In the 16th century, the Catholic Church had a stranglehold on beer production, since it held the monopoly on gruit - the mixture of herbs and botanicals (sweet gale, mug wort, yarrow, ground ivy, heather, rosemary, juniper berries, ginger, cinnamon) used to flavor and preserve beer. But why did Protestants decide to embrace this pretty flower, and what did it have to do with religious rebellion? The change in beer production was wrought by the pale green conical flower of a wildly prolific plant - hops.Įvery hip craft brewery today peddling expensive hoppy beers owes a debt of gratitude to Luther and his followers for promoting the use of hops as an act of rebellion against the Catholic Church. For among the things it impacted was a drink beloved throughout the world and especially in Luther's native Germany: beer. Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation changed not just the way Europeans lived, fought, worshipped, worked and created art but also how they ate and drank. On this day 500 years ago, an obscure Saxon monk launched a protest movement against the Catholic Church that would transform Europe. He and his followers promoted hops in beer as an act of rebellion against the Catholic Church.Īdam Berry ullstein bild via Getty Images
The protest that Luther launched 500 years ago revamped not only how Europe worshipped but also how it drank. Left: A bartender at Hops & Barley brewpub draws a pint of beer in Berlin.
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