Home Brew Beer and Wine Around the World and in History
Homebrew – An alcoholic beverage (especially beer) made at home.
Brew alcohol in your home! Brewing small amounts of beer became legal for personal consumption through a bill that was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter in 1979.
The current Federal limit on home brewing beer is 100 gallons for a single adult, or 200 gallons for a household with two or more adults. Many folks do not know how easy and simple it is to homebrew. This can be a healthy hobby for the Mister and Misses. You can make wine from dandelion to coconut. Beers can be made with wheat. (It is called “Hefeweizen” or barley.)
Home brewing here in America has its roots back in 1587 in Colonial Virginia. Europeans home brewed a beer made from fermented corn. In 1620, one of the first buildings constructed at Plymouth Rock was a brewery. Home brewing was a common household task and most of the brewing was done by women. Fermenting grains was a smart and tasty way to purify your water back then.
President Thomas Jefferson devoted special places at Monticello for the brewing and storage of beer. It was a passion of his and he studied it scientifically. In fact, his wife Martha was brewing beer very early during their marriage, about 40 years before he began brewing at Monticello.
President George Washington drank home brew. In his own words:
“We have already been too long subject to British prejudices. I use no porter or cheese in my family, but such as is made in America; both these articles may now be purchased of an excellent quality.” – President George Washington
Home brewed beer has been around for thousands of years. As far back as 4000BC, the ancient Sumerians fermented grains. So much so that they have a goddess of beer, named Ninkasi. Home brewing for the Sumerians was done primarily by women.
Ancient Egyptians drank beer, and were often paid in beer for manual labor. Females made the beer, as depicted on tomb walls. Ingredients were, for example, 1 lb barley flour, 1 lb millet flour, 2 cups corn sugar, water to make dough, Baker’s yeast, and flavorings such as liquorices, anise and honey.
Excerpt from: Home Brew Beer and Wine Around the World and in History
Related posts:
