The Foaming Beverage Called Beer, Has a Long and Interesting History!

It's a summer evening, friends and family are gathered in the backyard. Snacks handy on the table and a can of beer in the hands. You would think it was invented not that long ago, if you think of things like that at all. But next time you open a bottle or can of your favorite brand of beer remember this.

The making of beer is old. The oldest recordings of making beer dates back to the 6th millennium BC to Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Some would say that it happened by accident: put some cereal and sugar together and it ferments, thus producing a beverage that ferments spontaneously. However, in China and Iran, some 7000 years ago folks were drinking beer.

Even Plato gushes that "Only a wise man could've invented beer". After the Greeks discovered the beer-brewing process they went on to teach the Romans. At first the Romans were rather enthusiastic, but later discarded beer and beer was thought to be for barbarians only.

During the Middle Ages it was highly popular. Everybody drank it; and in paintings depicting the lives of Middle Agers jugs containing beer are very prominent.There's proof that in England and the Low Countries the consumption was about 290 liters or 60 gallons of beer a year, per person.

The early beers were probably undrinkable for us; it was just water,grain and some herbs thrown in. Although very popular, it had one drawback: you couldn't conserve it. Once brewed, it had to be drank fast. It was usually brewed at home by the housewives of the time, a real home brew.

Around the year 900 the use of hop became popular. Unfortunately people didn't always get the right amount right, thus spoiling the taste a bit. By the 13th century the Germans perfected the use of hop in beer, and discovered that by adding the right amount of hop it could be conserved. It was a major breakthrough. This way they (the Germans) could also export the beverage. A whole new cottage industry started in Germany. The Dutch started using hop in the 14th century and England caught up adding hop in the 15th.century.

In the 15th.century "ale" was unhopped beer, but this changed in the 16th.century. Now "ale" was known as a very strong beer with hop added.

Today beer is a popular beverage and drank all over the world. Here is a list of how much some countries drink, figures are per capita,per year:

1. Czech Republic:156.9 liters or 41.5 gallons
2.Ireland: 131,1 liters or 34.7 gallons
3.Germany: 115.8 liters or 30.6 gallons
4.Australia: 109.9 liters or 29.0 gallons
6. UK: 99.9 liters or 26.2 gallons
14: US: 81.6 liters or 21.6 gallons
20:Canada: 68.3 liters or 18.1 gallons
24: South Africa: 59.2 liters or 15.6 gallons

Today there are many flavors, and different alcohol contents. It comes either bottled or canned and should be drank cold.