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History of Beer
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The History of Beer More people drink beer than know many of the
particulars about the history of beer. But, the history of beer is actually quite fascinating. Its origins go back as far as
recorded history, where it is mentioned in writing on a slate dated to be from the sixth millennium before Christ. Beer has
always been a part of every culture and historians seem to agree that beer was probably developed independently in several
different cultures, beginning with the origins of civilization in Mesopotamia and Egypt. The first chemical evidence of beer
has been dated as coming from the time 3500-3100 B.C., and it was found in Iran. In Europe, beer also has a history that goes
back to 3000 years before Christ. At first, beer was produced for domestic use, but by the 600s A.D., beer was being exported
by monasteries in Europe. During the Middle Ages in Europe, beer was consumed with just about every meal. Amazingly enough,
in England during this time period, the amount of beer consumed averaged over sixty gallons per individual each year. In the
thirteenth century, Germany was able to make hopped beer and for the first time began to export it in barrels in great
quantities. Hops made beer last longer but when theitr content was ordered by law in England and other countries in the
1300s, it was meant with fierce opposition by those who thought the bitterness distorted the taste of beer. Hops are still
used today to give beer its distinctive flavoring. It is the female cones of the hop plant that are used in beer-making. In
medieval times, beer was mostly brewed in home operations, but by the fifteenth century, small commercial breweries started
to appear. The English continued to have beer without hops which was called ale. The name, beer, only applied to recipes with
hops. One hundred years later, that all changed when in the sixteenth century ales and beers were both made with hops. Then
the word, ale, was used to refer to beers that were extra strong. A Bavarian law was adopted in 1516 that was very important
in beer history. This was called the first purity law and it ordered the only ingredients in beer could be water, barley and
hops. Yeast was added when discovered in the 1850s. The Industrial Revolution changed everything about beer-making. The
hydrometer (1770) and thermometer (1760) were both invented and revolutionized the process of beer-making. Pale malt became
the primary malt used because it increased yields. Today’s beer, especially in America, is the result of a major
consolidation of beer companies after World War II. A few large companies took over all the smaller ones and one company
would brew all types of beer, from mild and pale ales to lagers, wheat and darker beers. In the 1980s, microbreweries
started to return with many regions starting to once again produce local beers. The brewing industry is one which seems
impervious to ups and downs in the economy. The demand for beer has remained strong literally since the beginning of time,
and shows no signs of waning in the twenty-first century.
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