[jason]

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."

It was the accepted practice in Babylon 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."

In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So when English sailors would come into port the quartermaster would tell the sailors before leaving the ship to mind their own "P"'s and "Q"'s ( to mind their pints and quarts) for the bartender would add marks to a blackboard that had your mark on it. At the end of the evening the bartender would talley the marks and the sailor would pay for the bill.Sometimes the bartender would add a mark or 2 to the"P" or "Q" column, thus overcharging the sailor. Thus 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 the 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.

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.

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," a word still in use today. (Not beer, but...interesting anyway)

[Carne de Perro]

I heard the pilgrim one before, the honeymoon story I heard was basically the same except it was Vikings and not Babylonians, and as for the 'rule of thumb'...well, I'd always heard that the "rule of thumb" was that in medevial Europe you could only beat your wife with a rod no bigger in diameter than your thumb. Not that I'm advocating that or anything. (I'm quite secure in the knowledge as to who rules the roost around here and I'm certain it isn't me.)

[salgy]

Originally Posted by jason

This thumb in the beer is where we get the phrase "rule of thumb."

I always heard that "rule of thumb" was from the olden days when it was legal for a man to beat his wife with a stick no larger around than his thumb...

[Llewner]

Traditionally there used to be a whistle built into the handle of your tankard, so when you wanted another beer, you just blew the whistle. Hence "wet your whistle".

[asc.rudeboy]

yea the rule of thumb was for beating your ol lady.

and watching your p's and q's came from old days of printing press,,make sure you didnt confuse you letter p with your letter q when you were placing the letters into the press.

[Drunken_lady]

Huh! Nice one!

[Lazarus Long]

The Most Expensive Beer in the World: It’s called “Tutankamon” and is prepared according to the recipe recovered by a group of University of Cambridge archaeologists in Queen Nefertiti’s Temple of the Sun in Egypt. It cost 52 British Pounds a bottle, and was produced in a limited edition sold at Harrods.

Egypt: Tour Egypt Monthly: Anceint Egyptian Alcohol and Beer