when did hops start being used in beer
Hops The first documented use of hops in beer is from the 9th century[citation needed], though Hildegard of Bingen, 300 years later, is often cited as the earliest documented source.[3] Before this period, brewers used gruit, composed of a wide variety of bitter herbs and flowers, including dandelion, burdock root, marigold, horehound (the old German name for horehound, Berghopfen, means "mountain hops"), ground ivy, and heather.[4] Early documents include mention of a hop garden in the will of Charlemagne's father, Pepin III.[5]
Foster's Lager Commencing 1981, the brand was brewed under licence in the UK by Watney Mann and Truman Brewers. This was the first time that Fosters had been available on draught anywhere in the world; in Australia it had only been available first in bottles, then later in cans. The draught product was based on Carlton Lager,[citation needed] another Carlton United Brewers product, and it was first brewed in the UK at the pilot brewery at Truman's Brick Lane Brewery in mid 1981. In 1986, Courage obtained the rights to brew and distribute Foster's alongside Watney Mann and Truman Brewers. This was a result of a deal done following Courage's acquisition by Carlton United Breweries,[when?][citation needed] which by that time had been re-named as Foster's Brewing Group.[citation needed] In 1990, Courage took over Watney Mann and Truman Brewers following the pubs for breweries swap with WMTB's parent company Grand Met.[citation needed]