Cowboys' Favorite Beer: A Historical Perspective

Cowboys in the Old West are often associated with whiskey, but what they drank depended on where they were and what was available. In the outer reaches, most beer was home-brewed and devoid of hops since they didn't grow well in many hot places. Beer was also often diluted with enhancers or water by saloon keepers and bartenders to maximise profits. However, as more German immigrants moved West, kegged beer started to pick up in popularity. German brewers introduced better grains, better water sources, better yeasts, and hops, and they mostly brewed lagers. Beer was not bottled until 1873 and was served at room temperature until the 1870s, when the first commercial refrigeration of beer began in the US.

Beer was home-brewed in outer reaches

In the outer reaches of the early West, most beer was home-brewed. Hops were hard to come by in these regions, as they didn't grow well in many hot places. So, most brews were made from grains—but not the good grains used for bread-making. The resulting beer would have tasted sweet, like a whiskey mash before distillation.

Home-brewed beer in the outer reaches of the West was often rancid and weak, and it had no hops. It was also sometimes diluted with "enhancers" or water by saloon keepers and bartenders looking to maximise their profits. Beer was usually stored in kegs, and sometimes barrels, and served at room temperature. It was important to drink it quickly, before it got too warm or flat.

As more German immigrants moved West, however, kegged beer started to pick up in popularity. German brewers introduced better grains, water sources, yeasts, and hops. They also brewed lagers, which were not common in the outer reaches of the West. Patrons in saloons noticed the marked improvement of this professionally brewed beer over the home-brews they were used to.

In the 1880s, saloons in the US began to have a close association with breweries. The brewing industry was growing rapidly, and competition was fierce. Breweries began to adopt the British "tied-house" system of control, where they owned saloons outright.

Beer was stored in kegs, barrels, or bottles

Beer was stored and served from kegs, barrels, or bottles in the Old West. Beer was not bottled until 1873 and before this, it was kept in kegs or barrels. Beer was served at room temperature in the European tradition and was drunk quickly before it got warm or flat. Beer was also served from a tap in "brewery saloons", which advertised the fact that they had beer on tap.

Kegged beer started to pick up in popularity as more German immigrants, who knew the art of brewing, moved West. German brewers introduced better grains, better water sources, better yeasts, and hops. They mostly brewed lagers and as keg beer began to show up in saloons, patrons noted the marked improvement of the professionally brewed beer over previous home brews.

In Virginia City, Nevada, an excavation of four saloons that operated between 1863 and 1885 found an enormous quantity of beer stored in ceramic Glasgow ale bottles. Saloons had contracts with breweries and offered beer on tap, advertising themselves as "brewery saloons".

Beer was served warm and flat

Beer was not bottled widely until 1873. Before that, it was mostly kept in kegs, sometimes stored in barrels that patrons would sit upon. Beer was served at room temperature in the European tradition. It was not sudsy as it is today. Patrons had to drink the beer quickly before it got too warm or flat.

Beer was often diluted with "enhancers" or water by saloon keepers and bartenders to maximise their profits. In 1870, a glass of beer cost about 10 cents, about $1.77 today. Beer was also served in saloons, which were often associated with breweries. The brewing industry was highly competitive, and breweries began to adopt the British "tied-house" system of control, where they owned saloons outright.

The first commercial refrigeration of beer began in the United States in 1870 at the Liebmann's Sons Brewing Company in Brooklyn, New York. It was fermented cold, shipped cold, and eventually stored and served cold. However, refrigeration took decades to reach many places in the West. Ice houses began to crop up even in the most isolated places, and some towns and cities harvested ice in winter from their rivers and stored it in caves or deep stone cellars. Cowboys would have welcomed a cold beer after sweating in leather chaps and eating dust all day in the saddle!

Beer was enhanced with additives

The addition of "enhancers" to beer was likely done to improve the taste, as home-brewed beers were not very palatable. Beer was also kept in kegs or barrels, which could affect the taste. Furthermore, beer was served at room temperature, which may have made it more susceptible to spoilage.

As German immigrants moved West and introduced better brewing techniques, the quality of beer improved. They introduced better grains, water sources, yeasts, and hops, resulting in professionally brewed beers that were preferred over the previous home-brews.

The enhancement of beer with additives in the Old West was a common practice, and it was driven by profit, the lack of proper brewing techniques, and the challenges of storing and serving beer in a hot climate.

Beer was served in saloons with breweries

Beer was commonly served in saloons, which often had contracts with breweries. These were known as "brewery saloons" and would advertise the fact that they served beer on tap. In the 1880s, saloons in the US began to have a close association with breweries, as the brewing industry was growing rapidly and competition was fierce. Breweries adopted the British "tied-house" system of control, where they owned saloons outright.

Beer was also available in bottles, with ceramic Glasgow ale bottles being particularly common. Beer was not bottled widely until 1873, before which it was mostly kept in kegs or barrels. Up until the 1870s, beer was served at room temperature and had to be consumed quickly before it got too warm or flat. The first commercial refrigeration of beer in the US began in 1870, and it soon became common to serve beer cold.

Beer was also sometimes diluted by saloon keepers and bartenders, who would add “enhancers” or water to maximise their profits. In 1870, a glass of beer cost about 10 cents, which is equivalent to around $1.77 today.

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