The history of Alcohol Flashcards
what does yeast convert sugars to?
alcohol
co2
what came first, alcohol or yeast?
alcohol
what is a cloud of alcohol and a give an example?
space - near milky way
containing many supanova
- its a cloud larger than our solar system and contains . methanol, ethanol, ammonia and hydrogen cyanide
Alcohol attaches to cosmic dust and is transported vast distances!
LOVEJOY
How were organic molecules potentially introduced to earth?
Through cloud of alcohol containing methanol, ethanol, ammonia and hydrogen cyanide
How has yeast evolved in terms of alcohol?
- To tolerate high levels of alcohol
Most microbes die around 5% alcohol, yeast produced alcohol in a higher concentration to keep all the sugar to themselves.
What happens to any decomposing form of sugar?
It will be fermented by wild yeasts
What does yeast need to produce alcohol?
When yeast is in contact with sugar and water, it only needs time and lack of oxygen
What were the first alcoholic products consumed?
Fermented Fruits
What happens to a fruit when it is left long enough?
It will ferment
May also grow harmful bacteria/fungus
What is the drunken monkey theory?
Humans have evolved to be genetically predisposed to alcohol.
10 mil years ago, alcohol dehydrogenase mutated = 40x more effective - became ubiquitous
- this was the same time human ancestors moved from trees to ground (due to food).
Fermented fruit = higher in calories = more energy and loss of balance prevents return to trees.
If true - fermentation was significant to the evolution of humans
How/why was beer first produced?
First by accident as wet grains were stored which were fermented by wild yeasts
Who/when was beer first produced by?
semi-nomadic people
13000 years ago
When was the first evidence of beer consumption and by who?
10000 BC by Sumerians
- poem that contained a recipe for beer in 1800 BC, oldest recipe, beer used for wages
How was beer first consumed communally?
From large vessels through long straws
Why were straws used to consume beer and when does the first straw date back to?
To avoid sour-solid products of fermentation 3000 BC (solid gold found in sumeria)
What was the earliest evidence of beer in China?
Rice Mead
Produced from 7000BC
mix of rice and honey that is then fermented
produced beer from wheat and barley by 3000 BC
What was the earliest evidence of beer in central and South America?
Chicha (from corn) produced from 5000 BC
Pulque (from agave) produced from AD 200
What was the earliest evidence of beer in sub saharan Africa/Egypt?
By 3000 BC Egypt actively trade beer.
Sorghum based beers have been brewed in Africa for years. - this still forms the base of traditional African beers
What was the earliest evidence of beer in NorthAmerica?
Tiswin (beer from corn) made by native Americans for over 800 years - no evidence of distillation
What is the brief history of wine in Africa?
palm wine produced from palm sap (potentially dates back to 16000 BC)
What is the brief history of wine in Europe/Asia?
Oldest evidence in Georgia (6000BC), Iran (5000Bc) and Greece (4500 BC)
What is the theory for how wine developed in Europe?
A jar of spoiled grapes were left to ferment and drunk by a lady in Sumeria.
Where was the oldest winery in Europe?
Armenia from 4100 BC
What is the brief history of wine in Australia?
Aboriginals made way-a-linah from a species of eucalyptus known as cider gum
When was honey first collected by humans?
10000 yrs ago
When were bees first domesticated for honey?
2500 BCE
When was the first evidence of mead being drunk and where?
3000BCE
Greece, China and Africa
When did the popularity of mead increase?
widespread in greece by 2000 BC, India 1700-1100 BC
Why was mead significant in marriage in history?
couples given 1 month of honey wine and if they got pregnant payment was given to the meadmaker.
It was known as the nectar of the gods/drink of celebration
Who were typically brewers in history?
females
Why did Romans initially cause a rise in the popularity of wine?
Conquered Italy and took over modern day Tuscany and greek colonies - both of which produced wine.
Who did the Romans make wine available to and why?
Everyone (even slaves)
It was deemed a necessity - beer considered inferior.
What did the Romans and Greeks do to their wine to ensure it wasn’t uncouth?
Watered it down
What happened to Spanish wines during Roman era?
They flourished.
Traded across the Roman empire using the road network - Bordeaux vineyards starting using spanish Riojas.
How was Pompeii significant in the history of wine?
It was the wine centre.
After the volcano their was a shortage in wine which led to riots and vines being planted over grains.
Some were then uprooted for grains and more vines were banned.
How were hops introduced to Britain?
When the romans conquered - originally used medicinally.
Vines introduced at the same time
How did the Romans obtain vine variety?
Soldiers took cuttings from vines in Northern Africa and Persia.
How were the Romans significant in Vineyards?
Developed hygiene, vineyard management and soil selection - the first to come up with the concept of terroir.
How did many of todays vineyards come about?
Planted by Romans
How did the fall of the roman empire impact wine and wine making?
Fell in 480 BC
-Knowledge of alcohol saved by Roman Catholic Church
How were monasteries involved in the alcohol history?
Started brewing and winemaking using secret techniques- wine produced for mass and ceremonies.
How did worsening road networks effect winemaking?
Focus returned to small scale production
Italy, Spanish and French vineyards continued small scale wine production and trade
When did beer regain popularity in society after the romans?
Dark age saxon communities had designated brewers - beer was brewed in anglo saxon ale houses
What was the sign for an anglo saxon ale house?
Broom over door
When were modern pub signs established?
1375
What are two properties of ales?
high in alcohol = longer shelf life
How are ales made in terms of fermentation?
top fermented
What does top fermented mean?
That the yeast rises to the top of the beer and can be skimmed off for next batch - carried out between 10 and 25˚C
Mild temperature ales are stored in a cellar and top fermented, what properties does this give the ale?
more flavourful beer with fruitier and spicier flavours- less repeatable flavour profile due to fermentation speed
What is monastic brewing and what techniques were developed?
Development of new techniques like secondary fermentation, clarification of wine along with inventions of new beverages.
Why did monks believe they were brewing?
For god - continuously tried to improve quality
What is the oldest monastic brew?
weihenstephan (wise stephen) 1040 - located on former site of weihenstephan abbey in Bavaria.
Did monks drink when fasting?
yes
What were the 3 types of monastic alcohol made?
for sale
for the poor
for personal
What is the most famous monastic alcohol?
Trappist beer
12 monasteries still brew it - consistently voted worlds best beer
Where do the profits go from monastic Alcohol?
Charity
What are abbey beers?
Made in the same style as monastic beers but no association to a monastery.
wines = monastic wines (pop in france)
What is Champagne? and what is its history?
Most famous monastic wine (devils wine)
1531 = sparkling wine produced in France
1662 = paper to royal society on how to add bubbles to wine
17th century = England develops thicker glass bottle to withstand 5-6 atmosphere pressure in champagne + rediscover cork stopper
1891 = France protects name ‘Champagne’
When were spirits invented and how?
9th century distillation used by islamic chemics to concentrate ethanol
When was the process of distillation first established?
In Egypt to distill water - 1st Century
What is the word alcohol used for?
Anything containing ethanol
When was fractional distillation developed?
12th Century
By Italian Chemists
What is the timeline for alcoholic beverage development?
Beer - 13000 BCE
Wine - 6000 BCE
Mead - 300 BCE
Spirits - 1000 CE
When were lagers developed and who by?
1420 = 1st mention of lager
bavarians develop cold temp lager (bottom fermented) store in caves in the Alps.
This allowed bubbles to produce slowly = cleaner beer and less spoilage
What flavours do lager have and why?
More mellow flavours as they are conditioned longer at lower temps
What were lagers in the past?
Hopped dark beers
What is Reinheitsgebot?
1516 Bavarian Purity Law
The worlds first food safety law
What does the purity law do?
Limits ingredients of beer to barley, water and hops (yeast not known at the time - understood that something in fermentation produces alcohol)
Set max beer price
Set max beer strength
Traditionally what were ales?
- Beers brewed without hops (in england this was all beverages as they were made with grain)
- Ales needed to be stronger than beers in alcohol due to lack of hops
Ales are seen as beers that are brewed using ‘top fermentation’
Traditionally what were beers?
Beer stems from English word ‘bier’ - fell out of use but then reintroduced when hops added to beer
Currently beer is any alcoholic drink fermented from a grain source.
When was gin popularised in England?
1688
Outline the timeline and history of gin in England
1689-97 = government introduces legislation to increase gin production and decrease imports.
There was no license required = bathtub gin produced by 1/4 of households
Income increased, food price decreased therefore people spent more on gin = gin craze
1743 - english consuming 10litres of gin pppa (twice as strong)
What was the 1751 Gin act?
Due to high consumption of gin, act reduced gin consumption
What was the main drink in victorian England?
small beer - water not safe
What was the temperance movement?
Encourages the drinking of tea over alcohol which causes malnutrition
What was most successful in curbing drinking?
Cadbury’s drinking chocolate in 1824 - it was sweet
Why was water an issue in London in 1854?
Cholera - John snow
How did the UK government influence pub opening hours?
They voted against attempting to curve pub opening times in 1874
Why have attitudes to drinking changed?
Increased understanding of health effects, decreased volume consumed pp, increased quality
Why is the whisky industry unstable?
It sees peaks and troughs - influenced by economics
How has craft beer and real ale changed?
- Craft brewing takes off in US in 1965
- CAMRA = seeks return of real ale to UK in 1972
