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, Teutons, 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 BCE. 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!
