Beer Historian, Author & Speaker
Dr. Malcolm F. Purinton researches the deep history of beer — how it shaped civilizations, drove global trade, and tells the story of the modern world. Available for media interviews, public talks, and consulting.
As Seen on
Featured – TED-Ed animation
Trace the history and evolution of beer, from its first known existence 13,000 years ago to the modern beverage we know today. — Today, there are over 100 distinct beer varieties, from pilsners and bocks, to porters, stouts, and IPAs. The oldest evidence of beer brewing dates back 13,000 years, but experts believe the drink developed independently across the world. So, how did ancient civilizations brew beer, and how did their methods develop into the beverage we know today? Malcolm Purinton traces the evolution of beer.
Lesson Malcolm Purinton, directed by Anton Bogaty.
Globalization in a Glass
The spread of Pilsner beer from its inception in 1842 clearly shows the changes wrought by globalization in an age of empire. Its rise was dependent not only on technological innovations and faster supply chains, but also on the increased connectedness of the world and the political and economic structures of empire. Drawing upon a wide range of archival sources from Europe, the Americas, and Sub-Saharan Africa, this study traces the spread of industrial beer brewing in Europe from the late 18th to the early 20th century to show how a single beer style became the global favourite through advances in science, business and imperial power.
Media Interviews
- NPR All Things Considered/WBUR: How beer fueled the American Revolution
- CNN: What is an IPA? A deliciously happy accident of beer history or the colonial marketing of a frugal recipe?
- The Huntington News: ‘Beer and alcohol is a lens to look at the world:’ Meet Northeastern’s resident beer historian
Public Talks
Dr. Malcolm Purinton is a beer historian, long-time home brewer, author, and Assistant Teaching Professor of History at Northeastern University in Boston, where he teaches world history, food history, and the histories of technology, capitalism, imperialism, and colonialism. He regularly delivers public and private lectures on beer and alcohol history — from ancient brewing traditions to the rise of craft beer — and has recently been celebrating the 250 Anniversary of the American Revolution with a series of talks about the role of taverns and alcohol in Colonial and Revolutionary America.
Malcolm treats beer as a lens through which to examine society, economics, trade, migration, and empire, making complex historical themes accessible and engaging for both academic and general audiences.
