If the germ theory is relatively new, how do they think fermentation was happening (like wine, ale, yogurt etc.) thousands of years ago?

Question

If the germ theory is relatively new, how do they think fermentation was happening (like wine, ale, yogurt etc.) thousands of years ago?

In: 613

Answer 1

There was a very interesting superstition before they knew all the science behind distilling, when they brought in a new still to replace the old, they would hit it with a hammer to put dents in it to match the old as a superstitious thing, and now we know that in fact, the size and shape of the still do play a part in how it works, so doing this actually had a function, they just didn’t necessarily know it.