The word beer first appeared in 1435. At the time, an ordinance issued by the French king Charles VII designated the drink in order to regulate its trade.

However, in the kingdom of France, it had many other names: gruit, cervoise, sikaru or barley wine ...

Sikaru thus refers to the fortuitous origin of beer. This term from the Akkadian language was used by the Sumerians (in Mesopotamia, corresponding to modern-day Iraq) to name liquid bread.

Sikaru is thus a reference to the fortuitous origin of beer.

Finally, etymology helps to explain this word. A first origin is based on the Old Frankish bera.This, is similar to English bier or German bahr. A second refers to the Dutch bier, which may derive either from a Germanic language (beuza, for effervescence) or from the Latin biber (for drink).

You'll know more about the different ways beer has been named in France over the centuries, from Antiquity through to medieval times.

Perfectdraft invites you to read other articles about history of beer right here : when beer was first made and what is the country who invented beers.