brew / broō/ • v. [tr.] 1. make (beer) by soaking, boiling, and fermentation.2. make (tea or coffee) by mixing it with hot water: I've just brewed some coffee [intr.] he did a crossword while the tea brewed. 3. [intr.] (of an unwelcome event or situation) begin to develop: there was more trouble brewing as the airline pilots went on strike a storm was brewing.• n. 1. beer: nonalcoholic brews. ∎ inf. a serving of beer.2. a cup or mug of tea or coffee.3. a mixture of events, people, or things that interact to form a more potent whole: a dangerous brew of political turmoil and violent conflict.DERIVATIVES: brew·er n.

brew make ale, beer, etc. OE. brēowan = OS. breuwan, OHG. briuwan, brūwan (G. brauen, bräuen), ON. brugga :- Gmc. *breu(w)an, f. IE. *bhreu- *bhru-.
Hence brewery XVIII. prob. — Du. brouwerij; earlier brewhouse XIV. brewster brewer (see -STER).