SC - Spanish beer

[Decker, Terry D.]

> stefan at texas.net writes:
> 
> << I can see where wine might have been more common than beer/ale, even
> for 
>  the lower classes, in Spain than say in England but to be little known?
>   >>
> 
> Considering that Spain was an Islamic nation until 1492 CE, I don't find
> this 
> unusual at all. Al-Islam forbids the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
> 
> Ras
> 
That's an over-simplification, Ras.  Islam reached its furthest extent in
the West by 750.  There was never enough Islamic manpower to total subjugate
Iberia and the pre-Crusade Islamic tolerance, left Spain as a mish-mash of
fiefs and kingdoms with shifting alliances based on expedience rather than
religion.  By the 12th Century, most of northern Spain was in Christian
hands.  Portugal was retaken in 1262, after which, the Islamic control you
are averring couldn't exist.

There are also Islamic sectarian differences about the consumption of
alcohol.  The specific prohibition is against the fruit of the grape.  Most
sects apply a general prohibition against all alcoholic beverages, but there
are some which follow the prohibition precisely and only deny beverages made
from grapes.

Since the references Stefan quotes are at least late Reconquest, I would say
the Islamic prohibition does not apply.  This would also be early in the
spread of hopped brews, so the question of whether we are talking about all
brews or only hopped beers is very valid.  I would suggest that the Iberian
climate is probably not optimal for brewing without refrigeration, so that
wine might be the beverage of choice.

Bear