A Quick History Of Beer Brewing

The First References To Beer

Records have shown that the Chinese were among the earliest people to have brewed beer. Others include the Middle Eastern Civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia, Babylon, Egypt, Greek and Roman empires.

Contrary to what we would have thought, beer brewing in ancient times was very much considered an esteemed profession. Also, the master brewers were women rather than men.

The Ancient Egyptians

For the ancient Egyptians, beer was already considered an important daily food item. People would gather in the evenings to drink together, and beer was consumed by royalty, nobilities and peasants alike. Besides being a drink, the ancient Egyptians also used beer as medicine.

The ancient Egyptians accord much respect to their dead. As such, they even provided their dead with offerings of beer. Beer also accord status to the people. During festivities and ceremonies such as marriages, beer is one item that is perceived as an appropriate gift.

The Greeks And The Romans

The ancient Greeks learned the skill of beer brewing from the Egyptians. In return the Greeks taught the Romans to brew beer. Julius Caesar, the infamous Roman Emperor, apparently toasted his officers with beer after their crossing of the River Rubicon. It was from the Romans that the art of beer brewing reached the shores of Britain.

The Early Christians

It is widely accepted that beer brewing reached its finesse during the time of the Christian era. Monks often built breweries to complement their lucrative lodging businesses that provide food, drink and shelter to other pilgrims and traveling merchants.

These very same monks started improving the quality of beer, perhaps because of the business competition from monks of other monasteries that also provide accommodation services to weary travelers.

The Medieval Times

It is interesting to note that during this era, a chequered flag was used to indicate a place where beer could be purchased. This was because the majority of the people then were illiterate and so, a chequered flag would be more apt than a written sign to “advertise” the beer business.

Modern Day
It was not until the mid-16^th century that beer brewing took on more of a commercial role. Prior to that, beer brewing was just mainly conducted as a small family business.

Beer brewing truly has come a long way. Today, beer is being enjoyed throughout the world. There are numerous brands around, and needless to say, every country took pride in having their own national beer.