As the summer solstice bonfires light up the shortest night of the year, you may hear strains of this Latvian folksong: "Drink, brother, a mug of beer, So that rye and barley may grow..."!

As the solstice rituals are repeated every year, the beer mug, one of the symbols of the festivities is never forgotten. After water and tea, beer is the third most popular beverage in the world. The builders of the Egyptian pyramids were given three vessels of beer per day. The Latvian peasants working at the local German estate likewise earned 1.2 litres of beer a day.

The Bank of Latvia issued a one-lats coin in the year 2011 celebrating the most favourite alchoholic beverage. The coin was created by the artist Juris Dimiters and minted by the Dutch Mint. The reverse of the new lats coin depicts a cup of beer. The obverse below the coat of arms of Latvia shows the year of minting of the new coin - 2011.

Image Courtesy: delfi.lv