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 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)
