Beer

Grain, water, yeast and hops — from Mesopotamia to the Belgian abbeys

Beer is among the oldest things people have made from grain. This atlas follows it from the earliest archaeological traces through monastery and guild, the long arrival of hops, and the laboratories and refrigerating machines that made modern lager — to the regional traditions that survived, with Belgium's especially rich heritage set in its global context.

Every style is described as the sources describe it: recognised styles, legally protected names and certification labels are kept apart from marketing language.