How the beer bottle appeared: the history of the most popular container of our time

• The very first

Most people are guided solely by taste when choosing beer, and it doesn't matter what kind of container it is in — a bottle or an iron can, or maybe even poured into glasses or placed in plastic. But there are those who prefer bottled beer to everything else — as if in the glass the drink has a special taste. In any case, it will be interesting to learn about the origins of the beer bottle for both of them — it has too rich a history.

The very first

Glass bottles had been used by brewers since the 17th century, but they were not very popular, mainly because they exploded before they reached the consumer. Neither corking nor tying them with wires helped because the pressure from secondary fermentation was too strong and handmade glass was too fragile. Ceramic and clay bottles were an alternative, but they were too heavy, so brewers still looked for a way to improve glass containers.

In those years, beer was very dense and quite strong (this was necessary so that it would spoil more slowly). And the bottles were just like it — with thick walls and almost black in color. The glass itself was plain, but it darkened over time because, first, it was often moved around and, second, it could be reused an infinite number of times. The shape of the bottles was also quite brutal — rectangular and squat.

Glass containers began to gain full popularity only by the end of the 17th century. And brewers were divided into two camps: some appreciated that beer in this format lasts longer than in barrels; others accused the bottles of giving a "cool" taste to ale because of their "coldness and gloominess".

Glass bottles took their more familiar form only in the middle of the 18th century. But it was still more of a luxury — beer in glass was only used for export, because bottling was done by hand, which was very costly.

The mass production of beer in glass bottles began a century later, when containers with a narrow body and a long neck, as similar as possible to modern ones, appeared. The bottles began to be imprinted and then replaced by labels.

After World War II glass bottles were finally recognized as the best container for alcoholic beverages. Experts even predicted that bottled beverages would disappear from sales, but the prediction did not come true — in the early nineties keg beer came on the scene, which immediately caused a sensation, especially in beer restaurants. But glass didn't disappear either — today it is used by producers all over the world, from companies that sell their products in mass-markets to craft breweries. And it's also environmentally friendly — they can easily be reused, since glass recycling doesn't generate by-products and uses less energy than manufacturing.

But that's not the main advantage of bottled beer. However, it's better to try it once!

Date: 28 March

Views : 1028

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