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Beer Facts &
Trivia
The Sumerians (around
3000 BC), produced a substance from fermented grain and water, this was one of
the first alcoholic substances.
4000 years ago in Babylon it was
customary for the father's bride to give his son-in-law all the mead (a honeyed
beer) he could drink for a month. Back then a month was a lunar month based on
the cycle of the moon. This period was called the "honey moon".
The Egyptians referred to beer as barley
wine.
Hops was introduced in the 12th century to reduce
spoilage.
Beer parlors sprouted up in the 18th century.
In the
1900s, there were over 2000 breweries in the United States.
With
Prohibition in 1919 the brewers were closed putting countless people out of
work.
When beer returned (14 years later) it was lighter in taste and
color. Automated factories were opened rather than the original craft
brewers.
Since the automated breweries compromised the flavor, craft
brewers and microbreweries are growing in numbers and becoming quite
popular.
Beer Sayings
Rule of Thumb
Before
thermometers were invented, brewers would dip a thumb or finger into the mix to
assess the temperature before adding yeast. Too cold, and the yeast wouldn't
grow. Too hot, and the yeast would die. This yields the phrase a "rule of
thumb".
"Mind your p's and q's!"
English pubs use to serve ale
in pints and quarts. In the old days when a patron became disorderly and unruly,
the bartender would yell, "Mind your pints and quarts and settle down!" which
abbreviated to "Mind your p's and q's!"
"Wet your whistle?"
In
England (long ago), whistles were baked into the handles of ceramic cups. When
someone wanted a refill they would blow on their whistle to get
service.
Sources:
All Hopped Up (no longer on
the Net), Used with permission of Pacetta Publications, Nhpapers
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