Beer in the Middle Ages

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The baking of bread and the brewing of beer was the province of
women in the first centuries after the birth of Christ. This
began to change shortly before the end of the first millennium,
when the

Monastery Breweries

turned their attention to beer brewing. The reason the [Image]
monks were so intensively concerned with making beer was
because they wanted a pleasant tasting, nutritious drink to serve
with their meals, which were frugal at best, especially during
the fasting periods. As the consumption of liquids was not
considered to break the fast, beer was always permitted. The
consumption of beer in the monasteries reached astounding levels:
Historians report that each monk was allowed to imbibe 5 liters
of beer per day.

We can see in many paintings that the monks enjoyed their beer,
nonetheless, after a short time they began to brew more than for
their own consumption. Upon payment of a fee, the monks received
the right to sell beer and with this many monasteries developed
into well managed commercial enterprises. The beer was purveyed
in monastery pubs. Because the monasteries actively promoted beer
brewing, their beer was of high quality and popular. The people
in the burgeoning towns also wanted their beer with the result
that the art of brewing developed and became a respected trade.
The local sovereigns introduced beer taxes which rapidly began to
The local sovereigns introduced beer taxes which rapidly began to
fill their coffers. As the monastery pubs did not have [Image]
to pay these taxes because of their older, privileged
brewery status, they adversely affected this new source of income
and many were quickly closed by the dukes and princes. Emperor
Sigismund (1368-1437) was the first emperor to issue such a
decree. Even though many monastery breweries were closed by the
sovereigns, we owe much to the monks for being the first to
scientifically develop the brewers' art. For example, hops are
said to have first been used to flavor beer in Brabant
monasteries in what is now Belgium. This explains the legend
falsely attributing the creation of beer to the Brabant king

Gambrinus

"In life be I called Gambrinus, King of Flanders and
Brabant. I have made malt from barley and first
conceived of the brewing of beer. Hence, the brewers
can say they have a king as master brewer."

King Gambinus is still revered today as the patron saint of beer.
The use of hops in the making of beer started a "bitter" argument
about the so-called

Flavorings License

("Grutrecht" in old German). Grut was a mixture of all sorts of
herbs used to flavor beer. The flavoring license was similar to a
patent, allowing a brewery to produce its own flavoring mixture
patent, allowing a brewery to produce its own flavoring mixture
and became the legal basis for every brewery and ensured [Image]
a monopoly position for the respective brewmaster. With
the advent of hops as a flavoring, Grut was no longer necessary
and therefore the monopoly position of the breweries endangered.
For this reason, the use of hops was often simply and forcibly
forbidden. Among other things, juniper berries, sweet gale ,
blackthorn, oak bark, wormwood, caraway seed, aniseed, bay
leaves, yarrow, thorn apple, gentian, rosemary, tansy,
Saint-John's-wort, spruce chips, pine roots - and above all
henbane found their way into these Grut mixtures. Some of these
herbs were downright poisonous, others induced hallucinations. As
we know today, the hallucinogen Alkaloid, for example, is
produced from henbane during the brewing process. This could well
be the reason that superstition played an important role around
the brewing kettle. The main victims of this superstition were
the

Beer Witches

Because things often went wrong with the beer brewing which
nobody could explain with the body of beer brewing knowledge
available in early times, the guilty parties were often sought in
available in early times, the guilty parties were often sought in
[Image] the mystical realm. Many wondrous herbs and cult objects
still surrounded brewing kettles into the late middle
ages. Superstition went so far that brewing failures were blamed
on "brew witches" or "beer witches". The last known burning of a
"brew witch" took place in 1591. This practice can be referred to
as the "darkest" chapter of beer brewing history. The end of this
superstitious era came when the use of hops caught on. Even
though often forbidden at first, this practice prevailed in the
long run. For one thing, the beer became less perishable and the
brewing process more stabile. Things didn't go wrong as often and
fewer witches had to be hunted. With the use of hops the beer
revealed its "clear character". Beer began to closely resemble
the modern product range, both in taste and appearance. In order
to guarantee a high level of reliability, quality and
consistency, the Duke of Bavaria, Wilhelm IV, proclaimed the

German Beer Purity Law

in 1516. This decree established for the first time that only
barley (later malted barley), hops and pure water could be used
to brew beer. The use of yeast was not yet known at that time.
to brew beer. The use of yeast was not yet known at that time.
The success of the fermentation process was left to [Image]
chance, as the brewers unknowingly relied on yeast
particles in the air. Today this Beer Purity Law is the oldest
still valid food law in the world. In the eyes of the European
Union, however, this law was inhibitive to competition. Now, as a
result of the EU ruling, beer may be imported into Germany which
was not brewed in accordance with the Beer Purity Law, as long as
this fact is clearly stated. The German brewers still abide by
their centuries-old tradition. Of course the Beer Purity Law had
its predecessors. A regulation promulgated in 1493 by the Duke of
Bayers-Landshut, for example, stated that:

"Herewith shall beer brewers and others not use anything other
than malt, hops and water. These same brewers also shall not add
anything when serving or otherwise handling beer, upon penalty to
body and chattels."

Together with the quality improvement, the distribution and
export of beer also increased. The worldwide export was carried
out by the

Hansa

As time passed, export took on an ever increasing role. Regular
brewing centers developed. In the 14th century Bremen was the
primary beer supplier for the Netherlands, England and the Nordic
primary beer supplier for the Netherlands, England and the Nordic
[Image] countries. Due to international beer export by the
Hansa, Hamburg also developed into one of these brewing
centers. In 1500 there were 600 breweries in Hamburg alone. The
Hansa even exported beer to far away India. In the small middle
German and Maerkish (Brandenburg) communities of this period,
breweries were the most important financial contributors to the
local economy. Other German beer centers were Brunswick and
Einbeck. Bock beer was first created in Einbeck and became such a
favorite of a Bavarian duke, that he soon hired away the Einbeck
master brewer. There is, of course, also a long-standing brewing
tradition in Berlin, residence of the Soldier King,

Friedrich Willhelm I.

Under his rule beer became socially acceptable and
presentable at court. His legendary "Tobacco Council"
was, in principle, nothing more than the first collection of
drinking buddies. His son, later known as Friedrich the Great,
learned the brewing trade as a young man. Industrial developments
did not simply pass over the beer brewers but started to take
their effect at the beginning of the 19th century. Two extremely
important inventions revolutionized beer brewing. The first was
James Watt's steam engine and the second invention was artificial
cooling by Carl von Linde. At that time it had already been
scientifically proven that the making of good beer required
certain temperatures. Some of these temperatures occurred
naturally only in winter. From the time of von Linde's invention
on, brewing could take place in summer too.

To be continued...

© Copyright by terramedia 1996

-----------------------------------------------------------------
© BEER FROM GERMANY is a terramedia project.
All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Beer in the Middle Ages

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The baking of bread and the brewing of beer was the province of
women in the first centuries after the birth of Christ. This
began to change shortly before the end of the first millennium,
when the

Monastery Breweries

turned their attention to beer brewing. The reason the [Image]
monks were so intensively concerned with making beer was
because they wanted a pleasant tasting, nutritious drink to serve
with their meals, which were frugal at best, especially during
the fasting periods. As the consumption of liquids was not
considered to break the fast, beer was always permitted. The
consumption of beer in the monasteries reached astounding levels:
Historians report that each monk was allowed to imbibe 5 liters
of beer per day.

We can see in many paintings that the monks enjoyed their beer,
nonetheless, after a short time they began to brew more than for
their own consumption. Upon payment of a fee, the monks received
the right to sell beer and with this many monasteries developed
into well managed commercial enterprises. The beer was purveyed
in monastery pubs. Because the monasteries actively promoted beer
brewing, their beer was of high quality and popular. The people
in the burgeoning towns also wanted their beer with the result
that the art of brewing developed and became a respected trade.
The local sovereigns introduced beer taxes which rapidly began to
The local sovereigns introduced beer taxes which rapidly began to
fill their coffers. As the monastery pubs did not have [Image]
to pay these taxes because of their older, privileged
brewery status, they adversely affected this new source of income
and many were quickly closed by the dukes and princes. Emperor
Sigismund (1368-1437) was the first emperor to issue such a
decree. Even though many monastery breweries were closed by the
sovereigns, we owe much to the monks for being the first to
scientifically develop the brewers' art. For example, hops are
said to have first been used to flavor beer in Brabant
monasteries in what is now Belgium. This explains the legend
falsely attributing the creation of beer to the Brabant king

Gambrinus

"In life be I called Gambrinus, King of Flanders and
Brabant. I have made malt from barley and first
conceived of the brewing of beer. Hence, the brewers
can say they have a king as master brewer."

King Gambinus is still revered today as the patron saint of beer.
The use of hops in the making of beer started a "bitter" argument
about the so-called

Flavorings License

("Grutrecht" in old German). Grut was a mixture of all sorts of
herbs used to flavor beer. The flavoring license was similar to a
patent, allowing a brewery to produce its own flavoring mixture
patent, allowing a brewery to produce its own flavoring mixture
and became the legal basis for every brewery and ensured [Image]
a monopoly position for the respective brewmaster. With
the advent of hops as a flavoring, Grut was no longer necessary
and therefore the monopoly position of the breweries endangered.
For this reason, the use of hops was often simply and forcibly
forbidden. Among other things, juniper berries, sweet gale ,
blackthorn, oak bark, wormwood, caraway seed, aniseed, bay
leaves, yarrow, thorn apple, gentian, rosemary, tansy,
Saint-John's-wort, spruce chips, pine roots - and above all
henbane found their way into these Grut mixtures. Some of these
herbs were downright poisonous, others induced hallucinations. As
we know today, the hallucinogen Alkaloid, for example, is
produced from henbane during the brewing process. This could well
be the reason that superstition played an important role around
the brewing kettle. The main victims of this superstition were
the

Beer Witches

Because things often went wrong with the beer brewing which
nobody could explain with the body of beer brewing knowledge
available in early times, the guilty parties were often sought in
available in early times, the guilty parties were often sought in
[Image] the mystical realm. Many wondrous herbs and cult objects
still surrounded brewing kettles into the late middle
ages. Superstition went so far that brewing failures were blamed
on "brew witches" or "beer witches". The last known burning of a
"brew witch" took place in 1591. This practice can be referred to
as the "darkest" chapter of beer brewing history. The end of this
superstitious era came when the use of hops caught on. Even
though often forbidden at first, this practice prevailed in the
long run. For one thing, the beer became less perishable and the
brewing process more stabile. Things didn't go wrong as often and
fewer witches had to be hunted. With the use of hops the beer
revealed its "clear character". Beer began to closely resemble
the modern product range, both in taste and appearance. In order
to guarantee a high level of reliability, quality and
consistency, the Duke of Bavaria, Wilhelm IV, proclaimed the

German Beer Purity Law

in 1516. This decree established for the first time that only
barley (later malted barley), hops and pure water could be used
to brew beer. The use of yeast was not yet known at that time.
to brew beer. The use of yeast was not yet known at that time.
The success of the fermentation process was left to [Image]
chance, as the brewers unknowingly relied on yeast
particles in the air. Today this Beer Purity Law is the oldest
still valid food law in the world. In the eyes of the European
Union, however, this law was inhibitive to competition. Now, as a
result of the EU ruling, beer may be imported into Germany which
was not brewed in accordance with the Beer Purity Law, as long as
this fact is clearly stated. The German brewers still abide by
their centuries-old tradition. Of course the Beer Purity Law had
its predecessors. A regulation promulgated in 1493 by the Duke of
Bayers-Landshut, for example, stated that:

"Herewith shall beer brewers and others not use anything other
than malt, hops and water. These same brewers also shall not add
anything when serving or otherwise handling beer, upon penalty to
body and chattels."

Together with the quality improvement, the distribution and
export of beer also increased. The worldwide export was carried
out by the

Hansa

As time passed, export took on an ever increasing role. Regular
brewing centers developed. In the 14th century Bremen was the
primary beer supplier for the Netherlands, England and the Nordic
primary beer supplier for the Netherlands, England and the Nordic
[Image] countries. Due to international beer export by the
Hansa, Hamburg also developed into one of these brewing
centers. In 1500 there were 600 breweries in Hamburg alone. The
Hansa even exported beer to far away India. In the small middle
German and Maerkish (Brandenburg) communities of this period,
breweries were the most important financial contributors to the
local economy. Other German beer centers were Brunswick and
Einbeck. Bock beer was first created in Einbeck and became such a
favorite of a Bavarian duke, that he soon hired away the Einbeck
master brewer. There is, of course, also a long-standing brewing
tradition in Berlin, residence of the Soldier King,

Friedrich Willhelm I.

Under his rule beer became socially acceptable and
presentable at court. His legendary "Tobacco Council"
was, in principle, nothing more than the first collection of
drinking buddies. His son, later known as Friedrich the Great,
learned the brewing trade as a young man. Industrial developments
did not simply pass over the beer brewers but started to take
their effect at the beginning of the 19th century. Two extremely
important inventions revolutionized beer brewing. The first was
James Watt's steam engine and the second invention was artificial
cooling by Carl von Linde. At that time it had already been
scientifically proven that the making of good beer required
certain temperatures. Some of these temperatures occurred
naturally only in winter. From the time of von Linde's invention
on, brewing could take place in summer too.

To be continued...

© Copyright by terramedia 1996

-----------------------------------------------------------------
© BEER FROM GERMANY is a terramedia project.
All rights reserved.
-----------------------------------------------------------------