Beer Findings

bella · Post by **bella** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 2:09 pm

If you doubt the importance of BEER in history read on...
It was the accepted practice in Babylonia 4,000 years ago 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 calendar
was lunar based, this period was called the "honey month" or what we know
today as the "honeymoon."

Before thermometers were invented, brewers would dip a thumb or finger
into the mix to find the right temperature for adding yeast. Too cold,
and the yeast wouldn't grow. Too hot, and the yeast would die. This thumb
in the beer is where we get the phrase "rule of thumb."

In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old
England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them to
mind their own pints and quarts and settle down. It's where we get the
phrase "mind your P's and Q's."

Beer was the reason the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. It's clear
from the Mayflower's log that the crew didn't want to waste beer looking
for a better site. The log goes on to state that the passengers "were
hasted ashore and made to drink water that the seamen might have more
beer."

After consuming a bucket or two of vibrant brew they called aul, or
ale, the Vikings would head fearlessly into battle often without armor or
even shirts. In fact, the term "berserk" means "bare shirt" in Norse, and
eventually took on the meaning of their wild battles.

In 1740 Admiral Vernon of the British fleet decided to water down the
navy's rum. Needless to say, the sailors weren't too pleased and called
Admiral Vernon "Old Grog," after the stiff wool grogram coats he wore. The
term "grog" soon began to mean the watered down drink itself. When you were
drunk on this grog, you were "groggy."

Many years ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into
the rim or handle of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they
used the whistle to get some service. "Wet your whistle" is the phrase
inspired by this practice.

Now you can appreciate the importance of BEER

Savage · Post by **Savage** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 2:16 pm

See what happens when you teach 'em to read?

Max Vol · Post by **Max Vol** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 2:27 pm

I need to get one of those whistle mugs...although I don't think the barkeep at my local would be too keen on it..

Combat Rock · Post by **Combat Rock** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 2:35 pm

Too cool! The more you know.......

LuckyStrikes · Post by **LuckyStrikes** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 2:40 pm

Combat Rock wrote:Too cool! The more you know.......

The more I drink!

CrunchyPissCrystals · Post by **CrunchyPissCrystals** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 2:58 pm

very educational. thanks bella! 8)

Joe Twelvepack · Post by **Joe Twelvepack** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 3:15 pm

Savage · Post by **Savage** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 3:19 pm

And Bella, I like the bit about the Vikings. sounds something like what happened here a couple of weeks ago.

Post by **Oggar** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:47 pm

Well some of that's wrong, the bit about the Vikings for instance. Berserk is actually derived from the term for bear shirt. They would usually rub themselves with a salve made of bear grease (and possibly psychoactive fungi) and wear a gird of bear skin, so as to take on the power of the bear. Berserks were ussually a special contingent of troops who didn't associate with the other warriors in a landholders employ. They did however drink heavily of ale, mead and a pre-battle drink. Some horrid sounding mixture of fermented goat milk and blood.

The Summerians didn't have mead, that is actually a Germanic custom. The Summerians had a primitive recipe for beer that at one time was the oldest known written document, (now it's an Egyptian tax record). There is also some evidence that they may have had a wine like beverage. But nearly all of our modern wedding customs come from the Gremanic tradition; including the wedding party (bestman, groomsmen, et al) the practice of seatting the bride and grooms guests separately, asking for objections, and most of the others.

However there does appear to be evidence of alcohol as far back as 26,000 yrs ago in Europe. When the first evidence of permanant human settlement appears,( near Yugoslavia). Beer the origional social lubricant....

Then of course there are the Celts (who at one time occupied lands from Western Turkey to the British Isles) They made ales so strong (20% to 30%) that Romans couldn't drink them with out watering them down. When they took a shine to Roman wine trade in it became the basis of a large scale slave trade that shaped the face of Europe. The Celtic love of ale also caused them to become expert farmers, historical evidence tells us they produced per acre yields that weren't seen again until the 1950's!!! And they did it without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, truly they were motivated drinkers.

Lastly P's and Q's and Rule of Thumb are both alledged to have multiple origins. Sorry, Ancient History/Anthropology are two of my biggest interests and etomology is sort of a hobby that grew out of that.