Beer brewing has dated back to 6,000 BC, when a Babylonian tablet was found with an engraved beer recipe. Other engraved stone tablets were found in buried ancient Sumerians and Mesopotamians ruins, which illustrated recipes and beer being drank with a long gold straw.
Beer was originally brewed using grain and water, before they could make bread. The main ingredients for the wort were barley, grain, water, rosemary and thyme, which were all rich with carbohydrates and protein. This made beer one of the best sources of nutrition at the time.
In 1,600 BC Egyptians were found to have considered beer a form of medicine, listing it as a cure to many ailments. It was also used as another form of currency and considered a sign of affection. When a man offered a glass of beer to a woman he was asking to be betrothed.
Throughout the Roman Empire evidence of beer has been found, especially in with the Nobles. Even Julius Caesar was known for his drinking prowess, often toasting his army after their victories.
Jumping ahead, in the 600 AD a famous Austrian, “Arnold, Bishop of Metz,” warned his church away from drinking water because of its frequent contamination. Instead he told them to drink beer, promoting its nutrition and taste. He was also known for the quote he closed all of his sermons with, “From man’s swear and God’s love, beer came into the world.” Arnold Is now known as the Patron Saint of Brewers.
Throughout the Middle Ages beer was used as a form of currency, accepted by any merchant or even as tax payment. In 1200 AD Germany, England and Austria had become very invested in beer and were engrossing large benefits. In 1489 there were so many people worker for the industry the first brewing guild was established, the Brauerei Beck. It is also during this time that the people discovered the art of using hops to brew beer. In fact, in 1516, the Duke of Bavaria Wilhelm IV passed a law that made it illegal to brew beer using anything other than water, barley and hops.
In the 16th century beer was considered sacred to European monks. While being raised they were taught to defend the art of making beer, and put hours of study into perfecting the art and flavor.
When Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas the Indians were already brewing beer using corn and black birch sap. Shortly after, in 1786 Samuel Adams began brewing beer in the New World. And in 1870 Budweiser became the first nationally produced brand of beer. Pabst was established shortly after, and was actually more popular and productive than Budweiser! By the 1990s the United States was producing more beer than any other country.
By the 18th century all breweries were using hops to brew their beer. The last great advancement in the art was in 1876. Louis Pasteur published “Etudes Sur La Biere”, revealing that yeast is a living microorganism and its sugar can ferment into alcohol. From this discovery yeast became the primary ingredient in beer brewing.
The last notable event in the history of beer brewing occurred in 1914, when World War I began. It was decreed in 1920 that the consumption, production or importation of beer into the United States was illegal. The prohibition caused most breweries into shutting down, until it ended in 1933. The number of breweries today is estimated around 2,500!
