Bavarian Purity Law Pack 24

On April 23, 1516, William IV of Bavaria established the Reinheitsgebot decreeing that by law beer could only be brewed using three unique ingredients: water, barley malt, and hops. It is believed to be the first legal regulation of a food product. This took place in the Bavarian city of Ingolstadt, along the Danube River. The main motivation behind this law was that William IV of Bavaria had a monopoly on barley. By not being able to buy a basic ingredient for the production of this beverage from anyone else, not only did he increase his sales, but also the price, as there were no other competing cereals.