Beer Throughout History

By annadoo
  • 5300 BCE

    Sumerian Civilization - Brewing

    The Sumer people provided the first detailed records of brewing and instructions for brewing beer.
  • 2000 BCE

    Babylonian Empire - Laws

    The Babylonians devised the first laws pertaining to beer and had the first bars.
  • 1000 BCE

    Egyptian Empire - Malting

    The Egyptians invented and perfected the malting process.
  • 500 BCE

    Iron Age - Beer Production Suffers

    Iron Age civilizations considered beer an uncivilized drink only fit for barbarians. There was a significant decrease in the production and consumption of beer, as people only drank wine.
  • 700

    Monasteries begin Brewing

    Christian monks brewed beer and used hops in production to bitter beer and offset the sweetness of malt.
  • 1561

    First Laws to Protect Quality of Beer

    Reinheitsgebot was passed, a law declaring beer as made of barley hops and water. This prevented competition of brewers with bakers for wheat and rye.

  • Harvard Opens with Beer

    Harvard University opens and declares that there must be a brewery on campus. It burned down and reopened in 1992.

  • American Revolution - In Taverns

    The Revolutionaries often met in taverns to plan their responses to the English outrages. Some are still considered the "Cradles of Liberty".

  • Prohibition

    The number of breweries declined to nearly zero due to the nationwide prohibition.