Some Fun Beer Facts but are they true yes or no?!
Before invention of the thermometer, brewers used to check the temperature by dipping their thumb, to find whether appropriate for adding Yeast. Too hot, the yeast would die. This is where we get the phrase " The Rule of the Thumb"
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender used to yell at themto mind their own pints and quarts and settle down. From where we get "mind your own P's and Q's".
After consuming a vibrant brew called Aul or Ale, the Vikings would go fearlessly to the battlefield, without their armour, or even their shirts. The "Berserk" means "bear shirt" in norse, and eventually to the meaning of wild battles.
Way down in 1740, the Admiral Veron of the British fleet decided to water down the navy's rum, which naturally, the sailors weren't pleased with. They nicknamed the Admiral Old Grog, after the still stiff grogram coats he used to wear. The term grog soon began to mean the watered down drink itself. When you are drunk on this this grog, you are "groggy", a word still in use.
Long ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim of their beer mugs or ceremic/glass cups. The whistle was used to order services. Thus we get the phrase, "wet your whistle".
Answers: About 4000 years ago, it was the accepted practice in Babylonia that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer, and because their calender was lunar based, this period was called the "honey month" or what we know to day as the "Honey moon"
Before invention of the thermometer, brewers used to check the temperature by dipping their thumb, to find whether appropriate for adding Yeast. Too hot, the yeast would die. This is where we get the phrase " The Rule of the Thumb"
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender used to yell at themto mind their own pints and quarts and settle down. From where we get "mind your own P's and Q's".
After consuming a vibrant brew called Aul or Ale, the Vikings would go fearlessly to the battlefield, without their armour, or even their shirts. The "Berserk" means "bear shirt" in norse, and eventually to the meaning of wild battles.
Way down in 1740, the Admiral Veron of the British fleet decided to water down the navy's rum, which naturally, the sailors weren't pleased with. They nicknamed the Admiral Old Grog, after the still stiff grogram coats he used to wear. The term grog soon began to mean the watered down drink itself. When you are drunk on this this grog, you are "groggy", a word still in use.
Long ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim of their beer mugs or ceremic/glass cups. The whistle was used to order services. Thus we get the phrase, "wet your whistle".
Hi Ducky,
I find this very interesting not funny but good facts I my use..In the early 90's I use to brew My own beer and there was a dark Irish Beer that was to die for..Very good taste and just 3 of them made you 1/2 drunk with out a hang-over if you drank more..I had to Stop brewing because My daughters were getting into my brew, drinking it and giving bottles to the neigh hood kids..This is very good My Friend here's a beer and cheers to you.. Hehehe.. A Star.
A Friend,
poppy1
Well from my reading most the beer Sumerian & Babylonian was barley based if my memoery serves me correctly but they may had mead as well.
So I'm saying it's not true.
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to prosper."
"There cannot be good living where there is not good drinking."
Benjamin Franklin
Most of them are more or less true, or at least validly debatable. A lot of these beer related facts/myths stem from really obscure instances a long time ago so even assuming they're true it's highly likely the story told today is convoluted.
For example, the Ps and Qs interpretation you gave I've heard before but I also know 3 or 4 other variations of the story.
EDIT:
Thanks jpiepenbrok! I was really beating myself up trying to remember what the other "Rule of Thumb" I heard before was, got the office in a google frenzy. Now back to work...
From what I know of beer / alcohol history (and I've done plenty of research)...
1. True. Also, in Medieval times, the term "bridal" was coined when the bride's family offered a strong wedding ale to their guests... a Bride Ale... Bridal.
2. Debatable. I've heard this many times, but I've also heard the "Rule of Thumb" comes from several centuries ago in the British Isles... it was legal for a man to strike his wife, but only if the cane or switch was equal to or less than the thickness of the man's thumb.
3. Possible. I have heard this, but I can't say one way or the other for sure.
4. True(?) Not sure if Berserk is the Norse word for "bear shirt," but Aul or Ol was consumed in mass quantities prior to battle. They also consumed much mead, after the viking conquests to the British Isles. They often drank from the hollowed out skulls of their victims, hence the Norse toast, "Skol," meaning "skull."
5. True(?) Grog is watered-down rum, which birthed the word "groggy," although I am not sure of the exact origin, since I've also heard it to be of Pirate origin.
6. False, I think. In my studies of glassware, I have yet to come across evidence of a whistle baked into drinking vessels, although I suppose it is possible. Typically, I have heard that the term simply means to quench one's thirst, as in putting liquid to one's lips. The lips are what is used to whistle, therefore: "wet your whistle."
Cheers to you, sir, for such an intelligent and thought provoking question!
True
Here are my guesses.
1) True
2) False
3) True
4) False
5) False
6) False
CORRECTION: Mead is a wine-like drink made from fermented honey. Today, many honeyed wines are also called means even though a true mean in made without any grapes. As far as the Honeymoon reference is concerned, I assume so but can not speak to it.
“Rule of thumb” also makes sense, but I’m unsure.
“Mind your own P's and Q's” is completely correct.
The phenomena of berserker rages in battle, although might have been fueled by alcohol, was not accredited to it directly. Botanists have suggested the behavior might be tied to ingestion of bog myrtle (Myrica gale syn: Gale palustris) which was consumed in various drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Grog was created by not watering down rum, but by attempting to flavor stale water to make it more palatable on long voages. Humans discovered long ago that they could not drink sea water, and required significant quantities of fresh water on extended voyages. Since they were unable to desalinate sea water, fresh water was taken on board in casks but quickly developed algae and became slimy. Stagnant water was sweetened with beer or wine to make it palatable which involved more casks and was subject to spoilage. As longer voyages became more common, the task of stowage became more and more difficult and the sailors' then-daily ration of a gallon of beer began to add up.
There are multiple examples of whistles baked into the rim of beer containers. No can say 100% if this is where the saying comes from, but this explanation matched with the actual glasses only makes sense.
total cobblers
Yes, I think that they are true.
Don't know about the Honey moon part, but Mead isn't beer. Mead is mead. "Hjunottsmanath" is an old Norse term that described the practice of a "husband" going into a village and abducting his "bride."
Rule of thumb comes from the old English law that it was legal for a husband to whip his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb.
Yes, that is where P's and Q's came from.
Possibly... I know that the Vikings would drink high octane even hallucinogenic drinks before battles...
This was actually common practice on board most ships. It is where proofing comes from. A sample of the rum would be watered down and then set on fire to prove it was still at least 40% alcohol. Grog however means "small" and is a term for small beer or rum... weakened beer or rum. The admirals name was Admiral Edward Vernon by the way.
No. This one is completely false. Whistle is a slang term for throat and has been for many many centuries. It simply means "wet your throat" and nothing more.
Are they true? they sound like they could be!!
not true but funny
Ha ha ha.!!!
Love the honeymoon one.!!!
Most probably true Chris.!!!
Cheers mate.!!