In the medieval era alcoholic drinks were widely consumed because the available water was usually not safe to drink. This was especially a problem in the relatively crowded urban areas where the fresh water supply was contaminated with human and animal waste. In North Europe people may have consumed as much as a gallon of beer per day. Wine was also very popular but for the most part it was dilluted heavily with water. At this time chlorine or iodine treatment was not available so we need to keep this in a proper perspective.