The history of brewing through analysis of terminology [Articol]

Abstract

While not quite ubiquitous, the production and enjoyment of alcohol is shared by many cultures dating back to prehistory. Alcoholic beverages are mentioned in many Old English works. Mead, for example, is prominently mentioned in Beowulf. However, there is nothing written about how it is produced. The first writings about the technical process of brewing do not appear until the 16th century. Most research into the history of brewing comes from archaeology. This paper analyses the origin of brewing terminology using the OED to determine when the terms entered the English language, and from which language they were borrowed. The results showed that the most basic terms were of an older, Germanic origin. A second wave of terms entered from French starting in the 12th century. A third wave of Dutch words were borrowed starting in the 14th century.