Results: The History of Beer in Medieval Times & the Middle Ages *** Medieval Brewers mastered the art of brewing, they development brands and markets for international trade. This can be traced back to the days of Charlemagne, Charles The Great; 768-814 AD

The quality of beer changed drastically around they year 1200, Unger says. Brewers in Bremen, Germany, figured out the exact amount and type of hops to add to the beer so that it kept for up to six months. This new knowledge didn't only mean that customers could now enjoy a pint on hot summer days, but it also enabled brewers to ship their product as far away as England and the Low Countries. And, as good quality beer started spreading across Europe, more and more people started to drink it and to make it. Have you ever made your own beer or ale?

As governments strictly regulated beer production, there is plenty of data on the amount and type of grains and ingredients used in various beers. In the Middle Ages, however, recreating the same quality of beer from one brew to the next was quite a challenge. A brewery could produce an excellent batch one week, and a terrible one the week later without changing anything. Brewers couldn't control the yeast, and as the standards of sanitation was quite different, bacteria from the air and the wooden cask could get into the beer and cause contamination. Were you aware brewing beers and ales with ancient and medieval recipes is becoming quite popular?

There was a great variety of brews in the Middle Ages. They were named based on their color, heaviness, price, and other factors. The Belgian Pharaoh beer had nothing to do with Egypt whatsoever and Convent beer wasn't necessarily made in a monastery. However, the name Einbeck – from a small exporting town in north Germany – might possibly be where "bock beer" originates from. Tudor Butter Beer was very popular, the recipe is available and can still be made today. Are you aware of Butter Beer?

The medieval brewer, along with the baker, was held in high regard in the community in which he lived. Both the brewer and the baker provided the townspeople with essential goods and so their work was steady and profitable. So similar were these two trades that brewing and baking were often carried out on the same premises, sometimes overseen by the same person. Brewing was one of the few medieval commercial occupations which included women. This was very common until "Alewives" were deemed evil by the church and women that brewed became labeled as witches. Does it surprise you that medieval women were heavily involved in domestic brewing and home taverns?