One of the oldest beverages created by mankind, beer has existed since around the 5th millennium BC and has been documented in ancient Egyptian texts and the civilizations of Mesopotamia. Its long existence means that the origins of beer can only be speculated upon based on archaeological evidence.
Exploring the Origins of Beer
When did beer originate?
Through natural fermentation, beer was independently invented across various civilizations around the world. Chemical testing of ancient pottery has revealed that beer (similar to wine) was produced approximately 7,000 years ago in the region of Mesopotamia, now known as Iran.
However, the term “beer” did not appear until much later. The English word “beer” is believed to derive from the Celtic word “beor”, which refers to a type of malt brewed by monks in northern Gaul.
In Mesopotamia, a 6,000-year-old painting by the Sumerians (who had a civilization in southern Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq) depicts people drinking from communal vessels with straws, considered to be the oldest evidence of beer.
The Epic of Gilgamesh (dated to around 3,900 years ago) contains the oldest known beer recipes and the production of beer from barley. This was a tribute of the Sumerians to goddess Ninkasi, the patron deity of beer. Thus, beer became essential for all grain-growing civilizations in the ancient Western world, especially in Egypt and Mesopotamia.
The Sumerians initiated the era of brewing with 20 “breweries”: 8 used Emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum), 8 breweries used barley (Gerste), and 4 others utilized a mix of grains (Getreidegemisch). The unfiltered beer was cloudy, requiring drinkers to use straws, and it was exported over 1,000 km to Egypt. The brewing industry spread to neighboring countries in the Mesopotamian region, using various grains such as barley (Hafer), corn (Mais), rye (Roggen), spelt (Dinkel), and millet (Hirsen). During the ancient Babylonian era, King Hammurabi enacted laws regulating beer production that allocated daily rations based on social class: workers received 2 liters, officials 3 liters, and religious leaders 5 liters. Beer was not sold but exchanged for barley.
In early times, beer was important to the Romans, but later, during the Roman Republic, wine became more popular. At this point, beer was considered a drink suitable for barbarians (Hannibal).
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The Thracians of the Roman Empire were also known to produce beer from rye as early as the 5th century BC. Their term for beer was brutos or brytos.
According to another story, the invention of beer is attributed to a poor patient who soaked hard bread in water to soften it for eating. However, he forgot about it for two days, allowing it to ferment into a thick porridge. He felt intoxicated after consuming it and subsequently recovered from his illness. From that moment, he began experimenting to create a formula that would aid in healing and produced beer as a divine beverage.
During the Middle Ages, monasteries became the primary beer producers, with monks documenting many early brewing techniques and adding steps to enhance flavor and improve shelf life. They often added various herbal mixtures to the beer.
By around the 9th century, hops began to be cultivated in France, providing a bitter flavor to beer and extending its shelf life. According to the oldest existing records, the use of hops in beer dates back to 1067, documented by abbess and writer Hildegard.
Illustration depicting abbess Hildegard.
In Europe during the Middle Ages, beer was primarily produced at home. By the 14th and 15th centuries, beer production gradually transitioned from household activity to artisan production, with taverns and monasteries brewing in bulk for consumption.
In the 15th century, in England, beer without hops was known as ale, while beverages using hops were simply called beer. Hoppy beer was imported into England from the Netherlands as early as 1400 in Winchester, and hops have been cultivated on this island nation since 1428.
By the 16th century, ale began to refer to any strong beer (high alcohol content), and all ales and beers included hops.
Beer Production in the 16th Century
In 1516, William IV, Duke of Bavaria, enacted the Reinheitsgebot (Beer Purity Law), which is perhaps the oldest food regulation.
Brewing in the 16th century.
The Gebot stipulated that beer ingredients could only include water, barley, hops, and yeast, which was supplemented after the discovery of Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) in 1857.
Louis Pasteur is the scientist who discovered yeast.
The Bavarian law was implemented throughout Germany as part of the unified Germany in 1871 under Otto von Bismarck, and has since been updated to reflect modern trends in brewing. To this day, the Gebot is still regarded as the standard for beer purity, although it may be controversial.
Ale beer.
Most types of beer until recently were essentially what we now refer to as ale.
Lager beer was discovered accidentally in the 16th century when beer was stored in cool cellars for an extended period, leading to its production surpassing that of ale.
Breakthroughs in Production
“With the invention of the steam engine in 1765, the industrialization of beer production became a reality. New brewing technology innovations emerged alongside the development of thermometers and hydrometers in the 19th century, allowing brewers to enhance efficiency and control alcohol content.
By the late 18th century, malt was primarily dried using wood, charcoal, and rice husks, and after 1600, coke. Generally, none of these malts were well-protected from smoke produced in the kilns, resulting in beers of that era having a slight smoky flavor.
The invention of the drum roaster in 1817 by Daniel Wheeler enabled the production of thoroughly roasted malt and laid the groundwork for the production of dark beers (porter and stout). The discovery of the role of yeast in fermentation by Louis Pasteur in 1857 helped brewers prevent sour flavors caused by unwanted microorganisms.”
On October 4, 1842, in the St. Martin market in Pilsen, Josef Groll introduced a beer that changed the global perception of beer: a golden, slightly dark, and highly aromatic beer with remarkable clarity.
News of this special beer from Pilsen quickly spread throughout Bohemia. The new railway and Pilsner beer became favorites among German and French tourists, establishing the global allure of this famous Pilsen beer.
However, success often breeds competition. The original golden lager beer created by Josef Groll quickly led to a proliferation of imitation beers, many of which claim to be Pils, Pilsen, or Pilsner beers, regardless of whether they originate from the Pilsen region. In fact, Pilsner has become a generic term worldwide for any bottom-fermented golden beer.
In 1953, Morton W. Coutts, a New Zealander, developed the continuous fermentation technique. Morton patented his technology, which revolutionized the brewing industry by reducing the fermentation and beer production time from the previous four months to less than 24 hours. His technology is still utilized by many of the largest breweries in the world today.
Today, beer has become immensely popular, with the brewing industry thriving. The variety of beer has expanded significantly in terms of styles and types, making it one of the most favored beverages globally.
