Little Known Facts About Beer

Beer is said to be number two when it comes to listing "the most popular beverages around the globe". Tea takes first place. But, if you poll the drinking population of England and Ireland, beer is "numero uno" with them. Read this intriguing article and learn some more little known facts about beer
that will interest you!

Historical Events
Somewhere around 1750 BC, the "Code of Hammurabi" was established in Babylonia. This law regulated one aspect of the operation of taverns and inns. Specifically, it ruled that any proprietors who served watered-down beer would be put to death. How? They would be drowned in their own poor quality beer!

Similarly serious about his beer, Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria made a proclamation in 1516. His "Purity Law" stated beer could only be brewed using barley malt, hops and water, period.

A little known fact about beer is that, when the monks in the Middle Ages fasted, they were still allowed to drink beverages. What was their favorite? Beer, of course. As a result of that, monks began to brew beer in their monasteries. However, each monk was limited to drinking just five quarts of beer a day.

Do you know how beer affected William Bradford and the Pilgrim's landing at Plymouth Rock in 1620? Because they were running out of beer, a chief part of their diets, they stopped their voyage short at cold Plymouth Rock in New England instead of sailing on farther south to warmer weather.

The Vikings were a plucky bunch who loved to drink their ale. After consuming too much beer, they would often head off to do battle without their armor, even without their shirts on! The word "berserk" translates to "bare shirt" in the Norse language. The Vikings ended up being described as "berserk" when they drank too much beer.