An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Bier

by Friedrich Kluge

Bier, neuter, ‘beer,’ from the equivalent Middle High German bier, Old High German and Old Low German bior, neuter, compare Dutch bier, Anglo-Saxon beór, English beer, Old Icelandic bjórr; French bière is borrowed Middle High German bier. There can be no connection with Latin bibo, Sanscrit píbâmi; nor can Greek πίων, Old Indian pîvas, ‘a rich drink,’ be cognate. It is rightly thought to be akin to an Old Teutonic term for ‘barley,’ Old Low German and Anglo-Saxon beó (Old Icelandic bygg), from Teutonic *bewwo-, based on a pre-hist. *bhéwo-, while the cognates of Bier point to a derivative *bhewro-. Thus Bier is equal to ‘barley-juice’?.