A source to support my speculation!
Posted by Carolyn B on February 26, 1998 at 20:10:08:
In response to Safer alternative to water?, written by Carolyn B on February 26, 1998 at 19:55:49
Just looked in Christina Hardyment's Home Comfort (see reference books list) which has a section on brewing
"At Shugborough [Milford, Staffordshire], as much as 600 gallons could be brewed at a time, and Pamela Sambrook [staff member?] has estimated from the 1819 accounts that the household then consumed about 24 gallons a day. Beer was used as part payment for the staff, including the maids - the head laundrymaid, for example, received half a gallon a day."
Also confirming what I just posted about alcoholic beverages as a sanitary alternative to drinking water:
"there were then sound scientific and sanitary reasons for drinking fermented liquors rather than plain water. Such diseases as cholera and typhoid were transmitted via tainted water supplies. The process of brewing - boiling to incorporate the aromatice principles of hops, and the addition of yeast to ferment the sugar into alcohol - produced a liquor that was not only sterile in itself but also resistant to infection."
So if people are just drinking beer (and stronger stuff) the way we're told we should drink water today, then there MUST have been alcoholics everywhere!
- Beer Marie Bernadette 15:30:07 2/27/98
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- Small beer, Heather Beer, Spruce Beer Caroline 16:46:06 2/27/98
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- Thanks for straightening that out Carolyn B 21:30:37 2/27/98
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- Thanks for straightening that out Carolyn B 21:30:37 2/27/98
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- Small beer, Heather Beer, Spruce Beer Caroline 16:46:06 2/27/98
(1)
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