Tim Worstall

Selling Beer Cheaper Than Water

There’s been some prurient tooth sucking and lip pursing as a Scottish politician claims to have seen a supermarket selling beer cheaper than they sell water. I have to admit, I can’t really see the cause for concern. Indeed, I think it’s actually a very good idea indeed, that the brewed nectar is cheaper than the stuff fish fuck in.

For example.

England_rugby

A group of beer drinkers earlier this year. OK, not the greatest team in the world but still fine upstanding young men.

Londonprotest

A group of water drinkers.

Quite, so, as Hogarth used to illustrate his Beer Street.

Beer, happy Produce of our Isle
Can sinewy Strength impart,
And wearied with Fatigue and Toil
Can chear each manly Heart.

Labour and Art upheld by Thee
Successfully advance,
We quaff Thy balmy Juice with Glee
and Water leave to France.

Genius of Health, Thy grateful Taste
Rivals the Cup of Jove
And warms each English generous Breast
With Liberty and Love.

In

11 responses

  1. dearieme Avatar
    dearieme

    But, but, Tim; The Young drink bloody lager. Or blue cocktails.

    Reply
  2. john b Avatar
    john b

    Bloody lager is beer, like it or not.
    Blue cocktails aren’t (indeed, were Hogarth drawing today, he’d doubtless go for Lager Alley and Blue Cocktail Lane…)

    Reply
  3. Bob B Avatar
    Bob B

    If the SNP promise to cut the tax on booze in an independent Scotland there’ll be no stopping them.

    Reply
  4. Philip Thomas Avatar
    Philip Thomas

    What on God’s green earth is a blue cocktail?
    I’m only 26, how quickly one becomes out of touch….
    Tim adds: One with Blue Curacao in it. I’m, err, appreciably older than 26 but then I did used to make my living as a cocktail bartender.

    Reply
  5. AntiCitizenOne Avatar
    AntiCitizenOne

    I’ve allways liked cocktails (great for surprise-a-round p155 ups) but I’ve never known how to say “Curacao”.
    Any clues Tim W?
    Tim adds: “Cure-a-sow” or “Cure-a-saow”. “Cure-a-sa-o” Somewhere in between those . The cydilla below the second c makes it an s really.
    Name of a Dutch island in the West Indies where the type of orange (I think??) orginally came from. Cointreau is rather like a brand name of a curacao. Triple Sec is another name for roughly the same thing.

    Reply
  6. David Gillies Avatar
    David Gillies

    It’s more bitter than Triple Sec. The most common cocktails with curaçao are the Sidecar (brandy, curaçao and lemon juice), and the Mai Tai (rum, curaçao, grenadine, pineapple juice and lime juice). Amaretto, blue curaçao, rum and pineapple juice get you an Ocean Breeze (not to be confused with a Sea Breeze).

    Reply
  7. JuliaM Avatar
    JuliaM

    “The most common cocktails with curaçao are the Sidecar (brandy, curaçao and lemon juice), and the Mai Tai (rum, curaçao, grenadine, pineapple juice and lime juice)…”
    ? Not the Margarita..?
    Tim adds: Triple Sec for the Margarita. Cheaper….

    Reply
  8. Bob B Avatar
    Bob B

    “Tim adds: One with Blue Curacao in it. I’m, err, appreciably older than 26 but then I did used to make my living as a cocktail bartender.”
    And there’s me starting to think Blue Cocktail was a surrogate for Meths in these exciting times and available on draught in some places north of the border.

    Reply
  9. Phil Hunt Avatar
    Phil Hunt

    So which politician was this? And do you have a URL?
    Tim adds: Yesterday’s papers: £20 for 60 cans apparently. No URL nor remember the name.
    This isn’t where I orginally saw it but The Mail:
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=427418&in_page_id=1770

    Reply
  10. david Avatar
    david

    In a great many German bars and restaurants, beer costs less than Coke or French water and that is how things should be in a civil and just world. Anyone who drinks anything blue should, however, be taken out behind the woodshed……

    Reply
  11. Paracelsus Avatar
    Paracelsus

    Well, as Cratinus said, no water-drinker will ever produce anything wise (hudôr de pinôn ouden an tekoi sophon). Something tells me he’s not on the second group’s reading list…

    Reply

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