The brewing of beer more than likely dates back to the Neolithic period, when our ancestors first started harvesting and using cereal crops. Dateable evidence, however, comes a while later, but it is probable that, due to its relatively simple brewing process and that it can be made from readily available crops (such as barley, sugar and hops) the development of beer is likely to have evolved separately across the world. We can tell, from paintings and sculptures throughout history, that it was certainly produced by the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians, and is likely to have been in production throughout the world since the 5th Century BC.
The production of beer varies from culture to culture but, apart from minor ingredient changes (mainly due to regional availability), the basic make up of barley, fermented yeast and water remains pretty much constant throughout history and location. The brewing of beer has always been shrouded in mysticism and mystery from the outset. In Ancient Egypt, beer was used to honour the dead, Babylonian brewers who abused their positions were put to death and it was used as an offering to honour their ancestors in ancient China.
It isn't really clear exactly when beer made its way from its North African roots to the shores of the United Kingdom, but it is written by the Romans that Britons drank 'ale', made from barley, fermented yeast and water. It is also written that the Roman occupiers of Britain tried in vain to introduce wine to the population, but the climate made the growing of grapes quite difficult, so the people of Britain stuck to beer!
We can surmise that beer spread across the world, west and north, with the migration of people and the cultivation of barley and other cereal crops. It is likely (although the ability to produce documentary evidence of this is naturally problematic) that, before the Romans occupied Britain, the Celts were almost certainly drinking beer. It is generally assumed that, linking in with the mystical heritage of my favourite brew, the Celtic Druids incorporated some form of beer in their rites and lifestyle.
During the Middle Ages beer was the most popular drink amongst the British people. It was even consumed at breakfast time. This is mainly due to the fact that, throughout many periods of history, the available water supply was usually contaminated and undrinkable, so beer was the obvious healthy choice. To many, beer was termed "liquid bread" or "the bread of life" and was made from natural, healthy ingredients.
It is during the 15th Century that beer began to evolve into the product we think of today, due to the introduction to Britain of hops from Holland and Flanders. It is at this point that the distinction between beer and ale comes; beer was apparently just ale with the addition of bitter tasting hops! Up until the later Middle Ages beer was produced by individuals in their houses on a very small scale. The ale or beer produced was simply for the consumption of the household which brewed it and not for sale or export to other areas.
During this time, in places other than monasteries (for obvious reasons) beer production was mainly the province of women. These female brewers were known as Brewsters and they brewed beer in their houses. As time went on they began selling the beer to the local community from their homes. These Ale Houses were the forerunner of the tavern or pub. They became a vital part of the community and quickly became meeting places for the local people.
Monasteries and Abbeys then began to produce beer on a larger scale, both for themselves and also for visiting pilgrims. This increased demand led to advances not only in the scale of brewing, but in the method of production and the increased use of hops in beer. But, it is not really until the Industrial Revolution in the early 19th Century that the brewing processes and beer itself really altered. The new styles and more automated methods revolutionized the brewing industry and, many of the processes and styles still exist today. Developments in science and technology played a significant role in the change in brewing culture. Changes were also due to reforms in measurement practices and the ability to regulate and measure heat which meant that beer could be brewed to a more consistent recipe and the finished result could be better quantified and recorded.
The advent of the Industrial Revolution and increased scientific knowledge also meant that the brewers better understood the fermentation process. Beer no longer had the mystical quality that it once had! Brewers were now viewed more as scientists than Druids and breweries became larger, with laboratories and academically trained workers.
Beer may have evolved dramatically in terms of the method, but Real Ale still remains a living product that can be unpredictable despite increased scientific knowledge and industrial advances. Its history may be long and often undocumented, but its future is in the hands, and tastes, of drinkers.