Beer in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance (review)
Joel T. Rosenthal
Reviewed by: Beer in the Middle Ages and Renaissance Joel T. Rosenthal (bio) Renaissance. By Richard W. Unger. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004. Pp. xvi+319. $45. Brewing beer is big business, as drinking beer. These truisms are bound to each other, world economic, social, technological history, an intriguing case study dialectical minuet supply demand. This volume by Unger, focusing primarily on northwestern Europe during later (though with eye beer's ancient origins post-Renaissance behavioral patterns consumption), draws upon immense wealth data tell its tale brewing terms several major trends or lines historical development. If none them quite merit overused epithet "revolution," they offer significant insights into some aspects daily life that perhaps meant much all sorts men women, well their rulers, do more [End Page 182] heralded changes we chart such realms political theory liturgy. To take us from days home production 57 million liters produced annually early-seventeenth-century Harlem open a window way society allocates distributes labor resources, be human, agricultural, industrial, commercial. One change Unger traces replacing ale, which former was reinforced, made durable, given deeper flavor introduction hops. transition, while having roots dating back Carolingian Europe, really took place fourteenth century. Related this triumph over although not wholly dependent it, tremendous growth consumption: consumption, progressed rural urban industry, indicate half northern probably went around mild buzz. And because supervised taxed at many stages levels—especially those concerned export import—we can follow trade consumption considerable detail for reason no one rushes discard record taxes once collected. Finally, meet demand peaked fifteenth sixteenth centuries, were genuine golden age drinking, technology advanced keep pace challenges casting gigantic kettles, endless barrels, ceaseless improvements itself designed produce ever larger batches could survive rigors long-distance shipping still boast longer "sell-by date" choicer (German) varieties. has published extensively specialized topic, concentrating largely Low Countries. Now, book general sweep, he takes intensive look Hamburg, center beer-drinking Countries rest Germany. Considerable attention England Baltic countries Poland, there regard how fared competition wine narrative moves south viticulture. Trade statistics bedrock study, but information also comes manuals about brewing, treatises pleasures medicinal values, visual artistic representations depict subject. The twenty-two illustrations range thirteenth-century manuscript depicting monastic cellarer testing his brew, stained glass Tournai showing barrels being weighed, pertinent paintings Brueghel, younger Teniers, Hogarth ("Gin Lane Street"). But real force book's exposition lies sheer author compiled. He tells (in tables text) 25 brewed Gdansk average year 1400, 200 breweries working Delft century, annual Antwerp 210 per head, Page...
Technology and Culture