Beer and Brewers in the Focus of Early Modern Policy Rule in Bavaria, Swabia and Franconia (La Birra e i Produttori di Birra alla Luce della Normativa in Baviera, Svevia e Franconia)
Author : Wolfgang Wüst
Abstract :
The history of the world-famous Bavarian beers and breweries has found a broad, certainly also international echo in numerous monographs, table works, commemorative publications and exhibitions, both in science and among the consuming public; in contrast, the reception of the Swabian and Franconian equivalents has been considerably worse [1]. In addition, the history of beer, unlike the development of viticulture and vine culture, has relatively rarely been chosen as the focus of international or national research institutions. For example, the„ Forschungsring des Deutschen Weinbaus” (FDW) at the„ Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft” (DLG) has been dedicated to applied research in viticulture and wine for more than 50 years. The following contribution on the topic of „Beer and Brewers in the Mirror of Urban-Rural Sovereign Concepts” therefore intends to present the cultural-historical significance of beer, breweries and early modern drinking customs, which is well documented by a broad tradition of good policey sources, but which is only selectively focused on Upper German towns as a whole [2]. Deficits in the analysis of beer and brewing history for the period before 1800 in the area of consumption are also due to the fact that for a long time the history of consumption was at best approximated to the industrially influenced, late 19th century. Mass consumption was long considered a veritable hallmark of consumer society and modern consumer history [3].
Keywords :
Germany, Bavaria, Swabia, Franconia, beer, beer distribution, brewers, inns, closing hours, purity law
