History of Beer in America

Beer has been around for about 7000 years. The Babylonians made as many as 20 different types of beer. Ancient Egyptians loved their beer. So, did the Greeks. Early Romans drank beer at first, but eventually turned to wine. They reserved beer for "the low life" barbarians. In the Middle Ages, monks in Europe brewed a lot of beer. Some called it "liquid bread." It helped them through their fasts. Monks also sold their beer, attracting new followers to their orders and raising money to run their monasteries.

Beer in America

When the pilgrims came to America, they brought beer with them. It was in such short supply, the seamen aboard the Mayflower forced the settlers off the ship because they were worried they would not have enough beer for the return trip to England. The British Army built its own brewery at a fort in Pittsburgh. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson brewed their own beer. Many soldiers for the Continental Army were recruited during meetings held in the small taverns and brew houses across the colonies.

As the country expanded, so did the number of breweries. In 1850, there were 400. By 1880, there were more than 2,300 places making beer in America. When chemist Louis Pasteur published his "Études sur la Bière"("Studies Concerning Beer") everything changed for American brewers. Pasteurization gave beer a longer shelf life. About the same time, Adophus Busch's network of ice houses and fleet of double walled railroad cars allowed Anheuser-Busch to distribute a beer across the country for the first time.

But, trouble was coming for America's brewers. More and more people were fighting against the demon alcohol and the temperance movement was gaining strength. By 1910, twenty three states were dry and in 1920, the 18th amendment outlawed making, distributing or drinking alcohol across the country. The tavern/brewpub disappeared. So, did most of the 1300 breweries in the country. By the time prohibition ended in 1933, only 160 survived.

Micro Brewing in America

For 40 years, a handful of large breweries dominated America's beer world. They each produced the same light lager beer. American beer was boring to look at and it was boring to drink, but that was all there was and Jack McAuliffe was bored with it all. Jack had served in the Navy in World War II and he had really enjoyed the English ales he drank during the war. So, he started brewing his own beer at home. Friends liked his beer so much they urged him to open his own brewery and in 1977, he did just that. Jack McAuliffe opened the New Albion Brewery in Sonoma, California, America's first micro brewery since prohibition.

Five years later, Bill Grant made another important discovery. He found out that he could open a pub at his brewery in Washington State if he served food along with the beer. In 1982, Bill set up a couple of bar stools near the door of his Yakima Brewing Company and called it Grant's Pub. The modern American brewpub was born.

Today, there are 1371 breweries spread across the country, according to the Brewers Association in Boulder, Colorado. Over 41,000 people attended last month's Great American Beer Festival where many of America's craft beers were featured. It appears the days of boring American beer are gone forever.