Alcoholic drinks have been around for thousands of years, with beer being invented over 6,000 years ago in the Middle East. And when one looks at the history of beer and liquor, it's easy to tell how these drinks have shaped culture over the millennia. While there isn't necessarily a direct line between the modern beverage industry and ancient brewing, the current industry could only exist with this massive foundation.
Surprisingly, the beer consumers drink today is very similar to that of ancient times. The first recipe dates back to Sumeria and the story of Ninkasi. Back then, hops weren't around, so the Sumerians used malted wheat berries (grains), bappir yeast, and water. Today's beer only uses one extra ingredient, hops, so it's remarkable that the recipes have stayed relatively the same over all these years.
Brewing was seen as a cultural milestone, so ancient civilizations devoted a lot of their time and energy to making alcoholic drinks. Fermentation to make beer and wine also helped purify stagnant or contaminated water, so people drank to stay hydrated as well. It's also rumored that the ancient Egyptians were paid in daily beer rations, so beer has had a place in many cultures over the years.
Beer and liquor have been a part of the United States before the country was founded. A little-known fact about the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving is that they drank hard cider. They would have had beer but had consumed it all before landing on Plymouth Rock.
In the 1700s, beer and whiskey were considered healthy, with doctors even prescribing the latter to patients. Colonial Americans loved to drink, and there are countless stories of everyone, from soldiers to presidents, knocking back more than a few drinks.
Today, craft brewing is a significant part of the adult beverage industry, especially here in Chicago where we have so many iconic craft breweries. Stemming from a desire for diverse beer types and flavors, craft beer now represents about a quarter of all sales in the U.S.
People worldwide enjoy sipping on a pint of beer. The top three producers globally are China, the United States, and Brazil. In 2022, the total beer market made 1.91 billion hectoliters, translating to about $623 billion in sales.
Although there are thousands of different breweries and individual ales, each starts with the same four essential ingredients: malted barley, hops, water, and yeast. Interestingly, beer is roughly 90 to 95 percent water, with the other four ingredients comprising the rest (barley constitutes around three to eight percent).
Yeast is what takes barley and turns it into alcohol. The yeast breaks down the mixture's sugars and converts them to pure alcohol. Without this ingredient, beer wouldn't have its signature flavor or effect on the body. The type of yeast used can yield wildly different results, so experimentation is a big part of developing new beverage options.
Brewmasters are amateur chemists who need to monitor every small detail during the brewing process. Water levels, pH, and fermentation time all affect the final product, and a single adjustment can lead to unique results. So, the best brewmasters pay attention to these details and understand the science behind each step to get the taste they're looking to achieve.
Today, alcohol is as popular as ever, so bar managers need to know how to monitor and adjust their profit margins to be high enough to ensure profitability but not so much that it will turn customers away.
Investing in high-quality beverage equipment and infrastructure is one way to streamline a bar's profitability. For example, underbar equipment can make the bar as efficient as possible. For breweries that serve their beer, customized brewing equipment enables brewmasters to scale up their operations to meet demand.
Customers want options and are willing to try new ales, as long as they taste good. With equipment that gives brewmasters more control over their recipes, local bars and craft breweries can create localized choices for customers to enjoy.
Advanced solutions can help improve the drinking experience at the bar itself while strengthening the bar's bottom line. For example, internet-connected liquor pourers dispense exact amounts and log activity to prevent overpouring and help maintain inventory.
Similarly, commercial ice machines can fit anywhere from under the counter to the back room, and help deliver better drinks while maximizing profitability.
With so many tools at their disposal, operators can continue the tradition of serving customers great drinks while helping create a substantial profit in the alcoholic beverage industry.