History of Beer in the Ottoman Empire
The history of beer in the Ottoman Empire can be traced back to the 19th century. Sultan Abdulhamid II ruled the empire from 1876 to 1909, a period marked by both modernization and increased centralization of power in the hands of the sultan. During his reign, Western cultural influences permeated various aspects of life, including architecture, clothing, and habits such as drinking beer.
Despite modernization efforts, Abdulhamid II is often remembered for his autocratic rule and his attempts to limit the influence of Western ideas and liberalism. The growing acceptance of industries like brewing highlights the complexity of this era—an age where tradition and modernity often coexisted.
Before beer became popular, other fermented beverages like boza and grape wine were more common in the empire. Beer’s introduction was linked to the Tanzimat reforms, a period of modernization and Westernization that began in the mid-19th century and continued into Abdulhamid’s reign.
As beer gained popularity in Europe, it found its way to the cosmopolitan centers of the Ottoman Empire, such as Istanbul and Izmir. Initially, local production was limited, but European immigrants and traders brought beer with them, introducing the drink to Ottoman society.
By the late 19th century, local breweries began to appear. The Bomonti Brothers, originally from Switzerland, established one of the most well-known breweries in the Feriköy district of Istanbul. Beer was not confined to non-Muslims; it was consumed by a wide range of people. It was seen not only as an alcoholic beverage but also as a nutritious, Western, and modern drink. However, this didn’t mean its consumption was free of controversy, especially among conservative segments of society.
The Origins of Beer in the Middle East
According to archaeological research, beer was first discovered in the Middle East around 10,000 BC, likely by accident, through the fermentation of a wheat-based soup.
Initially, beer was more of a food than a beverage. Early people worked hard to make barley—a wild plant at the time—edible. They ground and crushed it, mixed it with water, and created a slurry. When left in the sun, the mixture fermented due to airborne fungal spores. A thick mixture became dough, while a thinner one became beer. This early beer, made without hops, was murky, lacked foam, and resembled boza.
Although beer was originally made and consumed at home, beer halls emerged by the 14th century, leading to improvements in quality and greater consumption.
In ancient Egypt, beer made from barley was the national drink. It was offered to deities, and vessels of beer were placed at gravesites. Beer also functioned as currency and was used as a standard for wages.
The Babylonians brewed about 20 kinds of beer using wheat, black and white barley, and honey. At weddings, they served a honey beer called “Bee Wine,” believed to enhance a man’s vigor. Kings drank beer in religious ceremonies and encouraged their people to do the same. The Code of Hammurabi even included laws about beer, and overcharging for it could lead to execution by drowning.
From Babylonia to Europe
The Babylonians introduced beer to the Athenians. In Sumerian mythology, beer was discovered by the goddess Ninkasi and given to humanity. It was as essential as bread and was often called “liquid bread.” Cooks and brewers were exempt from military service. Beer halls, typically run by women, also served as surveillance spaces—owners were expected to report conversations to authorities. Beer is mentioned in the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Even the Aztecs had a beer god. Christopher Columbus noted that Native Americans made beer by fermenting a mix of corn and black beech tree essence.
In Europe, the Celts were the first to brew beer in the 1st century BC. Among the English, heavy beer consumption became cultural. By the 9th century, monasteries in Central Europe began brewing beer for both trade and personal use. Some monasteries in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany continue to brew beer today. Monks could drink up to five liters of beer per day. As monastic brewing increased, women’s role in beer production diminished. Bavarian monks introduced hops to beer in the 13th century—though William Shakespeare famously disliked hops and never drank hopped beer.
In 1516, Germany enacted the Reinheitsgebot, a beer purity law allowing only barley, hops, and water in brewing. In 1602, Dr. Alexander Nowell proved that sealing beer in glass bottles prolonged its shelf life. Until 1880, beer was brewed only in colder months due to a lack of cooling technology. The invention of the steam engine by James Watt and artificial refrigeration by Carl von Linde revolutionized beer production, making it one of the most widely consumed beverages globally.
Today, Belgium boasts the widest variety of beers. Famous types include English ales, Irish stouts, Danish pilsners, German lagers, and Czech pilsners (named after the city of Plzen). In the U.S. and many European countries, beer is now carefully paired with meals, much like wine.
Beer’s Arrival in the Ottoman Empire
When the Ottomans banned alcohol, boza shops were also shut down due to the high alcohol content of sour boza. It’s known that Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror enjoyed boza. But our focus is beer, not boza or grape must.
Though President Erdoğan has criticized the Turkish Republic as an “imitation of modernization,” beer entered the Ottoman Empire during the Tanzimat era, a time of deliberate Westernization. In his book Studies on Beer in the East, Hans Bart recounts how a man named Württemberg Prokopp sold beer in the Izmir region from the backs of donkeys and mules, eventually opening the first beer hall in Izmir. Beer then spread to Istanbul.
Given his known fondness for alcohol, it’s likely that Sultan Abdülmecid drank beer. The first official regulations regarding beer were issued during his reign in 1847, and beer halls had already begun to open. Istanbul boasted 31 beer halls, especially in Beyoğlu and Galata. Beer culture also spread across Anatolia, from Ankara to Erzurum. Beer was imported from Vienna, Munich, and Belgrade. In official Ottoman records, beer was referred to as “barley water” (arpa suyu).
Local production began in 1890 under Sultan Abdulhamid II. For anything new to be introduced, a religious ruling (fetva) from the Sheikh-ul-Islam was typically required, indicating both the Sultan and religious authorities approved beer production.
First Breweries
The Swiss Bomonti Brothers opened a brewery in Feriköy, and a Greek man named Vasil started one in Şişli. These breweries not only produced beer but also served it in public beer gardens. In Thessaloniki, under Ottoman rule at the time, the “Olympus Beer and Champagne Factory” was established by Mizrahi and Fernandez of the Allatini family.
As beer became increasingly popular, the Bomonti Brothers upgraded their facility to a full factory, eventually producing bottom-fermentation beer (like Pilsner). Their annual output reached 10 million liters. They also opened Bomonti Beer Gardens across regions from Thrace and the Marmara coast to Eskişehir.
In 1909, the Nectar Brewery opened in Büyükdere and quickly gained market share by using natural spring water and advertising in popular newspapers. The intense competition led to price wars, prompting the two breweries to merge in 1912 as “Bomonti-Nectar United Beer Factories.” They expanded operations, opening the Aydın Beer Factory and even venturing into raki production. Other companies, such as the “National Beer Factory Ottoman Inc.” (1911) and the “Great Peace Beer Factory” (1919), also entered the market. Muslims, including Mehmet Sabit Bey and Ata Rauf Bey, held managerial roles.
Beer was served in public gardens like Çamlıca and Tepebaşı. Bomonti beer cost 40 kurus, while European imports cost 5. Despite religious prohibitions, beer was sometimes euphemistically referred to as “Fatma Mother’s Halva.”
Beer in the Republican Era
Under the Republic, the alcohol monopoly became an issue due to the Public Debt Administration (Düyun-u Umumiye), which collected revenues—such as alcohol taxes—for Ottoman debts. The new government sought to abolish these capitulations and nationalize foreign companies.
Bomonti-Nektar received a production license valid until 1938. In 1934, it launched advertising campaigns promoting beer’s health benefits, which stirred public outrage. Critics accused the company of disregarding public health for profit: “Isn’t there any state power to remove these posters threatening the health of the Turkish race?”
These debates were rooted in politics. İsmet İnönü’s brother, Rıza Temelli, was a Bomonti partner, and another relative was on the board. Those seeking to drive a wedge between İnönü and Atatürk fueled the controversy. In response, Atatürk initiated plans for a national beer factory under the Atatürk Forest Farm in Ankara. In 1934, the Ankara Beer Factory opened as a domestic alternative to Bomonti.
Although Bomonti-Nektar produced 90% of the empire’s beer, nationalization efforts were blocked by the Council of State (Danıştay). During the 1930s, the Republic also introduced laws restricting where alcohol could be sold. For example, drinking alcohol was banned in the People’s Houses (Halkevleri) and their gardens.
This the short history of beer in Ottoman Empire and Turkey. For further information, below are some sources:
Rule of Abdulhamid II in the Ottoman Empire
Britannica – Rule of Abdulhamid II
Beer’s Introduction and History in Turkey
Wikipedia – Beer in Turkey
Beer’s Origins in the Middle East and Ancient Civilizations
Beer Studies – History of Beer in the Middle East
Beer’s Evolution in Europe
Wine Enthusiast – Bomonti Beer and Turkey’s Brewing History
Republican Era Beer Production and Regulations in Turkey
Wikipedia – Beer in Turkey
