The history of beer is fascinating. We don’t know how people first first came to make beer. An accident probably wet some grain. The grain then fermented from yeast in the environment. When humans discovered the effects of drinking the resulting liquid, they replicated what had happened accidentally. Nor does anyone know when or where […]

The history of beer in the 20th century saw many changes. Laws, technology, scientific advancement, business organization, and many other changes occurred. They influenced brewing techniques, brewery size, drinking tastes, and consumption patterns. These changes continue today in the expansion of home brewing, microbreweries, and brew pubs. 1901   •The U.S. tax on a barrel […]

The history of beer in the 19th century was one of innovation. The introduction of thermometers and hydrometers led to major improvements in the brewing process. The modern era of brewing began in the late 1800’s with commercial refrigeration, automatic bottling, pasteurization, and railroad distribution. 1805 Hops first cultivated in Australia. 1810 • Munich established […]

The history of beer in the 17th century was one of modest change. Improved transportation meant that beer could be shipped to as far as the New World. There were also both legal changes and technical innovations. 17th Century Beer brewing was one of the earliest industries in colonial North America. Cultivation of hops began […]

The history of beer in the 16th century was one of very high consumption by today’s standards. It was also a period of increased regulation. The goal of such regulations was to ensure purity of beer, income of workers, fire safety, and high tax revenues. It wasn’t to reduce consumption. 16th Century In Coventry, the […]

The history of beer in the 15th century was a period of slow change. But there were efforts to ensure the quality of beer and ale. 15th Century •Mothers brewed ale for their children. •Commercial breweries were established in Switzerland. 1420 German brewers developed the lager method of brewing. Germans liked cold temperature lagers (bottom-fermented). […]

The history of beer in early Christianity was closely tied to the influence of the Church. The Church saw alcoholic beverages as good gifts from God. After the fall of Rome, it was Church monasteries that maintained knowledge of good brewing practices. With the Renaissance came geographic discoveries and the beginnings of science. Change was […]

The the origins of brewing were obscured long before recorded history. For the very earliest period we must use fragmentary physical evidence. Fortunately, writing provides much more information about later periods in the history of beer before Christianity began. Beer Before Christianity Cir. 10000 BCE1 Discovery of late Stone Age beer jugs demonstrates that intentionally […]