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A Brief History of Beer
The origins of beer are older than recorded history,
extending into the mythology of ancient
civilizations. Beer, the oldest alcohol beverage,
was discovered
independently by most ancient cultures - the
Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Hebrews,
Africans, Chinese, Incas, Tautens, Saxons and the
various wandering tribes
that were found in Eurasia. These ancient peoples
have left records to indicate they not only enjoyed
their beer, but considered brewing to be a serious
and important
job.
In recorded history, Babylonian clay tablets more
than 6,000 years old depict the brewing of beer and
give detailed recipes. An extract from an ancient
Chinese manuscript states that beer, or kiu as it
was called, was known to the Chinese as early as the
23rd century BC. Beer was enjoyed by ancient peoples
at all
levels of society. Of course, some drank with more
style than others. For example, the University of
Pennsylvania Museum displays a golden straw used by
Queen
Shubad of Mesopotamia for sipping beer.
With the rise of commerce and the growth of cities
during the Middle Ages, brewing became more than a
household activity. Municipal brew houses were
established, which eventually led to the formation
of the brewing guilds. Commercial brewing on a
significantly larger scale began around the 12th
century in Germany.
Although native Americans had developed a form of
beer, Europeans brought their own version with them
to the New World. Beer enjoys the distinction of
having come over on the Mayflower and, in fact,
seems to have played a part in the Pilgrims decision
to land at Plymouth Rock instead of farther south,
as intended.
A journal kept by one of the passengers - now in the
Library of Congress - states, in an entry from 1620,
that the Mayflower landed at Plymouth because We
could
not now take time for further search or
consideration, our victuals being much spent,
especially our beer...
The first commercial brewery in America was founded
in New Amsterdam (New York) in 1623. Many patriots
owned their own breweries, among them
Samuel Adams and William Penn. Thomas Jefferson was
also interested in brewing and made beer at
Monticello. George Washington even had his own brew
house
on the grounds of Mount Vernon, and his handwritten
recipe for beer dated 1757 and taken from his diary
- is still preserved! |
