Origin and History of Beer and Brewing: From Prehistoric Times to the Beginning of Brewing Science and Technology

Chicago: Alumni Ass'n of the Wahl-Henius Institute of Fermentology, 1911 With black and white illustrations throughout the text. First edition, first printing, with "first impression" to title page. Presentation copy, signed and inscribed by the author to his daughter, Ella, on the verso of the front flyleaf: "The author of this work to his daughter Ella who wrote the type-written manuscript. Chicago, October 11. John P. Arnold." Publisher's blue-green cloth, with front board and spine lettered and decorated in blue and orange, and green and gold decorated endpapers. Near fine, with light rubbing to spine ends and corners of boards, a couple of very light marks to bottom of front board, potential repair to gutter of pp. 80-81, and "Dr. Alfred Solomon" bookplate to front pastedown. Overall, a marvelous copy of this important work. Published to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Wahl-Henius Institute of Fermentology (a Chicago school and research brewery that operated between 1886 and 1921), Origin and History of Beer and Brewing traces beer from its prehistoric beginnings up to the late 18th century. Craft Beer & Brewing calls the book "an exhaustive romp through thousands of years of beer history," and states that the book one of two important beer texts to come out of Wahl-Henius Institute, the other being The American Handy Book of Brewing, Malting and the Auxillary Trades (1901). The book is divided into five sections: "Man, Religion and Intoxicants," "Asia and Africa," "Prehistoric and Ancient Europe," "Medieval and Modern Europe," and "America - United States," which are subdivided into chapters such as "Beer in Religious Worship," "Beer in the Mythological Heaven of the Germanic Norse," "Beer and Brewing in the Beginning of Christianization," and "Introduction of Hops." In his foreword, Arnold writes, "Our history of beer ends, where, properly speaking, its modern history commences, in other words at the time when the brewing industry as such really only begins to develop...and assume a prominent part among the industries of a nation." John P. Arnold was an alumnus of Wahl-Henius Institute, and a writer and editor for the Chicago brewing journals Der Braumeister and Siebel Technical Review. . Inscribed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Near Fine.