Climate and environment
Belgian belongs to the "Beer Belt" which also comprises Ireland, the
United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany, the north of France and some
countries of Eastern Europe. In these countries, the moderate climate
and the nature of the soil are particularly favourable for the culture
of cereals.
The primary component of beer, water, is supplied by the numerous
mineral sources available in Belgium. The diversity in the composition
of these mineral waters partly account for the great variety of beers
produced here.
Additionally, in some parts of Belgium, the air directly provides the
wild yeasts that have been used since immemorial times to produce beers
of spontaneous fermentation.
History
The brewing of beer was already known to the Sumerians and to the
Babylonians around ten thousand years ago. Under the pharaos, the
making of beer was submitted to severe control as it played a
priviledged role within society, notably because it was used as an
offering to the gods.
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Beer made its way to Europe around 5000 BC and was consumed early in
Greece and Rome until wine replaced it as the favorite beverage in
those countries.
Some two thousands years ago in Belgium, the brewing of barley beer was
a cottage industry, generally handed by women. At that time the Gauls
came up with the idea of replacing pottery by wooden barrels to
manufacture and store beer.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the church took control of the
land. The monks took an interest in beer, and breweries where set up in
every abbey.
In the 14th century, as Brabant was under German authority, the use of
hop was imposed for the manufacturing of beer. This improved
considerably the quality of beer as it permitted a better control of
the fermentation process and of the bacterial development.
At that time, it was generally considered that drinking beer was safer
than drinking water, as cholera could be transmitted by water, while
the dangerous bacteria were eliminated in the brewing process. |
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