The history of beer - from ancient times to the modern day

Beer is a beverage with a fascinating history that stretches all the way back to ancient times. In fact, it is one of the oldest drinks known to have been produced by humans, dating back to at least the fifth millennium BCE.

These days, beer is used for more than drinking. It can be incorporated into all sorts of dishes - from rich, savory stews to sweet tarts and pies - that can add an exciting element to any menu.

Modern-day consumers certainly have an enormous array of beers to choose from, thanks to the evolution and change the beverage has experienced over the centuries.

Beer in ancient times

The process that would be recognized today as beer brewing is thought to have originated in Mesopotamia, a historical region of western Asia corresponding to the modern-day Middle East, sometime between 3500 and 3100 BCE. There is evidence of beer production during this time period, but it’s possible the practice could have started even earlier.

Consumption of beer became highly popular in Mesopotamia, with paintings, poems and stories giving accounts of human beings and their gods enjoying brews made from fermented fruit or bread.

Beer was also embraced in the culture of ancient Egypt. The civilization even had a goddess of beer, Tenenit, and the most popular variety was ‘Heqet’, a honey-flavored brew that was more likely to have the consistency of porridge than a liquid.

Medieval times
Having proven just as popular in ancient Greece and Rome as it did in Egypt and Mesopotamia, beer was one of the most common drinks in regular consumption by the time the Middle Ages arrived.

In northern and eastern regions of Europe, it was imbibed on a daily basis by people belonging to all social classes. It was particularly popular among the lower classes, and in areas where grape cultivation and wine production was difficult.

Hops have been used to flavor beer since at least the ninth century, but before that, mixes of various herbs were used. Hops soon became the favored option because of their preserving properties, which meant beer could be kept for longer and exported.

Medieval towns in Bohemia perfected the process of brewing hopped beer in the 13th century, and production soon began to increase in scale and spread to places like Holland, Flanders and England.

The manufacture and sale of beer steadily increased over the following centuries, and when the Industrial Revolution began in the 18th century, the beer industry reached new heights. Innovations such as the thermometer and the hydrometer had a transformative impact on how beer was brewed.

The modern era

These days, of course, many countries around the world have become accustomed to beer being a common and popular aspect of everyday life.

Statistics show that global beer production reached 1.95 billion hectoliters (a hectoliter being equal to 100 liters) in 2017, up from 1.3 billion hectoliters in 1998.

Many countries all over the world have proud brewing traditions that date back centuries, with nations like Belgium, Germany, Ireland and the UK building up particularly strong beer cultures.

There has been so much diversification of the beverage in modern times that dining establishments now have a wide range of options to incorporate beer into their menus, and not just as a drink.

There are all sorts of ways beer can be used to add something fresh and different to various dishes. The carbonated element of the drink means it works particularly well in batter, creating a crisp, airy texture that goes beautifully with fish, onion rings, calamari or tempura.

It can also be combined with ingredients such as treacle, ketchup and mustard for a mouth-watering marinade for ribs, or as a glaze for barbecued fish.

Beer can also be an excellent addition to baked dishes, ranging from sponge cakes to hearty beef and ale pies.

Given the wide range of possibilities for incorporating beer into restaurant menus, it’s quite possible that innovative cooking could be one of the most exciting chapters in the proud, fascinating history of this great beverage.
 
Skip to main content