Beer most likely first came about by accident.
Twelve thousand years ago, in an area known as the Fertile Crescent (in the Middle East near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers), Neolithic people grew barley for nutrition. The grain was ground into gruel, and people began to experiment with adding other ingredients, such as bittering herbs. At some point, possibly on many independent occasions, some of that gruel became colonized with wild yeast and fermented, creating the beverage that would eventually become beer.
Gruel was a staple of basic nutrition in civilizations throughout the ancient world as grains, agriculture, and brewing techniques spread through Europe and humans became less nomadic. Particular grains were better suited to certain climates, and the fermented beverages of each region would take on the flavors of locally available ingredients. In this way, local styles of beer eventually began to develop.
In addition to geography and climate, beer’s evolution has been shaped by the same forces that dominate human history: religion, politics, and economic and social factors.
1800 BC
The “Hymn to Ninkasi,” the Sumerian goddess of beer, is inscribed on a tablet about 4,000 years after humans first leave
evidence of brewing activity. It has been said that this hymn is the oldest known recipe.
1350
Beer is seen as a source of basic nutrition throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. Monks brew in order to support the church, which plays a major role in monopolizing herbs for brewing “gruit.” Around 1350, hops replace other herbs used in making beer, which weakens the church’s grip on the beverage. Top-fermenting ale yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), along with microorganisms, is the dominant method of fermentation during this period. Meanwhile in Germany, the cooler climate leads to the evolution of the bottom-fermenting lager yeast strain.
1516
The Reinheitsgebot Beer Purity Act is established in Bavaria. The original “purity law” permits beer to be made only with barley, hops and water, later acknowledging yeast and permitting wheat in ale-based beers. A revised form of the law still exists today.
1525
Flemish immigrants introduce beers brewed with hops to England.
1750
The Industrial Revolution begins around 1750 and has a major impact on the brewing industry in England. Thermometers, hydrometers and steam power are introduced to the porter breweries of the time. European immigration to America expands to include greater numbers of immigrants from countries other than England. German immigrants bring their lager recipes and lagers quickly become the most popular styles of beer in America.
1873
America has 4,131 breweries, the most in its history. Refrigeration and refined marketing strategies breed the first national breweries, but many smaller breweries continue to be successful in local markets.
1920-1933
Prohibition, in the form of the 18th Amendment, outlaws the sale of alcohol in the United States. Most breweries close entirely, but some transition into making other types of products.
Key dates to remember:
• January 16, 1919: The 18th Amendment is ratified and goes into effect a year later on January 16, 1920, marking
the start of Prohibition. A separate law, the Volstead Act, goes into effect in October 1919 to set criteria for enforcing the ban on alcohol.
• March 23, 1933: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs legislation permitting the sale of 3.2 percent ABV beer,
partially fulfilling his campaign promise to end the national ban on alcohol. He had spurred Congress to modify the Volstead Act in advance of Prohibition’s ratification.
• April 7, 1933: Roosevelt himself receives newly legalized beer at the White House to toast the beginning of the end for Prohibition. In the 24 hours that follows, more than 1.5 million gallons of beer flows as Americans celebrate.
• December 5, 1933: The 21st Amendment repeals the 18th Amendment. Prohibition ends, and only about half of the 1,568 breweries in America re-open. Most close shortly thereafter.
1976
Five companies are responsible for 90 percent of all beer produced in the U.S.
1978
There are less than 100 brewing facilities in existence in the U.S
Since then
In less than 40 years, America’s craft brewing industry has grown from fewer than 100 craft breweries in 1978 to 4,150 and counting, in 2015. This is also the first time we broke the previous record of 4,131 breweries in the united states back in 1873.