19. Brewing beer in medieval times was a means of preserving grain
There are those who believe that beer was the preferred beverage of the medieval period because it was considered more healthful than water. Not true. A physician of the 13th century wrote of beer that “it harms the head and the stomach, it causes bad breath, and it ruins the teeth”. He was far from alone. The same physician pointed out that drinking beer together with wine made the drinker intoxicated far more quickly, a not particularly astute observation. The monasteries led the production of beer at the beginning of the medieval period, both to save grain which would otherwise go to waste, and to sell the beverage.
Hops became a major crop in some areas around the monasteries. In areas with no monastery upon which to rely, brewers began to make and sell beer, most large estates had their own breweries, and many of the working class brewed their own at home. By using hops, beer could be kept for up to six months, but few lasted that long in the northern countries of Europe. By the 15th century in England, annual consumption was about 60 gallons per person, of all ages, and it was consumed at every meal. In the Low Countries and the Germanic regions, consumption was even higher.
