ORIGIN OF BEER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 November 1939, Page 7

ORIGIN OF BEER

INVENTED BY EGYPTIANS.

With the installation of wet canteens at military camps, beer is the topic al' much conversation at present, and it is interesting to look back on its history. The Egyptians have the credit (or discredit, according to point of view>, of being the first inventors of beer; they called it the Pelusian liquor, because it was first made at Pelusium. a city near the mouth of '.he Nile, about twelve hundred years before the Christian era. Porter, for which London became famous, was first introduced about the year 1750. Previous to that time, the malt liquors in general use were ale. beer, and twopenny; it wtis then customary to call for a pint of half-and-half, that is. half beer and half two-penny, or else a pint, or tankard, of three-threads, meaning a third of ale, beer, and twopenny. Then the publican was obliged to draw from three casks to serve one customer. To avoid this trouble and waste, a brewer, whose name was Harewood, conceived the idea of making a liquor, which should partake of the united flavours of ale. beer, and two-penny; this he called entire, or

entire butt beer, meaning that it was drawn entirely from one cask, or butt. It was soon discovered to bo a very hearty liquor. suitable for porters, and other working people, whence it obtained the name of porter.