Tag: History

Beer has been integral to weddings and other festivities throughout history, much more so than champagne. In fact, the word “bridal” derives from “bride ale.”

How long have American hops been common in British beer? Twenty years, 30 years, 50 years? Think again. It’s much longer than that.

In 1852, Samuel Allsopp brewed a strong beer for Captain Belcher’s expedition to the Arctic. A beer that wouldn’t freeze easily was pretty handy. With all that alcohol, it must have warmed the sailors up, too. Who needs a fire when you’ve an 11-percent ABV beer?

The evolution and slow divergence of Irish Porter from the London original is a story that’s been repeated across the world. Displace a beer and, like a plant, it will adapt to its new environment.

Beer connoisseurs have long dismissed Africa as the lost land of Pilsners due to its proliferation of corporate breweries. But a burgeoning craft beer scene in Namibia and South Africa isn’t the only indication of the start of a new era.

Savannah is a European-influenced city that’s heavy on charm and good times. Stroll the cobblestone streets, explore the notable squares, and visit the quirky bars that dot downtown—all without having to be beer-less between stops, since open containers are permitted in the 2 square-miles of the Historic District.

The label art for a new beer from Massachusetts-based Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project dips into the part-fictional, part-real life world Dann and Martha Paquette are constructing.

Wherever the British army went in the 19th century, beer was never far behind … and it was usually in the form of Porter. And when the British army invaded the Crimea in 1854, they got thirsty.

Nowadays, it’s the brand name of Paulaner’s Doppelbock … but once, “Salvator” was the name of a style, brewed across Bavaria and beyond.

At Augusta Brewing Company in Labadie, Mo., husband-and-wife duo Terry and Jeri Heisler are keeping a family history alive by moving the brewery’s production operations from its current location to a facility in Washington, Mo., which has been in Jeri’s family for over a century.

Why we’re reading Good Honest Beer: The Story of a Midlands Dynasty and The CAMRA Guide to London’s Best Beer Pubs & Bars.

Avondale’s Battlefield IPA was inspired by the only Civil War battle fought in Jefferson County, Alabama where Avondale calls home.

It turns out the Mayans shared an obsession with us: chocolate. But they weren’t chomping on Cadbury bars; they drank their chocolate in a bitter, foamy liquid. Sound familiar?

Let’s run quickly through British wars and their effect on what Tommy Atkins drank when he came home, from The English Civil War to World War II.

Pale Ale wasn’t the only beer sent to India. It wasn’t even a majority of the beer sent. No, that honor belongs to a beer that’s been lost to history: India Porter.

Why we’re reading America Walks Into a Bar and Craft Beers of the Pacific Northwest.

Adverse growing conditions impact the Canadian barley crop; archaeological site provides oldest evidence of brewing in France; non-alcoholic Weissbier’s health benefits; New Century Brewing closes; and Charles Koch Jr. passes away at 88.

In the early ’90s, two things happened: the rise of microbreweries, which started releasing their own “breweriana” into the coaster-sphere… and the internet. That’s when the “tegestologist,” or coaster collector, community really blew up.

Why we’re reading Beer Craft: A Simple Guide to Making Great Beer and Bread, Beer & the Seeds of Change: Agriculture’s Imprint on World History.

A few hundred years as North Germany’s favorite beer, yet it’s disappeared virtually without a trace. What was it exactly, and why has it been so thoroughly forgotten?

George Washington’s beer recipe discovered, brewed; California hops held up by Secret Service; two proposed Texas beer laws killed; and Stone announces $26.6 million expansion plans.

Stumbling into a London pub in August 1914, what should you order? Time travel being theoretically possible, here’s a handy guide to the beers you’ll find.

Catherine the Great had a passion for the brownest, strongest Porter from London’s great Anchor brewery. It was this ale that would eventually evolve into possibly the grandest of all beer styles.

In its heyday, Faro was the go-to drink of Belgium. It was light and refreshing, and, the French notwithstanding, a pleasant respite.