Yard of ale

A yard of ale or yard glass is a very tall beer glass used for drinking around 2.5 imperial pints (1.4 l) of beer, depending upon the diameter. The glass is approximately 1 yard long, shaped with a bulb at the bottom, and a widening shaft which constitutes most of the height.[1]

The glass most likely originated in 17th-century England where the glass was known also as a "Long Glass", a "Cambridge Yard (Glass)" and an "Ell Glass". It is associated by legend with stagecoach drivers, though was mainly used for drinking feats and special toasts.[2][3]

Drinking a yard glass full of beer as quickly as possible is a traditional pub game; the bulb at the bottom of the glass makes it likely that the contestant will be splashed with a sudden rush of beer towards the end of the feat. The fastest drinking of a yard of ale (1.42 litres) in the Guinness Book of Records is 5 seconds.[4]

Contents

Description

The glass is approximately 1 yard long, shaped with a bulb at the bottom, and a widening shaft which constitutes most of the height. In countries where the metric system is used, the glass may be 1 metre (roughly 1.1 yd) long. Because the glass is so long and in any case does not usually have a stable flat base, it is hung on the wall when not in use.

History

The glass most likely originated in 17th-century England where the glass was known also as a "Long Glass", a "Cambridge Yard (Glass)" and an "Ell Glass".[5] Such a glass was a testament to the glassblower's skill as much as the drinker's. John Evelyn records in his Diary the formal yet festive drinking of a yard of ale toast to James II at Bromley in Kent, 1685.

Yard glasses can be found hanging on the walls of some English pubs and there are a number of pubs named The Yard of Ale throughout the country.

Usage

Drinking a yard glass full of beer is a traditional pub game in the UK, and a popular drinking game in Australia and New Zealand; some ancient colleges at Oxford University have sconcing forfeits.[6] The object in all the games is to drink the contents as quickly as possible. One record-keeping source reported the fastest drinking of a yard of ale is 5 seconds.[7] Former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke was previously the world record holder for the fastest drinking of a yard of beer,[8] when he downed a sconce pot in eleven seconds as part of a traditional Oxford college penalty.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ The dictionary of beer and brewing - Google Books. books.google.co.uk. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=XRyxWu8rRnQC&pg=PA283&dq=%22yard+of+ale%22+coach&cd=2#v=onepage&q=%22yard%20of%20ale%22%20coach&f=false. Retrieved 2010-03-10. 
  2. ^ "Yard-of-ale glass (drinking glass) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia". britannica.com. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/652036/yard-of-ale-glass. Retrieved 2010-03-10. 
  3. ^ "The Yard of Ale : Our History". theyardofale.com. http://www.theyardofale.com/index.php/history/. Retrieved 2010-03-10. 
  4. ^ The Guinness book of records 1999. Guinness. 1998. p. 60. http://books.google.com/books?id=jaoxAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Yard+of+ale%22+guinness+record&dq=%22Yard+of+ale%22+guinness+record. Retrieved 28 June 2011. 
  5. ^ "Suffolk Glass". suffolkglass.co.uk. http://www.suffolkglass.co.uk/cgi-bin/sitewise.pl?act=sect&pt=61&s=95&id=glass. Retrieved 2009-09-26. 
  6. ^ Allan Seager (2004). A frieze of girls: memoirs as fiction. University of Michigan Press. p. 201. http://books.google.com/books?id=e_Kw0KWTgmQC&pg=PA205&dq. Retrieved 28 June 2011. 
  7. ^ "Record Holders Republic". recordholdersrepublic.co.uk. http://www.recordholdersrepublic.co.uk/recordholdersdetails.asp?id=131. Retrieved 2009-09-26. 
  8. ^ Carbone, Suzanne (2003-12-03). "Spiffing leader? Just apply spit and polish". Melbourne: The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/12/02/1070351581038.html. Retrieved 2010-03-09. 
  9. ^ Bob Hawke (1994). The Hawke Memoirs. Heinemann. p. 28. http://books.google.com/books?id=M7ByAAAAMAAJ&dq=The+Hawke+Memoirs. Retrieved 28 June 2011.