Every beer lover at least once in his life wondered where this drink came from. And he probably met in the stories of a mythical character who was credited with creating a foamy drink. What was the name of the fabulous Flemish king - the inventor of beer? And who is Gambrinus? And why is he considered the author of everyone's favorite drink?

As long as there is beer, the same number of stories about its creation walk the earth. In most of them there is a fairy-tale king, the inventor of beer. Exists several versions of who this king Gambrinus is:

1. We are talking about the accompanying Charlemagne, a paladin whose name is consonant with the mythical character. Maybe this is the same king, the inventor of beer?
2. Due to a mistake, the name of the people settled in the German regions Gambrifius was transformed into "Gambrinus".
3. The word "Kamba" is the Celtic name for the cauldron in which the wort was prepared.
4. According to one theory, the Flemish king, the inventor of beer, is not a character at all, but just a phrase. From the Latin "drinker in a tavern" - gáneae birrinus.

German legend

In addition to the versions described, there are also such whose roots are hidden in mythology. So, according to legend, the heir to one of the kings of the Germanic tribes, Gambrivius, married the fertility goddess Isis. She, as a token of love, gave the chosen one a recipe for a drink, which he immediately shared with his fellow tribesmen. So the beer recipe turned from a gift into a national treasure.

According to German legend, in the 15th century, the name of the son of the king was so corrupted that as a result it became familiar to us as “Gambrinus”.

Another version says that Gambrinus is the name Duke of Brabant Jan Grimus. In addition to the title, Jan was an honorary brewer. And the abbreviation of the name is explained by the fact that lovers of a foamy drink in hops simply could not clearly pronounce "Jan Grimus", from which the name and surname of the duke turned into one word - Gambrinus. Centuries later, the personality of the brewer became closely associated with the invention of beer, and later Grimus was given authorship altogether, as a result of which he became a kind of beer king.

Be that as it may, the fabulous Gambrinus was not the inventor of the foamy drink. The history of this drink begins long before the appearance of the legends about the Flemish king. The first mention of foamy alcohol dates back to the times of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. And European brewers simply needed some mythical creature to patronize their cause.

Brand Gambrinus

Whether the brewer character actually existed is unknown. However, the legends passed down from generation to generation could not but be reflected in modern brewing. The Czechs were the first to use the name of the Flemish king. In 1869, construction began on a brewery, later named "The first joint-stock brewing company in Pilsen".

A year later, the plant started production. The first variety produced at the new enterprise was Gambrinus- light pilsner of low fermentation. The invention of Gambrinus was very successful. Three years later, the "drink of kings" brought its owners the award of the International Exhibition in Vienna.

Most difficult period in the history of brewing came during the years of World War II. While CEO the plant was František Hlaváček, a representative of the Hlaváček dynasty. The family has run the business for many generations. However, thanks to Frantisek, after the war, production was restored almost from ruins.

Today, the company that produces Gambrinus is managed by the grandson of Frantisek - Jan Glavacek. Gambrinus beer labels are adorned with the signature of the current owner. The brewery itself until today has established itself as a worthy producer of not only light, but also other types of beer.

Almost every beer lover has heard the name "Gambrinus" at least once in their life. Now it has become fashionable to call bars and pubs, as well as brands of beer. But few people know that this is a real historical character. It is King Gambrinus who is credited with inventing beer, but is it really so? You'll soon find out.

Gambrinus (Gambrinus)- Duke of Brabant Jan Grimus (1251 - 1294), who was the honorary chairman of the guild of Brussels brewers. In the meeting room of this guild there was a portrait of Jan, where he was depicted with a mug of beer in his hand. Thanks to folk compositions, several centuries later, the Flemish Duke Jan Grimus turned into Gambrinus, the legendary inventor of beer.

According to another version, Gambrinus was the son of one of the German kings. He married the Egyptian fertility goddess Isis, who taught him how to brew delicious and healthy beer. Still, the first legend looks more believable.

One thing is certain - King Gambrinus was not the inventor of beer. The recipe for a foamy drink was known in Mesopotamia and Egypt thousands of years before its birth. It's just that European brewers have created a deity for themselves to worship.

Now the name "Gambrinus" can be seen not only on beer bars, but also on popular brands of beer from the Czech Republic, the USA and even France. Although this fairy-tale king did not invent beer, now his name is inextricably linked with the foamy drink.

I know three versions of the origin of this name.

1. Most doubtful. Often there is information that Gambrinus is the name of the personal brewer of Charlemagne and he lived in the 10th century, respectively.

2. Antique. V 1519 Deutsch historian Johann Aventin in his "Annales Bajorum" ("Bavarian Chronicle") tells of Gambrivius, the son of Marsus, one of the Germanic tribal kings, who lived in the 18th century BC. According to the Annals, Gambrivius married the Egyptian goddess of motherhood and fertility. Isis who taught him the art of brewing. According to other sources, the German poet Burkart Valdis was the first to present such a version of the origin of Gambrinus in 1543 . The name Gambrinus itself appeared in 1574 v Antwerp as a result of a typo that turned Gambrivius into Gambrinus.

3. The most reliable Brabant. The prototype of Gambrinus was the Duke of Brabant John I (1253 - 1294). It also occurs as Jan and Jean. A logical question, but where did Primus come from? The Latin form of the name of Duke John I sounded like Johannes Primus. The common people, not knowing Latin, pronounced it as "Hans Primus", "Hanprinus" - and so the name of the legendary king Gambrinus arose. Therefore, today's Belgium with its Brabant, Flanders and love for beer is rightly called the country of Gambrinus.

Let's take a quick look at these three versions. There is no documentary evidence that this was the name of Charlemagne's personal brewer. Yes, and it is highly doubtful that Charlemagne bestowed the royal title on his brewer. The version of Aventinus or Valdis is most likely based on a very free interpretation of the work of the famous ancient Roman historian Tacitus, who mentioned two ancient Germanic tribes of Marsians and Gambrivians. As a result, King Mars and his son Gambrivus were born, and due to a typographical error, Gambrivus became Gambrinus. By the way, Tacitus said nothing about beer. The Brabant version has documentary evidence and economic justification.

The Duke became famous for his victory at the Battle of Worringen (1288). Outnumbered by the enemy, the army of John I defeated the detachments of the German princes, led by Siegfried of Westeburg, Archbishop of Cologne, who enjoyed the right to collect hated tolls in the lower Rhine. The victory was won thanks to the successful tactics of John. The knightly cavalry of Brabant, moving in close formation, acted together with the foot militias of Brussels, Antwerp, Luvne, Tirlemont, Joduan, Niyael, Liège, Cleve and Julier.

This battle, apart from the fact that it led to the complete independence of Brabant from the Holy Roman Empire, was the first appearance on the historical stage of the Belgian people. John I was now at the head of a powerful and respected state, which later allowed him to unite all Belgian territories under his rule. The victory helped secure an important section of the trade route from Cologne to England and protect the fields of Brabant, where excellent hops grew, from raids and devastation. Thus, conditions were created for the rapid development of brewing. For which John was chosen as one of the first leaders of the Brewers' Guild of Brussels.

The hero of the battle of Worringen died an absurd death in Bar-le-Duc in 1296 during a jousting tournament.

Numerous European and American beer producers carry the Gambrinus name in modern times. Among the most famous is the brewery