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  • Essay / The use of hops in brewing

    The rise of modern brewing occurred in northern Europe. It is possible that some of these skills originated in the Middle East, although independent discoveries may also have taken place. In medieval times, brewing was an everyday activity. “In Burton-upon-Trent in the United Kingdom, the abbey founded in the 11th century had a brewery whose product made the town's reputation as a center of brewing excellence. » (Boulton et al.). Belgian beers owe a lot to the know-how of medieval brewers. Some of these breweries have survived and still produce “bottled Trappist beers”. (Boulton et al) Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Beer was popular, which is reflected in the fact that it was the staple drink of all courses. Sambrook (1996) states that beer consumption in medieval noble households was generally between seven hundred and fifty and fifteen hundred hectoliters. The beer's widespread popularity was likely heavily influenced by later Saxon and Danish invasions (Hackwood, 1985). The benefits of using hops in brewing were known in ancient times and there are records detailing its cultivation in ancient Babylon (Corran, 1975). This knowledge was transmitted to Europe. Initially, hops were used in conjunction with other herbs such as rosemary, bog myrtle, sweet wind, coriander, caraway, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, milfoil, and yarrow. Mixtures of these herbs were called "gruit" and, with local variations, were incorporated into beers to add flavor and improve keeping qualities (Forget, 1988). The widespread use of cultivated hops, as opposed to gruit, began in Germany, probably in the 10th century, and later spread to the rest of Europe. Hops were introduced to Kent in England, probably by Flemish weavers in the 15th century (Lawrence, 1990). ). In addition to altering the taste of the beer, the preservative qualities of hops made it possible to brew weaker beers with longer shelf lives since it was no longer necessary to rely solely on the antimicrobial qualities of the hops. ethanol. The arrival of hops in the United Kingdom marked the need to distinguish between ale and ale. The latter was supposed to designate only a hopped fermented malt drink; however, as Sambrook (1996) explains, other meanings have also been used. Thus, when commercial brewing and home brewing were parallel operations, the urban brewery product was often called beer and the home-brewed material was often called beer. In another sense, beer was used to describe the product made from strong early worts, while the term beer derived from later weaker worts, hence the expression "small beer". Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom article now from our expert writers.Get a custom essayThere was resistance to the use of hops in most countries in Europe, mainly due to vested interests. Thus, beer and gruit suppliers all had good commercial reasons to discourage the production of hoppy beers. Ultimately, these sanctions were unsuccessful and, in response to public demand, the use of hops became the norm..