The History of Beer
 North American beer owes its existance to the brewing traditions of the "Old World". As people moved from Europe to America they brought with them recipies and techniques that would produce the style of beer they were used to. That being said, many factors have influenced North American beer. Social, economical, and environmental forces have all played a part in the development of beer.Archalogists have determined that the first beer was produced in the Mesopotamian and Egyptian cultures. It was, of course, homebrew, and was probably discovered by accident. Grains were frequently left exposed to the elements, and the wetting and drying processes caused these grains to become malted. These malts were then fair game for colonization by wild yeasts. When the liquids that were produced by this colonization were consumed, beer was discovered. This process is still used today in some of our more rural civilizations. For example, African tribal beers made from maize, and the goat's milk beers of Tibet are made using this unrefined method. As the beer making process was understood and refined, beer making moved into the home. As towns and cities grew and good drinking water was hard to find, beer became a safe alternative. At the same time, finance and economy started to bloom and enterprising individuals discovered that there was profit in beer. This lead to the small town brewery and the decline of home brewing.
BEER STYLES
Small town brewers were under great pressure to brew a quality product. They relied on local resources to achieve this. Local strains of barley and other grains greatly influenced the character of the brew. The availability of herbs and hops also characterized local beers. Wild yeasts also lent a taste to beer. As yeasts began to become understood they were cultured and refined so that their effects could be duplicated with each batch.Human development and an expanding global presance also affected beer development. Beers that had to be transported long distances were frequently high in alcohol and hops. This not only served as a good preservative, but influenced the taste of the beer. Economic factors influenced the style and taste of beers. During wartime, beers had less body and became more diluted, as the grain was required to feed troops. Taxation also had its effect on beer. The higher the alcohol content the higher the tax, so lower strength beers were produced to keep the price down. Political decisions also affect beer. From January 1920 to December 1933, the United States enacted Prohibition. When it was over, instead of the thousands of small town breweries, there were a few larger breweries that had survived by making malt products for the food industry. These large breweries were sensative to the prevailing mood, and consequently made lighter, less alcohol beers to appeal to a larger market share. WWII also contributed to this trend. As the majority of beer drinkiers in the US during the war were women, lighter beers enjoyed greater popularity. When the husbands and sweethearts returned home, these lighter beers were all that remained of a once diverse and vibrant collection of beer style. What does all this mean to Ameican beer? Today, beer is a light bodied, light coloured, pilsner-lager style. It enjoys a position of dominance in the beer industry. Freedom to travel the world, and the positioning of large numbers of Americans in exotic locations, has made different beer tastes available to more people. These people later want to brew these tastes for themselves. Demand for higher quality, more flavourful beer, and the relaxation of brewing regulations has meant that a new micro-brewing industry has emerged. Home brewers, even with their 5 gallon batches belong to this industry.
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