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Facts
Was Beer Actually More Popular Before Clean Water?
Were people just 'thirsty for knowledge' before clean water?
It’s a popular myth that beer was seen as a safer alternative to water, but beer was actually more a nutritious snack than a method of hydration
In my mind, being constantly drunk would be the only way to survive life in Medieval Europe. Like, you can’t even read, you’re probably a peasant living under a feudal landlord and the only thing to do all day is harvest barley. Might as well be buzzed 24/7 and die at the ripe old age of 45.
I’m not the only who thinks this either. It’s a pretty common picture of daily life during the Middle Ages in people’s minds. The thing is, it’s a lie. I mean, life probably was as dull and tiresome for the average person as it seems, but worse, everyone actually just drank water all day.
As it turns out, the idea that clean water is such a modern invention that people of previous centuries exclusively drank some form of beer or wine is a myth. You know how alcohol is a lot more expensive than water today? Well, that was a thing back then, too. In fact, in Medieval Europe, water was totally free. With limited manufacturing, natural water sources — rivers, streams etc. — were relatively clean. In fact, most communities were smart enough to understand not to pollute their water sources with human or livestock waste. Even in more densely populated areas, there was infrastructure in place to ensure that clean water was separated. London, for example, had developed a complex pipe system by 1237. Plus, only 10 percent of Europe’s population during this period lived in what you would even consider a “town,” with the rest working as farmers.
Essentially, about 90 percent of people during the Middle Ages could walk on over to the nearest stream for some refreshing H2O whenever they were thirsty.
But that doesn’t mean they didn’t drink at all: Beer and wine were indeed as popular then as they are now, but beer, in particular, was a bit different than beer available today.
According to HowStuffWorks, the beer of Medieval Europe was weaker than that of today, with the ABV speculated to have been around three percent. People didn’t drink it to get drunk — instead, they drank it as a source of carbs and calories.If you were a peasant performing hard labor all day, beer would seem to be a more nutritious and energy-providing choice than water, the Gatorade — or perhaps more accurately, the Soylent — of its day.
This isn’t to say people didn’t drink for pleasure at all. There are plenty of texts from the period with references to the enjoyment of alcohol — again, just as there are today.
With some perspective then, Medieval Europe’s relationship to alcohol really isn’t all that wild. Considering the tolerance they’d build over time and the low ABV, most people were probably rarely drunk. The real heavy drinkers in history were actually Americans in the mid-1800s. Americans today drink around 2.3 gallons of pure alcohol pure year, but in 1830, the average was 7.1.
And yes, they all had access to clean water, too
So What If You're Not Drinking?
We know how it feels to miss out when you're not drinking because of health, lifestyle choices or commitments. To solve that problem, you need an alternative that not only looks but also feels close to the real thing. Well. We might just have it here.
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Find our most commonly asked questions below or ask our AI Brewer for instant answers.
Do you ship overseas?
We ship to the UK Mainland for free when you spend over £35 and to Northern Ireland (additional courier charges may apply).
We aim to expand internationally soon - stay tuned!
If you have any queries, feel free to email: hello(@)impossibrew.co.uk
How long will it take to get my orders?
For UK mainland deliveries, normal orders processed here will take 1-3 business days to arrive, with an optional upgrade to Next Day Delivery available (12pm cut-off).
Delivery details will be provided in your confirmation email.
How does 'Social Blend™' work?
The Social Blend™ by IMPOSSIBREW® is designed to provide a relaxing and mood-enhancing experience without the negative effects of alcohol. It achieves this through a combination of nootropic herbs and active plant-based ingredients that work synergistically to promote relaxation and stress relief.
Key Components and Mechanisms
- L-Theanine:
- Ashwagandha Root:
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine):
- Various nootropic herbs:
Benefits
- Relaxation: The blend promotes a state of relaxation without the sedative effects typically associated with alcohol.
- Mental Calm: By boosting alpha brain waves and serotonin levels, it helps maintain a calm and focused mental state.
- Stress Relief: The combination of L-Theanine, Ashwagandha, and Vitamin B1 helps mitigate stress and anxiety.
- Mood Enhancement: The inclusion these ingredients and other botanicals supports mood regulation and overall positive outlook.
IMPOSSIBREW®'s Social Blend™ is a carefully crafted combination of nootropic and adaptogenic ingredients designed to offer a relaxing and mood-enhancing experience without the drawbacks of alcohol. It leverages the natural properties of its components to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and enhance mood, making it a unique alternative to traditional alcoholic beverages.
How is 0.5% ABV alcohol-free?
Yes, we know it's confusing. Isn't 0.5% ABV still alcoholic? Officially, 0.5% ABV is classified as Dealcoholised.
- In fact, most things we consume daily have more than 0.5% ABV
- Burger Rolls - 1.2% ABV
- Orange Juice - 0.5% ABV
- Ripe Banana - 0.5% ABV
After more than 2 years of research, we've found that the 0.5% ABV from our natural brewing process significantly increases both flavour and mouthfeel - without spiking your blood alcohol level (BAC).
Is it really gluten-free?
Yes, IMPOSSIBREW® Enhanced Lager is gluten-free. Even though it contains wheat and barley, our beers have been third-party tested to contain less than 10 parts per million (PPM) of gluten, which meets the criteria to be listed as, and labeled gluten-free.
Does it have alcohol tax?
No. While it is true that our beers don't contain alcohol, and thus don't incur UK alcohol duty, we'd like to highlight some factors here that might be helpful in reflecting the value we provide.
- One-to-One Brewing Process: At IMPOSSIBREW, we take pride in our unique brewing techniques. Unlike other non-alcoholic beers, our products are never diluted, watered-down, or have their alcohol content removed - and some even dilute their alcoholic beers up to 5x. This means that our brewing process involves the same level of craftsmanship, time, and resources as a traditional craft beer, resulting in comparable production costs.
- Effective Nootropics: In our commitment to creating the most relaxing non-alcoholic beers, we utilise only the highest quality nootropics as our active ingredients, in safe and effectives dosages. At current alcohol tax rates for a 5% ABV beer, the cost of our nootropics more than double that. Instead of contributing the amounts as tax, why not have it contribute to the product quality itself?
- Small Scale Brewing: Currently, we operate on a smaller scale, which makes us less competitive than large, commercial brewers (often +10,000x our brewing size). As a growing business, we are passionate about our mission to create unique, high-quality non-alcoholic experiences, and we truly appreciate your support. As we continue to grow and expand our production capabilities, we look forward to passing on even more savings to our valued community!
At IMPOSSIBREW, we prioritise offering our customers an enhanced, premium, non-alcoholic beer experience by combining innovative brewing techniques, quality active nootropic ingredients, and award-winning taste. While our pricing may differ from other non-alcoholic competitors, we believe that the value proposition and unique experience our beers provide are well worth it.
At the end of the day, tasting is believing. So give it a try and let us know what you think - risk-free with our IMPOSSIBREW® Guarantee.
Got more questions?
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