The History of beer

It is believed by historians that beer
was first brewed as early as 10,000 BC
by the ancient Mesopotamians and
Sumarians. Some historians even go as
far as saying that beer made from grain
and water may have predated bread.
The ancient Egyptians and Chinese
Brewed beer as did the Romans and
Greeks. In the Middle Ages European
Monks refined the art of beer making
to near perfection.

4300 BC - Babylonian clay tablets depict recipes for beer.
1600 BC - Egyptian texts contain medical prescriptions calling for beer.
55 BC - Roman Legions introduce beer to Northern Europe.
1000 AD - Hops begins to be used in brewing.
1420 - German brewers develop the "Lager" method of brewing.
1516 - Bavarian brewers develop the "Reinheisgeobot purity law" that states it
is illegal to brew beer in Germany using anything other than water, hops, and
barley. (They did not yet know about yeast)
1620 - Pilgrims land at Plymouth Rock instead of further south as planned
because they were out of beer.
1876 - Louis Pasteur unravels the secrets of yeast and develops pasteurization
to stabelize beer. This process was not applied to milk for another 22 years.
1920 - Prohibition begins in the United States.
1933 - Prohibition ends for beer.
1935 - Beer can is introduced.
October 17, 1978 - President Jimmy Carter legalizes Homebrewing in the US.

Dates to Remember
1st Saturday in May - National Homebrew Day
July - American Homebrew Month
1st Saturday in August - National Mead Day
1st Saturday in November - Teach a friend to
Homebrew Day

Fun Fact # 3 - The stongest beer in the world is Samuel Adam's Utopias.
At 25% alcohol it is the stongest fermented beverage in the world. They
produce approximately 3000 bottles every year and it costs between
$150-$200 a bottle. (I'd take one for Christmas if anyone is buying)