HISTORICAL NOTES ON BEER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4605, 23 December 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

HISTORICAL NOTES ON BEER.

(From the Practical Magazine.) The honor of having made the discovery of beer-brewing is ascribed to the Egyptians by all the ancient Greek writers. Herodotus (450 8.C.) is perhaps the first author who devoted much of his attention to Egypt, and he mentions that a beverage made of barley was the usual drink of the Egyptians then. Tradition has it that it was Osiris, King of Egypt (2000 B.O.), who first introduced beer into his kingdom. According to ancient brewers' chronologies, the palm is yielded to Gambrinus in this respect, who was King over Flanders and Brabant. A book printed at Frankfort-on-the-Maine, in 1550, and entitled " Chronika des Johannes Aventinus," purports giving a portrait of Gambrinus, and mentions this celebrity as a pupil of Osiris. Be this as it may, brewers in general look upon Gambrinus as their patron. The Greek poets, Archilochus, iEschylus, and Sophocles designate beer by the name of " barley wine." According to Dio, before the culture of the vine was introduced, a quantity of beer was prepared from barley in Spain, Gaul, and Pannonia. Plinius mentions that this beer was called "Colia" in Spain, and " Cerevisia" in Gaul. The froth of this beverage was used for baking purposes in place of barm, and it was also used by the fair sex with a hope of preserving the beautiful tints of the skin. Tacitus mentions that during his lifetime (or about the time that Jesus Christ was born) beer was the usual beverage of the Teutonians (Germans), and although he gives us but a very poor and vague description of the brewing process, there can be little doubt but that, the conversion of barley into malt was known even then. The art of brewing beer remained in Germany, and developed itself with great success ; even up to the present day, perhaps in no other country is the brewing process carried on in so many different manners as it is in Germany, and in many places beer has taken the place that wine enjoyed. For instance, did not Herzog Erich, of Brunswick, send a bottle of Eimbecker beer to Dr. Martin Luther after he had successfully resisted the Court of Worms, as a special mark of princely favor, and for his own bodily strength ? England is likewise renowned by the qualities of her beers, from her light "table beer" to the heavy " beers and porters." Even in France " beer-drinking " has become a modern custom, and the Frenchman, spite of the Teutonian taste, likes his " choppe de biere." Holland brews much ale for exports, and Belgium possesses also a quantity of beers which, however, suits more the inland taste. In Russia, beer-brewing has of late years been largely established, and Sweden and Norway likewise produce a quantity of good ales. * The enormous development which beerbrewing had already attained in the thirteenth century in Germany may be surmised from the fact that already in 1299 a tax was imposed in Niirnberg on the " Brown " beer ; on account of the great inconvenience hereby caused, the prices of " Shankbier " and"Sommerbier" were revised in 1350. Breslau, which already possessed its "Scheps" in 1301, was always represented by at least one malt-factor or brewer ; then even, as it is now, the malt trade was a distinctive branch, and separated from that of the brewers. As to the quality of the beer in these days, we know little. We are, however, informed that both light and strong ales were brewed, and so, for instance, we find it recorded that in 1643 a white "scheps" was brewed in Breslau, which caused noisy heads, or, to use the words of the German chronicler, "unruhige Kbpfe mache." History has, however, handed down to us more minute details as to the materials used in the brewing of beer. The chief produce employed has always been barley, but wheat was also largely consumed for this purpose. Even the use of oats for beer-brew-ing purposes was ordered by law in years of failing crops, when consequently the use of barley or wheat for brewing purposes would have caused a bread famine ; such laws, for instance, were passed in 1443 in Augsburg, and in 1533 at Breslau. It is well known that when oats are used alone for brewing, a very singular taste is imparted to the beer, and it is also very difficult to clear the latter ; it may be owing to this reason that an Act was passed in 1550 in Breslau, forbidding the use of oats for brewing with. The narcotic properties of hops render the J latter very suitable, and with its introduction j it has now become an impossibility to find a substitute for it. . The Abbess Hililegardis, of Rupertsberg on the Rhine, mentions that the addition of hops in beer brewing was introduced in the eleventh century. The oldest kinds of beer were not mixed with hops, but other substitutes were given to the barley liquid at a very early date ; so, for instance, the shoots of the fir trees were used for spicing purposes. The use of hops for beer soon gained favor in England, and in spite of its prohibition by Act of Parliament in 1509 under King Henry VIII., it still increased in public favor. It is astonishing to find that almost every little place in Germany has its own particular beer, which, as a reflex of popular humor, were called by very funny names. Menschenfett was the strongest Jena beer. In universal renown, stood a quantity of beer called Muinme, after its inventor, Christian Mumme, of Brunswick, which was introduced in 1498, and was even exported to the East Indies. But the last thirty years have made a wonderful change ; the well-known "Bayrisch bier" (Bavarian beer) soon after its appearance ou the field swept most of the forementioned qualities clear away. Beginning with Northern Germany, it continued its march through Austria, and even introduced itself to the Parisian taste ; the finer " Wiener" beers have, however, certainly shown themselves greater favorites amongst the Parisians. Yet, in spite of the general favor with which the Bavarian beer was received, it has not been able to supplant the whole of the other German beers on the Continent ; as its rivals we may mention the so-called "Berliner Weiss-bier," the_"Breslauer Scheps," " Konigsberger Braunbier," the " Coiner Weiss-bier," &c. The Bavarian beer never was appreciated in Belgium, but there tho" Farr," or the stronger " Lambik," and the "Lihvoner Pehtennami," have retained their old reputation. In 1832 tho attempt to brew after the Bavarian style was made by an Edinburgh brewery, and for this purpose the barm re-

quired was imported from Bavaria. Although the beer thus brewed is said to have been ex- ( cellent, yet the attempt has not been repeated, '% since it was not found able to compete against the much stronger porter and ales already introduced in this country. In North America it is stated the German "Lager-beer" is gaining ground where even English beer was formerly usually drunk. With these preceding notes we have arrived at a period almost within every brewer's own recollection and experience, and for this reason it will hot be necessary to extend the present article to a more recent date.