Storing Beer In The 15Th Century: A Historical Perspective

The use of hops in beer was first recorded in 822 by Carolingian Abbot Adalard of Corbie. However, the widespread adoption of hops in beer production took several centuries, with hops being gradually introduced to beer in the 9th century, becoming common in Germany by the 12th century, and spreading to England in the 15th century.

Before the introduction of hops, beer was flavoured with herbs, including rosemary, marjoram, mint, yarrow, juniper, or sage, with bog myrtle often being the principal ingredient. This herb-based beer was known as gruit beer, and it was produced and sold in the Gruit-House under the supervision of the Gruit-Lords, the highest financial officials in the city.

The introduction of hops to beer in the 15th century would have been a significant change, as hops were added as a preservative, allowing beer to be stored and sold weeks or even months later.

Hops were added to beer for preservation

Hops, on the other hand, imparted a bitter taste to beer and acted as a preservative, inhibiting the growth of acids and other beer-spoiling chemicals. This meant that hopped beer could be stored and sold weeks or even months later, and was more suitable for export. In the 15th century, an unhopped beer would have been known as an ale, while the use of hops would make it a beer.

The first documented use of hops in beer is from the 9th century, though Hildegard of Bingen in the 12th century is often cited as the earliest documented source. The first documented hop cultivation was in 736, in the Hallertau region of present-day Germany, and by the 13th century, hops had started to replace gruit as a flavouring agent. Hopped beer brewing spread across northern Europe to Poland and as far east as Riga, to Scandinavia in the north, and to the Low Countries and England in the west.

Beer was stored for weeks or months

The addition of hops to beer in the 15th century meant that the beverage could be stored for weeks or even months. Before hops, beer was flavoured with herbs such as rosemary, marjoram, mint, yarrow, juniper, or sage, with bog myrtle often the principal ingredient. However, these beers were highly perishable and had to be consumed soon after brewing.

The use of hops as an additive was based on brewing practices in Bremen and other ports along the North Sea coast of Germany. Hops contain antibacterial properties that inhibit the growth of acids and other beer-spoiling chemicals, thus increasing the shelf life of beer. This meant that beer could be brewed in March and still be drinkable in June or July. The longer-lasting beverage could be stored and sold weeks later, and it could be exported over long distances. Towns were able to export beer hundreds of kilometres away, and beer became an important commodity in the Hanseatic League's trading network.

The use of hops in beer was written about in 822 by the Carolingian Abbot Adalard of Corbie, though the widespread cultivation of hops for use in brewing is thought to have begun in the 13th century. By the 15th century, the use of hops in brewing had spread across northern Europe to Poland, as far east as Riga, to Scandinavia, and to the Low Countries and England.

Hops were added to beer in the 13th century

The first written records of brewing come from Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq) in the form of a 3,900-year-old Sumerian poem honouring Ninkasi, the patron goddess of brewing. The poem includes the oldest surviving beer recipe, describing how to make beer from barley via bread.

In Europe during the Middle Ages, brewing was largely a small-scale, family affair. People brewed beer at home in the countryside, where most people lived. If there was extra grain, women would make beer with it. However, beer would often spoil soon after being made, so it had to be drunk quickly. In towns, specialist brewers began to emerge, selling beer to residents who didn't have the space or facilities to make their own.

The use of hops in beer was first written about in 822 by the Carolingian Abbot Adalard of Corbie. However, people had known about hops (*Humulus lupulus*) for centuries, and some monastic breweries had used them in beer in the early Middle Ages. But it was in the 13th century that hops were cultivated in the Low Countries (modern Belgium and Holland).

The addition of hops to beer was a seemingly minor change, but it laid the foundation for a booming industry in Renaissance Europe. Hops acted as a preservative, inhibiting the growth of acids and other beer-spoiling chemicals, and allowing beer to be stored and sold weeks or months later. This meant that beer could be brewed in March and still be drinkable in June or July, overcoming the previous difficulties of brewing in the summer when demand was high.

With the addition of hops, brewing became an industry vital to the economies and politics of northern European towns, and it contributed to the growth of long-distance trade. Beer became a part of everyday life, and towns were able to export beer hundreds of kilometres away, almost always by sea.

Hops were added to beer in Germany

Before hops were added to beer, brewers used a "gruit" made from various bitter herbs and flowers, including dandelion, burdock root, marigold, horehound, ground ivy, and heather. However, beer flavoured with gruit was often spoiled soon after preparation and could not be exported. Hops, on the other hand, acted as a preservative, inhibiting the growth of acids and other beer-spoiling chemicals.

The German Beer Purity Law of 1516, also known as the Reinheitsgebot, mandated that all beer in Bavaria must be made only from barley, hops, and clean water. Yeast was later added to this list once its role in fermentation was discovered. The Beer Purity Law was eventually adopted throughout Germany and is still in effect today.

The addition of hops to beer in Germany played a transformative role in the urban life of high medieval northern Europe. It contributed to the growth of long-distance trade and became an important source of income for many towns. Beer made with hops also proved to be a competitive alternative to other alcoholic drinks, and it became entrenched in people's lives for several centuries.

Hops were added to beer in monasteries

The first documented hop cultivation was in 736 in the Hallertau region of present-day Germany, and hop gardens were left to the Cloister of Saint-Denis in 768 by Pepin the Short, Charlemagne's father. However, hops were not widely adopted until the 13th century when they began to threaten the use of gruit for flavouring.

The reason for this change was that hops acted as a preservative, allowing beer to be stored and sold weeks or even months later. This was especially important in the summer when demand was high and warm days increased the chances of spoilage. Hops also balanced the sweetness of the malt.

The original design of monastery breweries in the Middle Ages included three separate brewing areas, each producing a different quality of beer: one for sale to customers and travellers, one to be given to the poor, and one for the monks' own use. Monks believed that they needed to make the best product possible as they were working for God, and sub-par beer would be a major offence.

Monks followed a principle of being completely self-sufficient and also made it their duty to provide pilgrims and visitors with food and drink. Brewing their own beer was logical as it was the beverage of choice, and it was also a great money-maker.

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