Sup Dudes. Okay, let's be clear: Beer isn't healthier than water. Like, not even close. If you're living in 2024 with access to clean tap water, stick to H2O for hydration. But for our medieval ancestors? That's a whole different story. Let’s get into it.

History Stuff

Beer Over Water: Medieval Europe's Solution to Deadly H2O

Medieval Europeans weren't choosing beer over water because they were party animals—they were trying not to die. Think of it as their version of avoiding tap water in places where you know it'll wreck your stomach, except instead of spending a week in bed with traveler's diarrhea, you might actually kick the bucket.

The Water Situation? Brutal. 

City rivers and wells were basically open sewers, teeming with bacteria that could knock you out with everything from dysentery to typhoid. Imagine drinking from a puddle in Times Square—that's basically what they were dealing with. The closer you got to cities, the worse it got. London's Thames River was effectively an open toilet, and Paris's Seine wasn't winning any cleanliness awards either.

Most cities dumped raw sewage directly into their water sources, with people and animals sharing the same water supplies. To make matters worse, wells were often dug downhill from graveyards (spoiler: bad idea).

While boiling water would've helped, it was incredibly uncommon. Fuel was expensive, and germ theory was centuries away from being a thing. Plus, who wants to wait for water to cool down when you've got fields to plow?

Enter Beer: The OG Water Filter 

Beer wasn't just a drink—it was medieval Europe's version of a Brita filter, except it actually worked. Alcohol acted like nature's preservative (no refrigeration needed), and you could store it without it turning into a science experiment. The fermentation process created an environment where bad bacteria went to die.

The Brewing Process

Making beer wasn't just brewing—it was accidentally creating the safest beverage in town. First, they'd malt the grain (basically tricking it into thinking spring has sprung). Then came the crucial boiling step (goodbye, bacteria), followed by adding hops (nature's preservative). Finally, fermentation created an environment where bacteria didn't stand a chance.

Forget Your IPA Expectations 

This wasn't your craft brewery's 8% ABV special. Medieval beer was more like the La Croix of its time—just enough alcohol to keep it safe, light enough to drink all day. We're talking 2-3% ABV, tops. Modern light beers would've been considered strong by their standards.

Food in Liquid Form 

For medieval workers, beer wasn't happy hour—it was a meal. Packed with calories and carbs, it was basically their Soylent. Even monks got in on the action, using it as their loophole during fasting periods. A typical worker might drink up to a gallon per day, while children drank "small beer" (even weaker stuff). Monasteries were the Whole Foods of beer production—premium ingredients, consistent quality. Some monks were allowed up to five liters daily (talk about blessed).

The Economics of Medieval Brewing 

Beer wasn't just sustenance—it was big business. Brewing was often a household activity, especially for women (called "alewives"). Many towns had laws requiring taverns to serve bread with beer. Some workers even received part of their wages in beer, which might just be the best benefits package ever.

What About Wine? 

Wine was the bougie alternative, but it came with drawbacks. It was expensive, only grew in certain regions, and didn't travel well without modern preservation methods. You were more likely to find it in your local monastery than your corner store.

Big picture

The choice between beer and water wasn't about getting buzzed—it was about staying alive. When your options are potentially deadly water or mildly alcoholic, bacteria-free beer, the choice is pretty clear. Modern brewers might brag about their water source, but medieval brewers were literally saving lives. Consider it the original public health campaign, just with more alcohol and fewer PSAs.

Legacy Pour 

Next time you crack open a cold one, pour one out for your medieval ancestors. They weren't drinking beer because they were perpetually looking to party—they were just trying to avoid dying from drinking water that was basically medieval sewage. Their solution? A beverage that was safer than water, nutritious enough to be considered food, and just happened to make feudal life a little more bearable.

Quick Stuff

Why are beer bottles Brown (Or Green)?

Most beer bottles are brown or green for one big reason: sunlight. When UV light hits beer, it can cause a chemical reaction with the hops, creating a skunky smell and taste. Brown glass is perfect for blocking out most UV rays, acting like sunglasses for your beer and keeping it fresh. This is why, since the early 1900s, brown bottles became the industry standard, especially for brewers who wanted their beer to last.

Green bottles, however, came about during World War II when brown glass was in short supply, particularly in Europe. While green doesn’t protect as well as brown, it became a mark of premium European beers, like Heineken, and eventually stuck around for its classy look. Some brands today use clear bottles, but only for beers brewed with hops that don’t react to light—allowing iconic brews like Corona to keep their signature clear bottles without sacrificing taste.