Once upon a time, if you described “beer” as one of your hobbies or as a ‘lifestyle’, you would likely be termed an alcoholic. Yet nowadays, with craft beer festivals, tours, and even marathons abounding around the world, beer seems to be everywhere. That makes this the perfect time to learn all about its origins, don’t you think?
There’s plenty of information and statistics about beer on the internet. You can even track exactly how much craft beer your state drinks in comparison to others, but first, let’s go back to the beginning:
Beer has been around since at least 4300 BC when a recipe for beer was written on a Babylonian clay tablet. Since then, it spread steadily throughout the world, with the Romans introducing the tasty drink to northern Europe in 55 BC.
The Middle Ages saw the addition of hops for the first time and soon brewing became more centralized. With production shifting from individual households to monasteries and churches, beer was becoming a commercialized beverage. By 1420 AD, German brewers had developed lager, and by 1674, Harvard had its own brewhouse.
Where did all this lead? To 15.6 million barrels of craft beer sold in 2013. Clearly, beer is here to stay, and it only keeps getting more inventive.