A Short History of Beer for the Home Brewer

So you’re considering becoming a Home Brewer.

To begin with, you should realize that beer and alcohol in general has been a major staple of the human civilization for more than 8,000 years worldwide. Some of the earliest samples of writing contain references to beer.

The word beer comes from the Middle English ber(e), and from the Latin bibere meaning “to drink”, and it is brewed primarily from hops, yeast, barley, and barley malt. Beer varieties are virtually endless, especially with the current popularity of home brewing.

There are many benefits to becoming a home brewer. Home brewing is often cheaper than obtaining commercial beer, and home brewers have more control over the flavor and alcohol-content which is dependent upon the grains, malts, and brewing methods. And in most cases your own brand of beer can make the perfect gift to bring at birthdays, holiday parties or weddings.


If you are in fact interested in becoming a Home Brewer you will also need to consider the equipment you’re going to invest in, the type of beer you’re interested in making (ale, stout, porter, lager and bock beer are all good candidates for a beginner), and the kind of labels you’ll want to brand your finished product with.

Most beer bottles contain a body label. Some labels are more elaborate than others, but they all contain sources of information, and it plays an important role in deciphering a brand`s history. The brewery`s name and city were actually embossed onto the bottle when brewing first began. And during prohibition words like “non-intoxicating,” “tonic” and “malt beverage” appeared on most of the labels. Breweries used names like “products company” or “beverage company.” Words like “brewery,” “ale” or “beer” were almost entirely done away with.

Times have changed since then, but if you’re looking to give your home brewed beer that old-timey, historical appearance, Labels on the Fly offers a variety of unique, historically-themed beer labels that will no doubt meet your every need.