SC - etymology of beer

[Thomas Gloning]

<< according to my old linguistics lecturer ... beer comes from 
the old Anglo-Germanic word for barley (bere) >>

According to Kluge/Seebold's "Etymologisches Wörterbuch" the etymology
of germ. "bier", engl. "beer", etc. is uncertain; basically there are
three explanations:
- -- the word is connected somehow to a root for "brauen", "brew"
- -- the word is connected with a germanic word for barley (_*bewwa-_)
- -- the word goes back to late latin _biber_ 'drink', also 'beer'

Thus, the barley-version is within the range of candidates, though
Seebold says: "Am wahrscheinlichsten ist ein Zusammenhang mit der Wurzel
für _brauen_" 'Most likely is a connection to the root for _brauen_, to
brew'.

Among the references given is an article in this journal:
- -- Jahrbuch der Gesellschaft für die Geschichte und Bibliographie des
Brauwesens e.V.
('Yearbook of the Society for the history and bibliography of brewing
...')

Thomas