A Brief History of Microbrews
Many historians, and not just beer historians, believe that the ancient Sumerians and Mesopotamians were brewing as early back as 10,000 B.C.
Even though this early beverage would have been different from the bottled and canned varieties of today, it would have still been recognizable to the modern beer drinker.
The ancient Egyptians and the Chinese brewed their beer, as did civilizations in America, where they used corn instead of barley. Back then, thousands of years ago, microbrews were very popular and on their way to what we now know and love today.
In the middle ages, European monks were the guardians of literature and science, as well as the art of making beer. They refined the process to perfection, and even institutionalized the use of hops as both flavoring and a preservative.
When Louis Pasteur came along, a final, important development was determined. Until this time, brewers had to depend on the wild yet airborne yeast for fermentation. By establishing that yeast is actually a living organism, he opened the gates for controlling the conversion of sugar into alcohol.
Grapes grow well in warmer climates, while barley grows better in cool climates. This is how the northern areas of Germany and England first became famous for their beers.
Beer in America
Everything in America went dim on that dark day in 1920, when prohibition took effect. A lot of breweries went out of business or switched their production to soda pop. Not everyone stopped drinking, but gangster related products weren't known for high quality.
When Franklin D. Roosevelt became president, he quickly appealed the very unpopular law. The new breeds of now famous beer came after World War 2 were generally mass produced and very bland.
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The Country and London Brewer, 1736
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