May have been born in present-day Iraq
Originally it is a kind of cake… We speak of “sikaru” which could be translated as “liquid bread”, which is not too surprising since we think that to make beer, the Sumerians soaked spelled or barley pancakes in water, triggering fermentation. The beer was then seasoned with cinnamon or other spices. It was also used as currency. The Egyptians appreciate it. For the Greeks, it was the god Dyonisos who invented it. For the Romans it is the drink of the poor, while they note that among the “barbarians” of northern and eastern Europe, it is consumed by all sections of society.
Appreciated in the Middle Ages, it allows you not to drink water that was often bad for your health at the time…
In Europe, the Middle Ages appreciated beer, made in certain monasteries, and very useful since we never drank e. It is often rotten, full of unclear things like bacteria or viruses. Beer seems safer and for good reason.
In the 19th century, beer was studied, notably Louis Pasteur who, in Lorraine, worked on the action of yeasts. Fermentation and refrigeration were improved and, above all, industrialization made beer one of the most consumed beverages in the world.
70 liters per year and per French person
Today, in Europe, it is the Czechs who drink the most: 143 liters per year and per inhabitant, followed by the Germans with 106 liters. The French are around 70 liters.
Blonde, brown, amber, depending on the cooking and the ingredients, beer is a helping hand from the brewers, and each brewer produces a unique beer according to their own tastes and experience. We can of course cook with beer, with beer soup, Flemish carbonnade, and we see more and more meals with a beer pairing as we do with wine pairings. On the health side, it is rich in silicon and phyto-oestrogens, but beware! alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health consume in moderation.
Cooking is done with a few dishes, such as beer, but it is mostly done with the heart.