Little-known facts about funny drinks

Alcohol from the most ancient times in one form or another was widely used by people. There is a theory according to which the recipe of beer is considered the oldest in the world. In addition to being consumed as a drink and used for medicinal purposes, a lot of interesting stories and facts are associated with alcohol.

Alcohol in the history of mankind

As studies of ancient drawings and manuscripts have shown, the earliest references to alcohol date from about the tenth millennium BC.

Fortified Spanish wine sherry was preferred by many famous travelers, including Columbus and Magellan. The latter loved this alcoholic drink so much that he spent more money on it than buying weapons and other equipment for the crew of his ship.

The King of Prussia Frederick the Great was so attached to alcohol that he made attempts to officially ban coffee in his country, thus making all residents drink alcohol.

Known in history, the pilgrims' stop on Mount Plymouth occurred not only because of a shortage of food. They simply did not have any alcohol left.

The mother of the famous British Prime Minister Winston Churchill is the author of the cocktail "Manhattan" - a mixture of whiskey and sweet vermouth.

French winemakers until the middle of the 17th century clogged bottles not customary for all traffic jams, but with rags soaked in oil.

Known for their cruelty, the Vikings preferred to drink spirits not from a mug, a bottle or a barrel. Scandinavian warriors drank wine from the skulls of the enemies they killed.

According to the official version of historians, agriculture originated as a way of producing food. However, many factors indicate that the ancient farmers with the help of grown products mainly created alcoholic beverages.

Healing properties of alcohol

Ways of treating a hangover are almost as old as alcohol itself. The ancient Romans believed that eating fried canaries would protect them from this "morning" disease, and the Greeks treated it with cabbage. Until now, around the world looking for effective funds from a hangover. For example, in France they drink strong salty coffee, and in Puerto Rico - they rub lemon juice into their hands. However, the mankind has not yet managed to completely overcome the hangover syndrome.

The role of alcohol in the appearance of common phrases

From ancient Babylon to us the term "honeymoon" has reached. In those days, after the wedding, there was a "month of honey" - the period during which the father-in-law was obliged to provide his son-in-law with a large amount of this sweet alcoholic beverage. Over time, this term has completely changed its meaning, becoming more romantic.

The phrase "know your measure" also has "alcoholic" roots. In medieval England in pubs, alcoholic beverages were poured in different portions - from a pint to a quart. If the customer became too noisy, the barman reminded him that it was necessary to know the measure.

Alcohol in the history of America

In 1964, the US Congress officially proclaimed a bourbon drink as a symbol of the country.

US President Abraham Lincoln had several own taverns, and statesman John Hancock was famous for being an excellent liquor dealer. The future eighth US President Martin Van Buren was born in the middle of a tavern belonging to his parents.

A few more facts about alcohol

For the human body, 13 minerals are vital. All of them can be found in alcoholic beverages.

For several centuries, people believed that a worm was used for the production of tequila. This information turned out to be untrue: in fact the caterpillar of the butterfly Gusano is used.

The brandy name comes from the word brandewijn, which in Dutch means "burnt wine."

Each bottle of champagne contains about 50 million bubbles.

After drinking a glass of milk, the alcohol level in the person's blood rises by 0.02 ppm. This can bring certain legal problems in some European countries and several US states.

To make one bottle of wine, you need to use about 600 grapes.

In European countries are very careless about the problems of teenage alcoholism. Senior high school students in some secondary schools can get these drinks right in the dining room of the school. In many countries of Europe, alcohol is in the menu of the McDonalds network.