Boot of beer
Encyclopedia
The custom of drinking a boot of beer (German: Stiefel, "boot") from a boot
-shaped glass is common in German
-themed bar
s, colleges, beer gardens, and the like. As with pints and other vessels, insignia
s, logo
s, and markings of varied composition are often engraved or fashioned on the boot. Beer boots may be passed among drinkers as a drinking challenge, usually owing to the difficulty associated with drinking a larger than average quantity of beer and the added challenge of the boot's shape. A common variation of this challenge is to have multiple players taking turns. The person who takes the penultimate drink loses. Thus the challenge is to either finish the beer or leave a challenging quantity to the next player to try to finish. Glass beer boots are available in two styles and numerous sizes. Machine-pressed beer boots range in size from a shot glass up to 1 litre. The more popular mouth-blown beer boots are typically 1 and 2 litres in size.
There are several varying "traditional" sources of the boot. Most center on German military roots at the beginning of the 20th century. As with many "traditional" and informal sources, the veracity of such claims may be disputable but the tradition itself does have a cultural source.
One tradition holds that a Prussian general swore to his troops that he would drink beer from his boot dependent on the successful outcome in a coming battle. When victorious, the general ordered a glass fashioned in the shape of a boot to fulfill his promise without "having to taste his own feet".
Another tradition holds that the boot began when German soldier
s during World War I
having nothing else to drink from instead passed around an actual leather
boot of beer before heading into battle. They would flick the boot before drinking from it for good luck and again after drinking to wish the next soldier good luck.
in which national drinking teams complete a beer drinking contest involving 2 litre beer boots called "Das Boot
" (actually German for "the boat") in the film.
Beer Boot Official Website
Boot
A boot is a type of footwear but they are not shoes. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle and extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece....
-shaped glass is common in German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-themed bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
s, colleges, beer gardens, and the like. As with pints and other vessels, insignia
Insignia
Insignia or insigne pl -nia or -nias : a symbol or token of personal power, status or office, or of an official body of government or jurisdiction...
s, logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
s, and markings of varied composition are often engraved or fashioned on the boot. Beer boots may be passed among drinkers as a drinking challenge, usually owing to the difficulty associated with drinking a larger than average quantity of beer and the added challenge of the boot's shape. A common variation of this challenge is to have multiple players taking turns. The person who takes the penultimate drink loses. Thus the challenge is to either finish the beer or leave a challenging quantity to the next player to try to finish. Glass beer boots are available in two styles and numerous sizes. Machine-pressed beer boots range in size from a shot glass up to 1 litre. The more popular mouth-blown beer boots are typically 1 and 2 litres in size.
One tradition holds that a Prussian general swore to his troops that he would drink beer from his boot dependent on the successful outcome in a coming battle. When victorious, the general ordered a glass fashioned in the shape of a boot to fulfill his promise without "having to taste his own feet".
Another tradition holds that the boot began when German soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
s during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
having nothing else to drink from instead passed around an actual leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
boot of beer before heading into battle. They would flick the boot before drinking from it for good luck and again after drinking to wish the next soldier good luck.
Beerfest
Beer boots exploded in popularity upon the release of the film BeerfestBeerfest
Beerfest is a 2006 beer-themed comedy film by the comedy group Broken Lizard. Along with the regular members of Broken Lizard, other actors who appear in the movie include Will Forte, M. C. Gainey, Cloris Leachman, Kendra C...
in which national drinking teams complete a beer drinking contest involving 2 litre beer boots called "Das Boot
Das Boot
Das Boot is a 1981 German epic war film written and directed by Wolfgang Petersen, produced by Günter Rohrbach, and starring Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, and Klaus Wennemann...
" (actually German for "the boat") in the film.
See also
- Yard glassYard glassA yard of ale or yard glass is a very tall beer glass used for drinking around 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....
Beer Boot Official Website