Drinking games are common among students, military service personnel and others. It seems they have a long history. The Old Foodie offers this description of German students' beer duel rules and regulations, dating from 1870.
III. Beer-Duels.
9. A beer-duel is a duel in which the weapons are beer, and the conqueror is he who first drinks a certain quantity in a constitutional manner.
10. As in every duel, so here, there must first be an offense given. After every offense a challenge must be given within at least five beer-minutes. The offense is of two sorts, "sage" and "beer-baby."
11. In case a beer-boy is called "sage," he can either challenge the offender, or, when he thinks the offense was involuntary, or proceeded from some other cause, he can reply with "Doctor." The other must then challenge him, or reply with "Pope." After " Pope" a challenge must be given. In case of a duel on "sage," each party drinks a half; "Doctor," a whole; "Pope," two wholes.
12. When a beer-boy is called "beer-baby," a challenge must be given, and each party drinks a half.
13. Each principal must choose a second, and the second of the challengee an umpire. The challenger's second commands, "Let the Popes (or Doctors) seize!" the challengee's second says, "Attack!" the other replies, "Out!" In a duel on "beer-baby," the challengee chooses an umpire, who equalizes the weapons. The challenger says, "One;" the challengee, "Two;" the challenger, "Three;" whereupon they begin to drink.
14. The umpire declares him in beer-shame who drinks unconstitutionally, or who was the last to say "beer-baby." To drink unconstitutionally is, to begin to drink before the word "Out," or "Three;" to slop out beer (bleed) during the drinking; to leave a little (called Philistine), enough to cover the bottom of the mug; or, to break the mug in setting it down.
15. Seconds and umpires must be beer-honorable beerboys, and the umpire is bound on Grand Cerevis to decide according to his best knowledge and belief.
There's more at the link, including explanations of terms that may be unfamiliar to modern readers.
I recommend The Old Foodie blog for all sorts of interesting snippets about food and drink from the past. I've only scratched the surface of it so far, and I foresee many months of interesting reading ahead. The blog hasn't been updated since 2017, so I hope it remains available - it's worth preserving.
Peter
6 comments:
When I was stationed in Biloxi the MP sub-station was across the street from our dorm. We would drink a number of beers then stagger across the street to get tested to see how drunk we were. If you blew a .20 or higher the MP's would throw you in the tank to sleep it off.
Wow, things I never knew...
A Mauser K98K and a Lee Enfield walk into a bar.
The Mauser challenges the Lee Enfield to a drinking contest.
The Lee Enfield replied "Don't be daft. You'll never get past five rounds".
Phil B
The link refers to "Student rambles in Prussia". Things I have read gave me the impression that many other Germans considered the formality of Prussian manners something of a joke.
Your post led me to recall that my dad loved the songs of Mario Lanza, and that we had a 78 rpm vinyl recording of 1954"s "The Student Prince," that I'd play on our wood cabinet combination radio and record player.
"The Drinking Song" was my favorite!
In this, the voice is Lanza's, although the actor is not....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1bficWrjgc
It's important to have civilized rules in duelistry. I never understood the gentlemanly art of beer competitions until I read your article. Consider me schooled.
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