Friday 17 June 2016

Beer Law – 500 Years of the Reinheitsgebot

Beer licence law – Many beer drinkers would ask what on earth the Reinheitsgebot is?   Well, it is a beer law made more than 500 years ago (23 April 1516 to be precise) which limited the ingredients of all German beer to hops, water, yeast and malted barely.  By implication, it forbid the use of wheat  (saving wheat for food production) and sugar (preventing cheaper, less tasteful beer).
At 130 words long, it is probably the shortest law with the greatest global impact ever  - read the full Reinheitsgebot  text.   Not even the European Court’s 1987 decision which lifted the ban has dampened the enthusiasm with which many beer brewers voluntarily follow this “gebot”.   However, not all beer brewers agree that the Reinheitsgebot did Germany a favour.  Read why – here

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