Beer and brewing have been in existence for more than a thousand years. Beer used to be stored in clay amphorae, wooden kegs, but over the years, beer lovers have come to the conclusion that the best container for beer is still a glass bottle.

Who was the first to pour beer into glass bottles? – It is believed to have been the English theologian, Alexander Novell. The rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Alexander Novell was not only a theologian, but also a passionate fisherman and beer drinker. When he finished his business in the temple, he hurried to the banks of the Thames, where he spent hours with a fishing rod and beer, which at that time was transported in barrels, kegs, or leather flasks.

Before fishing, Rector filled wine bottles with beer and corked them. He accidentally forgot one of these bottles on the riverside of the Thames and did not discover it until a few days later. It happened on July 13, 1568. He picked up the lost bottle and uncorked it. As he later recorded in the annals of St. Paul’s Cathedral, “The bottle opened with a powerful sound, as if I was holding a real gun instead of the bottle.”  The beer, however, retained its freshness and had a good froth (thanks to the cold climate, it had no time to spoil).

This news was taken advantage of by enterprising London brewers, who in addition to kegs began to pour beer in glass bottles.  Bottled beer became very popular among the middle class and aristocrats who were squeamish about visiting noisy taverns and pubs where beer was traditionally served from kegs.

Modern technology makes it possible to package beer in metal kegs, plastic bottles, as well as in cans of various shapes and volumes. This does not affect the quality of the beer, but somewhere deep in our subconscious is hidden the opinion that the best packaging for long-term storage of beer is a glass bottle. And maybe it is right…

P.S. By far the best container for storing beer is a glass bottle, but most everyday people and many beer lovers believe that cask beer tastes better. Why? – I will answer this question in a separate article.