Beer Facts
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- When was beer first developed?
- A Beer-Drinker's Odyssey Begins on the River Vltava" The world was astounded in 1913 when it was discovered that as many as 19 types of beer were brewed in Mesopotamia 5,000 years ago. It is fitting that the archaeologist who first deciphered the Sumerian
- When did brewing end in Egypt?
- The Islamic invasion of the 8th century ended the practices of brewing in Egypt--the Koran forbade the use of alcohol. But, word was out. The Phoenicians had taken grains and brewing techniques to other countries, and brewing continued in Bohemia, Bavaria
- What are the categories of beer styles?
- There are two basic categories of beer styles: top-fermenting beer and bottom-fermenting beer. Generally speaking, top-fermenting beers (also called ales) are more complex with fruity characteristics, and bottom-fermenting beers (also called lagers) posse
- How does serving temperatures effect the way that a beer tastes?
- In the United States, most beer is served as chilled as possible. However, extreme cold temperatures are not always best for serving beer. Knowing the proper temperature at which to experience certain varieties of beer will further assist you in finding a
- If have heard that the Czech's are the number one beer brewing country in the world, is this true?
- Beer was brewed in the earliest Czech civilizations (there is evidence that hops were already being cultivated here in 859 and were being exported in 903 - the first written documentation referring to brewing dates from 1088), and even British beer author
- Did the Egyptians brew beer?
- The Egyptians used all malted grain and produced only dark beers. Certain plants (such as mandrake) and salt were added. Brewing in this ancient culture was not a sideline, but a major industry; pharaohs gave their favorite subjects tens of thousands of l
- I have heard that monks had a big part in brewing beer?
- Beer making was big business for the monasteries for centuries. Monastic brewhouses were generally located near moving bodies of water, where grain mills were set up powered by the water. Many old type brewhouses from the 13th and 14th centuries were stil
- What grains were early beers brewed from?
- The two main grains used by ancient peoples in brewing and baking were barley and a kind of wheat known as "emmer". The original first beers made from raw grain were very low in alcohol, using the small amount of natural sugars available in the grain. Som
- When did monastic brewing decline?
- Monastic brewing thrived until Henry VIII destroyed the monasteries of England, in his contempt for the Roman Catholic Church. The beginning of the decline of the monastic breweries was the beginning of the rise of commercial brewers. Utilizing hops in be
- What benefits do hops have in beer?
- Hops have a natural, anti-bacterial effect, and allow beer to be stored longer or be transported over long distances without souring or spoiling.
- What is the origin of adding hops to beer?
- Today all modern beer is made with the addition of hops. In early Europe, a small commercial brewing movement started and spread, basically based on inns and taverns where the owners brewed. These brewers soon found a major competitor - the Christian chur
- What is the European history of beer?
- Brewing was originally in the domain of the woman of the house--as was bread-making, which utilized the same ingredients. A good ale wife was held in high esteem. Men often married, not based on a woman's good looks or dowry, but on her ability to brew go
- What did the Nordic peoples call their beer?
- Nordic peoples called their beer ol or ealu, from which comes the term "ale".
- When did hops first get added to beer?
- In the early 1500's, Flemish traders brought the hop to England, where some brewers welcomed it, and some condemned it as "causing unhealthy conditions in the body". Eventually brewers realized the benefits to storage and flavor that hops provided, and no
- What are coopers?
- Coopers" The skill of brewers came to exceed that of winemakers
- What was the Saxon term for beer?
- Another Saxon term for beer was woet, which survives today as wort, the sweet malt liquid that is fermented into beer. For centuries, ale meant a fermented barley-water flavored with herbs, spices and other plants--but not hops. Beer, from the German word
- What is Cooperage?
- Cooperage - making storage casks out of wood - allowed brewers to store their beer in large, air tight containers. In 21 AD, Greeks and Romans noted seeing wooden "pithoi" in northern Europe, during a time when they were still putting their wine in clay v