Winter has truly arrived here in Avren with a good covering of snow. I must admit that as I trudged back from the village shop earlier today it entered my mind just how comforting a glass of brandy would be. Thankfully, there is a big difference between thinking and doing, and my abstinence remains intact. Similarly, my answer to the title of this post is a resounding “No”. However, I thought the cold weather and my idle thoughts would provide a good starting point for this post.
I had images of a St Bernard dog coming to rescue me from the ankle deep snow along the lane leading to my home, a barrel of brandy hanging invitingly around its neck. But wait a minute, there’s something not quite right about this. Firstly, alcohol has the effect of cooling the body through its vasodilatory properties – it widens blood vessels, bringing more blood to the surface and then allowing body warmth to dissipate into the cold air. There may be an initial sense of warmth, but this quickly goes and you then face the risk of hypothermia. Next time, please send the alcohol-free St Bernard.
Secondly, apparently there is no credible evidence that St Bernard rescue dogs ever carried these barrels. It is a romanticised myth reinforced by films, paintings and cartoons over the years. It is not a myth that the dogs are amazing at finding and rescuing people who are trapped or lost in the mountains.
As a little side dish, while we are on the subject of barrels, here are the different sizes of casks used to store and transport beer:
Hogshead – 54 imperial gallons/432 pints
Barrel – 32 gallons
Kilderkin – 18 gallons
Firkin – 9 gallons
Pin – 4.5 gallons/36 pints
You never know when you might be asked!
The misunderstanding about alcohol seemingly having a warming effect is a nice illustration of Cartesian dualism, the separation of mind and body. There is no doubt that a brandy gives you a nice sense of warmth, but it is probably warming your soul more than your body. And I’m all for a bit of soul warming. When I am drinking, I buy into the idea of winter brews. I like nice dark, ruby beers at this time of year, preferably not chilled. Come summer, then lighter ales and lagers are the order of the day.
I mentioned a snowball at the start of this post. I was referring of course to that classic little Christmas cocktail. The ingredients are lime juice or lime cordial (optional), Advocaat, lemonade – and a maraschino cherry on a stick. The recipe calls for ice, but I can’t remember if my father ever used it. He was famous in our house for making snowballs at Christmas and my mum loved them. They were not frequent drinkers during my early years – a bit later in their lives they got into German white wines (who didn’t have a cheeky Blue Nun in those days?!), light beers, and maybe a bit of cherry brandy. Here’s a non-alcoholic toast to happy memories.
Alcohol Trivia Quiz
Yesterday’s answers:
1. Site of the Guinness brewery.
2. Bass.
3. W. C. Fields.
Today’s questions:
1. What name is given to the process of germinating grains in water then drying them with hot air to stop the germination?
2. When was the Guinness brewery founded?
3. Beer made by Trappist monks comes from which country?
Thank you for dropping by. I hope you found it enjoyable. Keep safe and well – and be careful when throwing snowballs!
Understand Yourself Better 