanagel, 2009), heavy consumption of alcohol contributes to a number of serious diseases and other societal problems that together lead to >5% of the global burden of disease and almost 6% of all deaths worldwide (WHO, 2014).
