Wer hätte das gedacht - little known facts about Germany: Das Reinheitsgebot

🍻 It started in Bavaria in 1516

The law was first decreed by Bavarian Duke Wilhelm IV on April 23, 1516, and is considered one of the world's oldest consumer protection laws. 

🍻 It initially had three primary purposes

The decree aimed to control beer prices, prevent contamination from unhealthy ingredients used by unscrupulous brewers, and ensure a supply of wheat and rye for bakers. 

🍻 The ingredients list expanded over time

The original law allowed only barley, hops, and water, as yeast was not yet recognized as a key ingredient. Yeast and wheat were later added to the law. 

🍻 It became a national law in 1906

The Bavarian beer edict spread to other parts of Germany and became the official law of the German Empire in 1906. 



🍻 It was ruled a restraint on trade in 1987

The European Court of Justice found the Reinheitsgebot protectionist, allowing foreign beers to be sold in Germany even if they didn't conform to the law. Despite this ruling, many German breweries still adhere to the law for cultural and marketing reasons. 

Sources: the Internet

image: Hofbräuhaus Newport