France
Pasteur establishes that fermentation is microbial
Work through the 1860s and 1870s showed that fermentation is caused by living organisms and that beer spoilage is microbial, making deliberate control of both possible.
What was going on around it
An event on its own is a date. These are the periods it belongs to, where the argument about what changed is actually made.
Why it matters
The scientific foundation of every subsequent improvement in brewing consistency, and the origin of pasteurisation.
How well this is established
| Certainty | Documented. Supported by contemporary records that survive and are agreed on. |
|---|---|
| When | 1876. Known to the year rather than to the day. |
| Where | France |
Either side of this
← 1876: Bass registers the red triangle · 1883: Hansen isolates a pure yeast culture at Carlsberg →
See the whole sequence on the beer history timeline.
Last reviewed 2026-08-16.