London Chugging

June 7, 2008

 ”Alcohol is a way of life. Alcohol is my way of life, and I aim to keep it.”  - Homer Simpson

 Once again people will say “in the old time, it was not a crime”. Why am I quoting Gogol Bordello? Because in London it is now a crime to drink on the tube. Also because fellow-blogger Chibebrau  once worked in The Clash and MST3K into one post and it inspired me.  One day I hope to throw in more references in one post than the Beastie Boys in their song “Shadrach.”

I’m sure most of you know by now, a party broke out throughout the London Underground last week. Shockingly, up to June 2008 it was legal for people to drink in the London subway system. How do you protest banning alcohol on the Tube? Of course by throwing one of the biggest parties ever - ON THE TUBE. Thousands of drinkers gathered in stations and trains. I guess only 17 were arrested. Not too bad, although 6 stations needed to be shut down because the partying was so disruptive. I have to admit that this party might have been too loud and wild for me. If you want to check it out here is a link to YouTube. The real question is, one day when the revelers sit their grandchildren on their knee will they be able to say’ “I was a part of one of the biggest parties ever”. Not according to the good people at Mental Floss. 

In last year’s Mental Floss Top Ten issue, they compiled “10 Historic Drinking Stories That Put Yours to Shame”. The article is very funny with stories that run the gamut from extravagant parties to just plain being over-served. CNN.com reduced the ten down to five. Click here if you want to check out some of the stories that made the list. One of the best stories is 1814’s Meux’s Horse Shoe Brewery in London ruptured vat. Once you read it you see why this story puts last week’s London Underground party to shame. I always enjoy these types of stories. They prove that idiocy wasn’t invented by the generation after yours and that idiocy is a fundamental right of the human race.

Signed,
One of the proud idiots of the human race. 

Posted in Beer History, Beer News, Uncategorized