How Much Do You Know About the History of Beer?

ABV stands for alcohol by volume. This figure tells you how strong a beer is, i.e. the alcohol content.

Prohibition began in the U.S. in 1919. The Volstead Act was the legislation that established prohibition.

Scotch ales are often called "wee heavies." The "heavy" refers to the higher alcohol content.

The earliest evidence of beer in history comes from Sumer, in Mesopotamia.

The Pilsner style is the most familiar in America, being the basis of the lite beers most often bought. Pilsners were first brewed in 1842.

Pale ales are first mentioned by name in 1703. The fact that their malts are roasted over coke gives the beer a paler yellow appearance than beers with malts roasted over wood or peat.

Frederick J. Miller, a German immigrant, sold his first beer in 1855. Miller was born in Riedlingen, Germany, in 1824.

Adolphus Coors emigrated to the U.S. in 1868. He actually didn't pay to get to America, but stowed away on a ship.

India pale ales were brewed with higher alcohol content, so they could make the long sea journey from Britain to India without losing their potency. IPAs are known for being hoppy and bitter.

Russian Imperial Stouts got their name because the Russian court was fond of them. Their ABV can be anywhere from 8-15%.

Sahtea was an ancient Finnish beer. It used juniper berries for flavor rather than hops.

California Commons are brewed with lager yeast, but at a warmer temperature than regular lagers. This is, in part, thanks to how difficult it is to keep ice around in California's climate.

The first modern tripel was brewed by Westmalle, a Belgian brewery, in 1956. The name and style, however, existed in earlier forms before the 20th century.

The Hymn to Ninkasi was written in 1800 B.C., and includes a recipe for beer. Ninkasi was the goddess of brewing in the ancient Middle East.

1632 is generally credited as the year America's first commercial brewery was founded. It was founded in New York, by the Dutch East India Company.

Porter is a dark beer that was first mentioned in print in 1721. It was George Washington's favorite style of beer.

The New England IPA is a type of IPA known for being less bitter, fruitier and cloudier-looking than regular IPAs. The style has blossomed in popularity in the latter half of the 2010s.

Yuengling is the oldest continuously operating brewery in the U.S. It was founded in 1829, and was originally named Eagle Brewing.

Beer was included in multiple prescriptions in ancient Egypt. The Egyptians also had a goddess of beer, Tenenit.

Charlemagne ordered days of fasting, which included no beer or other alcoholic beverages. Charlemagne was known for drinking only in moderation.

St. Arnold is the patron of brewers. St. Arnold encouraged the drinking of beer, as it was often healthier than medieval water.

Nathaniel Eaton was President of Harvard. Students took issue with the lack of beer, and even claimed there was goat poop in the puddings his wife made.

The German Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot) was adopted in 1516. According to the Reinheitsgebot, the three ingredients in beer were hops, water, and barley.

Weihenstephan Brewery in Bavaria is the oldest continuously operating brewery on earth. They trace their heritage to 1040 A.D.

Trappist monks have become famous for the beer they brew. They brewed beer for local communities, and eventually to earn money for their monasteries.

Saisons originated in Wallonia, a part of Belgium where people speak French. The beers were traditionally lower ABV and meant as refreshment for farm laborers.

Oktoberfest has been an important yearly celebration in Bavaria since the 19th century. It's held from late September to early October.

Marzen lagers are the style most associated with Oktoberfest. They're called Marzens because they're brewed in March ("Marz," in German), and put back until October.

The Lager Beer Riots occurred in Chicago in 1855. Boone was a devout Baptist who did not believe in drinking on Sundays.

Cleveland, Ohio, was home to "Bottlegate" and "Ten Cent Beer Night." "Bottlegate occurred at a Cleveland Browns game when thousands of angry fans threw empty beer bottles at the field. "Ten Cent Beer Night" was a 1974 promotion at a Cleveland Indians game that quickly descended into chaos.

Arthur Guinness leased St. James Gate in 1759, where he put the brewery that bears his name. Guinness is best known for their stout.

Kaiser Wilhelm II famously asked for a beer-loving lady. The country he ruled, Germany, would be one of the losers in WWI.

Canada's first commercial brewery was opened in Quebec City in 1668. Ironically, part of the reason it was founded was to keep people from being too intoxicated, by giving them an alternative to liquor.

Frederick the Great, ruler of Prussia, ordered his subjects to substitute beer for coffee. Frederick worried that soldiers who drank coffee weren't fit for battle.

Workers on the Great Pyramids were paid in beer. Beer was incredibly popular in ancient Egypt.