Since 1992
Print and digital marketing
By Barbara McAllister
Word of the Day: Beer
It’s natural to explore the origin of this word in the month that celebrates the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. On St. Patrick’s Day alone, it’s estimated that some 13 million pints of Guinness will be drunk worldwide. St. Patrick himself was said to enjoy a pint.
The word “beer” comes from Dutch and Old German “bier,” thought to be based on the original Latin “bibere,” to drink, a word tat also gives us the English word “imbibe.” The earliest written record of beer is in fifth century BC. Some historians theorize that grains were raised to make beer long before they were raised to make bread. Early brewing may arguably have led to increased socialization and developing new technologies, leading to the rise of civilization and eventually Super Bowl beer commercials.
Today beer is thought to follow only water and tea as the most consumed beverage in the world. Lack of beer is said to have influenced the Pilgrims’ decision to land at Plymouth Rock since alcoholic beverages were the main source of hydration on long voyages. Water stored in wooden casks on old ships stagnated quickly and because the Mayflower’s rations of beer were almost empty, the captain decided to winter at Plymouth Rock rather than risk running out. Maybe America was founded on beer.
Despite its all-American connections, the largest sellers of beer are all owned by foreign conglomerates. Budweiser, America’s number one brew, is still made in America, but Anheuser-Busch is owned by a multinational company based in Belgium with offices in Brazil, London, Mexico, Germany and South Africa.
The traditional Guinness consumed on St. Patrick’s Day has an alcoholic content by volume of about 4.2%, average for most beers. Vodka and whiskey are typically around 40%. The Scots brew the world’s most alcoholic beer, Snake Venom, with an alcoholic content of 67.5%. It is not available in the U.S. It comes with a yellow warning label on the bottle’s neck and the suitable marketing slogan “Serious Bite.” It will also take a serious bite out of your wallet at the equivalent of $76 per bottle.
