History of Beer - Egypt to Rome
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History of Beer
Ancient Literature
Egypt to Rome
Middle Ages
Use of Hops
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Wood Smoked Malts
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Page 3 of 9

As history moves forward we learn that the Sumerian empire collapsed during the 2nd millennium B.C. and the Babylonians became the rulers of Mesopotamia. They also mastered the art of brewing beer, brewing 20 different types of beer. Of these, 8 were brewed from pure emmer, 8 from pure barley and 4 from a mixture of grains.

The Egyptians carried on the tradition of beer brewing. They also used unbaked bread dough for making beer. Peasants along the Nile, the so-called Fellahs, still make beer the same way today. The Egyptians added dates to the brew to improve the taste. The importance of beer brewing in ancient Egypt, can be seen from the fact that the scribes created an extra hieroglyph for "brewer".

Beer continued to be brewed after Egypt was succeeded by the Greeks and Romans. Plinius reported of the popularity of beer in the Mediterranean area before the growing of grapes for wine took hold. Thereafter, in Rome itself, wine became the drink of the gods (Bacchus). Beer was only brewed in the outer areas of the Roman Empire where wine was difficult to obtain. For the Romans, who almost exclusively drank wine, beer was a horrible barbarian drink. In my opinion this surely this was the primary reason or the fall of Rome.