In 1516, the Reinheitsgebot or Law of Purity was decreed in Germany. It is apparently the oldest still-active piece of food health legislation.
"... we wish to emphasize that in future in all cities, markets and in the country, the only ingredients used for the brewing of beer must be Barley, Hops and Water. Whosoever knowingly disregards or transgresses upon this ordinance, shall be punished by the Court authorities' confiscating such barrels of beer, without fail."
However, legal action in Germany with respect to beer dates back to 1165.
Comments
Alan - March 13, 2005 8:06 PM
You will note every brewer ever born has broken this Bavarian law. No mention of yeast as that was not understood as an element of brewing until much later. It also excludes my favorite German style - weissbeir.
Mike - March 13, 2005 8:19 PM
I wonder if its been revised.
Paulaner promotes adherence to it on their label. Hmmmm...
Mike - March 13, 2005 8:33 PM
I saw something about a 1985 amendment, but I'm not sure if it had to do with the yeast wording.
"There are more than 900 breweries in Germany and they all adhere to the purity law. In the German beer tax law, which regulates beer production, it states: "For the preparation of beer, only malt, hops, yeast and water can be used." The Reinheitsgebot lives!"
http://www.beerchurch.com/reinheitsgebot.htm
Mike Wong - March 14, 2005 3:28 PM
Well, it looks like the Reinheitsgebot will broken again.
Mike - March 14, 2005 6:07 PM
Well, I shall doubt the purity of ALL GERMAN BEER.
mazer - December 16, 2009 2:05 PM
no free bees i am a mead maker that thinks there was not only a controling authority in beer production, but also where we get our fermentable sugers to make wines. they sold us on grapes so they could aquire large tracts of land in the best of temperate zones.honey seems free for the taking, but they wanted us to pay for their land by promoting that mead was sub standard.get heathy,wake up and see whats been going on. no free bees.