For thousands of years beer was consumed
in the place it was brewed. Produced in private homes, village pubs,
the monastery at the top of the hill, or the local castle, one walked a
bit, quaffed a bit (or a lot), and walked back to a nearby resting
place.
Beer could only be carried as far as a horse could take it. That had
certain ramifications for beer drinkers—they would have very limited
choices of beer for months at a time, maybe even years. On the other
hand, they always got fresh locally-brewed beer and could tell the
brewmaster just how they felt. A man had to be careful about that last
part after several beers, however, especially if the brewer happened to
be his wife—which was often the case.
It’s hard to blame the brewer for that narrow brew view, since the
same limits on travel affected them as well. How was a brewer to get to
other parts of the world to get new ideas? The invention of steam (not
Anchor Steam) in the early 19th century changed all that. Machines to
create vast batches of beer were developed at the same time railroads
began to crisscross the world. The result? Mass brewing evolved,
large-scale breweries were built, and beer could be shipped long
distances. Grains and hops could be specialized and shipped, as could
special yeasts. It no doubt gave rise to an overall improvement in
beer, and certainly increased choices for consumers.
Beer was shipped then in wooden kegs, without much refrigeration if
any, so distances were far more limited than now. Today we often find
beer from virtually anywhere in the world right at the corner tavern
and liquor store.
I don’t know what shipping and storing standards were in effect back
then, but in our day some sins can be committed that may result in
inferior, not superior, beer.
The three main enemies of beer are heat, light, and time, and beers
shipped from afar can often take a long time to arrive. From Europe or
Asia, for example, they are shipped to a warehouse and stored until
they can be loaded, then they embark on an ocean voyage to one of our
coasts and are once again stored in a warehouse until sent to a
retailer or pub. All the while time is taking its toll. Heat may also
be a factor during the voyage, and possibly in the storage facilities.
Since the product is in a keg, a can, or a tightly-sealed box, light
won’t matter.
Some brewers take scrupulous care to maintain storage perfection
during this shipping and their stuff will get here in great shape. But
I always recommend to my patrons and friends that they try the
freshest, locally-brewed beers than can find, and on draft if possible.
This will set the freshness standard by which they can judge any other
product.
Ironically, this is just how they would have gotten it before the Industrial Revolution and the development of steam power.