Beer is a popular and familiar drink to many people, but not everyone knows the origin of beer, the development process and the wonderful applications in life that beer brings. Let’s explore now.
Origin of Beer
Beer is one of the oldest human beverages. When grains were first grown for food thousands of years ago, dating back to at least the 5th millennium BC and recorded in the ancient texts of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. There are also many interesting stories surrounding it. It is said that by chance, when the rice grains were wet and fermented, this process created a very delicious drink. From there the first beer was discovered.
However, thanks to chemical testing of ancient ceramic pots, it was discovered that beer was invented independently among civilizations around the world. And similar to wine, beer was produced around 7,000 years BC in Mesopotamia, present-day Iran.
A 6,000-year-old painting by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia is believed to be the oldest evidence of beer, as it depicts people drinking a drink from a barrel. There are even some surviving barley beer recipes in the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh (3,900 years old). It can be seen that in the ancient Western world, especially in Egypt and Mesopotamia, beer became essential.
There is an interesting origin of beer, the story goes that beer was invented by a poor patient who once accidentally put hard bread in a glass of water to soften it to eat, but he forgot it until a few days later. . At that time, the bread fermented in the cup. Because he was so hungry, he still tried to eat it and felt ecstatic because of the yeast. A few days later, he was cured. Realizing the miracle that this drink brings, he persistently experimented with the desire to create a cure to help the medical industry.
However, due to its long existence, the origin of beer may just be oral stories or guesses based on archaeological traces.
History of Beer’s development
The Sumeria people cannot ignore the beginning of the age of beer, they have up to 20 beer manufacturers. At that time, because it was not filtered, the beer was cloudy, so when drinking it, you had to use a straw. Gradually the brewing industry spread to neighboring countries in Mesopotamia. In the ancient Babylonian dynasty, King Hammurabi had a law that produced beer that was distributed to everyone as a meal and could not be sold but only exchanged for barley.
During the Roman Republic, beer once loved by the Romans was rejected and suitable only for barbarians (Hanibal), when wine appeared and became more popular. You may not know, but in the Middle Ages, monasteries were considered the leading beer producers. When brewing, monks often used many different herbs in beer to improve the flavor and help preserve it for a long time. than.
Hops began to be grown and exploited in France in the 9th century. This type of flower when preparing beer will create a bitter taste and preserve the flavor longer. Since the Middle Ages in Europe, beer was often produced in households. Gradually around the 14th and 15th centuries, household beer production shifted to craft activities.
In England in the 15th century, beer that did not contain hops was often called ale, beer that contained hops was called “beer” in English. By the 16th century, high-strength beers and beers using hops were called ales.
William IV, Duke of Bavaria, passed the Reinheitsgebot (Purity Law) in 1516. Before 1857, the Reinheitsgebot stipulated that the ingredients of beer included only water, barley and hops. In 1857, beer yeast was added after the discovery of Louis Pasteur (1822-1895).
Later, the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot was adopted throughout Germany and to this day, Reinheitsgebot is still considered the standard of purity for beer, although there is still much controversy surrounding it. By the 16th century, By chance, when beer was stored in a cold cellar for a long time, lager beer (cold beer) was discovered and produced more than ale.
At the end of the 19th century, during the industrial revolutions, small-scale beer production was no longer significant and was transferred from craft to industry. At the same time, the birth and development of hydrometers and thermometers also changed beer making. Today, beer has become the most popular drink in the world, the beer industry has developed rapidly, it has become a global business.
Types of beer
Beer is becoming more and more diverse in form and type. Beer is different, each type has its own flavor and characteristics.
Ale: This is a type of beer produced by floating fermentation, and it is usually fermented at a higher temperature than lager beer (15-23°C, 60-75°F).
Lager beer: This is the most consumed beer in the world. Lager originates from Central Europe, lager beer yeast is a type of submerged fermentation.
Natural fermentation: To make this beer, people often use wild yeast instead of cultured yeast.
Mixed beer: Also known as hybrid beer, a beer with a blend of both ale and lager.
Application of beer
In addition to its use as a drink used for refreshment and entertainment at parties. Beer also has many other applications that you may not know, including helping restore damaged hair, smoothing skin, cooking spices, skin masks… especially when combined with other ingredients to mix cocktails. Some popular cocktails are made from beer such as Black velvet, Hangman’s Blood, Beer Margarita, Caipbeerinha, Raspberry Beer Cocktail…
It can be seen that the origin of beer, the process of development and application of beer have changed dramatically, the beer industry has also made important and positive contributions to the economies of countries. In the future, the beer industry is sure that there will be many new innovations. If you love and are passionate about this attractive and most popular drink in the world, don’t be afraid to explore and share it with everyone. .
