Waves of migration from Anatolia and the Zagros Mountains (modern Turkey and Iran) entered the Levant during the early Chalcolithic period – as proved by skeleton DNA of burials in Upper Galilee. The Chalcolithic began between 6 and 7,000 years ago. The Chalcolithic marks a change in culture in the Levant (and in various other localities too). The press release is at https://phys.org/print453982894.html.
Aboriginal use of alcohol is the next story – at https://phys.org/print453980758.html … although Europeans introduced the devil in the drink to the Aborigines, bringing with them not only imported spirits and wines but the art of brewing and the heavy drinking sessions that came with it, there is emerging evidence the Aborigines may themselves have been aware of fermentation processes and even dabbled in alcohol, long before the coming of Europeans. This is in keeping with various other cultures around the world – although sometimes the alcohol was restricted to ceremonial events. The eucalyptus gum tree was tapped to allow sap, resembling maple syrup, to collect in hollows or containers where it was left to be invaded by ever present yeasts in the air, turning the sweet liquid into alcohol.