Docs Pad

Did you know that early Americans drank rather heavily compared to modern standards? In 1770, per capita consumption of distilled spirits was 3.7 gallons per year, rising to 5.2 gallons in 1830 or approximately 1.8 one-ounce shots a day for every adult male.

Did you know that the first place you could wet your whistle was in a pub? The term originates from special mugs used in English pubs hundreds of years ago. Any time you needed a refill, all you had to do was blow a whistle attached to the mug’s handle to call the pub’s handmaiden over.

Pub favorite fish and chips might confuse some Americans when they get a plate of French fries. However, the popular potato dish goes by many different names. The Belgians call them "Belgian fries," the French call them "frites," and the Americans even briefly called them "freedom fries."

By today’s standards, average alcohol consumption in the colonies would seem astonishing. However, back in colonial times, people drank liquor to counter harsh winters without home heating, as a substitute for medicine, and simply to cope with their very rough lifestyles.

The word "pub" comes from a shortening of the phrase "public house," as opposed to a private house. Public houses had to be registered and put out a sign, going back to a proclamation by King Richard II in 1393.

Although its exact origins are unknown, the martini has become an iconic drink that is often associated with New York City. It has been described as “strong, sophisticated, and sexy … everything we hope to project while ordering one.”

Have you ever thought about how many people have enjoyed a nice glass of everyone’s favorite ye**ty beverage? Historians have discovered that beer has been brewed since the times of the ancient Mesopotamians. That means beer has been around since around 5000 BC.

Call us crazy, but psychiatrists seem to have a word for every different kind of fear imaginable. We can’t help you conquer most of your fears, but we specialize in treatment for cenosillicaphobia, the fear of an empty beer glass.

Pubs function as a community level: they're perfect for meeting up with your friends and getting to know your neighbors. Some pubs are considered the focal point of the neighborhoods where patrons come to participate in community activities and to catch up on the local buzz.

People have had public establishments like bars for thousands of years. The Romans had two kinds: Tabernae or thermopolia, usually with an L-shaped counter for richer citizens, and popinae for the common man, which usually had gambling attached to them.

People have been drinking ale for thousands of years before taverns, bars, or pubs, but before these public houses could be founded, people needed to get to them. That's why modern pubs and bars can be traced back to the Roman introduction of roads and the subsequent tabernae.

Taverns have always been more than a place to get a drink. Since the colonial days, Americans have gathered in bars to talk about events and the world. In fact, the Green Dragon tavern in Boston is where the Boston Tea Party was planned.