How prominent were taverns in medieval Europe?

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The code of Hammurabi included laws regulating beer and beer parlours and it dates back to about 1754 BC, indicating that beer parlours and the commerce of beer were already common at that point. Taverns were also common in the Roman Empire.

However with the fall of the Western Roman Empire they seem to have somewhat faded into the background. Wine was too expensive for the lower classes, and with the lack of trade was unavailable in areas that couldn't grow grapes.

During the early Middle Ages, beer (cheap, available ingredients) brewing was mostly a domestic activity and produced for the family.

During the 13th-15th centuries it became a commercial activity, monasteries and pubs were brewing and selling in large quantities. This was made possible by the use of hops, which not only improved the taste but also acted as a natural preservative (long term storage/transport).

Upvote:1

Until very recently beer was not sold in bottles or tins, but was tapped from a keg. This meant that if you wanted beer you either went to a tavern, or else you lived in a palace and had a lot of space and a lot of servants, or in a big monastery. In the middle ages beer would normally have been brewed locally, in the tavern itself, the estate or the monastery and left to ferment in a keg.

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