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5300 BCE
Sumerian Civilization - Brewing
The Sumer people provided the first detailed records of brewing and instructions for brewing beer. -
2000 BCE
Babylonian Empire - Laws
The Babylonians devised the first laws pertaining to beer and had the first bars. -
1000 BCE
Egyptian Empire - Malting
The Egyptians invented and perfected the malting process. -
500 BCE
Iron Age - Beer Production Suffers
Iron Age civilizations considered beer an uncivilized drink only fit for barbarians. There was a significant decrease in the production and consumption of beer, as people only drank wine. -
700
Monasteries begin Brewing
Christian monks brewed beer and used hops in production to bitter beer and offset the sweetness of malt. -
1561
First Laws to Protect Quality of Beer
Reinheitsgebot was passed, a law declaring beer as made of barley hops and water. This prevented competition of brewers with bakers for wheat and rye. -
Harvard Opens with Beer
Harvard University opens and declares that there must be a brewery on campus. It burned down and reopened in 1992. -
American Revolution - In Taverns
The Revolutionaries often met in taverns to plan their responses to the English outrages. Some are still considered the "Cradles of Liberty". -
Prohibition
The number of breweries declined to nearly zero due to the nationwide prohibition.