Colonial Kids And Beer: A Historical Perspective

Drinking habits have changed significantly since colonial times. In the eighteenth century, most people believed that water was bad for their health, and they weren't entirely wrong. In London Town, for example, drinking water directly from the South River could make people sick. The river water was brackish, a mixture of salt and freshwater. So, instead of drinking water, many people drank fermented and brewed beverages like beer, ale, cider, and wine. Even children drank alcohol, albeit in a watered-down form called small beer, which was produced by reusing the same ingredients to make multiple batches, resulting in a very low alcohol content in the final product.

Water was unsafe and carried diseases

Water was also scarce in colonial times, so almost all of the available water carried harmful diseases, including smallpox, lockjaw, and black vomit. Drinking water meant risking one's life, so people drank alcohol instead. Alcohol-based drinks typically wouldn't spread disease and had a much longer shelf life than non-alcoholic beverages.

Even children drank alcohol, usually in the form of "small beer," which was brewed with boiled water, killing germs and bacteria and making it safer to drink than water. The beer produced by the third brewing had almost no alcohol in it, and this is what children would drink.

In addition to being safer than water, beer was considered a food and a sign of social status. Only the most destitute drank water. Beer was also seen as a healthy substitute for water. Americans believed it was healthier to drink lukewarm alcohol during hot weather than cold water. Signs at public wells even warned individuals of the dangers of drinking cold water during the summer.

Beer was considered a food

Drinking alcohol was a way of life in colonial times, and it played a significant role in the daily lives of Americans. The average American consumed eight ounces of alcohol per day, and it was not uncommon for children to drink alcohol as well, albeit in watered-down form. This was due in part to the belief that water was harmful to one's health, and beer was seen as a healthier alternative.

The process of brewing beer involved boiling water, which killed harmful germs and bacteria, making it safer to consume than water. This was especially important in cities, where water sources were often contaminated by garbage disposal and human waste. The early morning tankard of beer was a colonial tradition, and even children would drink something called "small beer," which was produced by reusing the ingredients in multiple batches, resulting in a final product with minimal alcohol content.

Beer was also a significant part of social and civic life. Taverns, where alcohol was served, were the centers of social gatherings, business meetings, court hearings, and auctions. Religious services and court sessions were often held in taverns, and it was customary to serve alcohol at funerals, placed directly on the coffin. Alcohol was so ingrained in colonial culture that even clergy members were expected to drink at every house call, and they were often seen reeling home.

The consumption of beer and other alcoholic beverages was so prevalent in colonial times that it became a defining aspect of the era. It was intertwined with social norms, health beliefs, and the very fabric of society. Beer was seen as a necessity, a symbol of status, and a means of survival in a world where clean water was scarce.

Alcohol was thought to be healthy

Alcohol was seen as a healthy alternative to water during colonial times. This was due in part to the poor sanitary standards of the time, which meant that water was often unsafe to drink. Beer, on the other hand, was considered a food and a sign of social status. Only the most destitute drank water. Beer was also believed to be a good source of nutrition, allowing people to put in a full day's work.

Benjamin Franklin, for example, was known as the "water American" because of his affinity for water. While working in a printing house in London, his fellow printers were "great guzzlers of beer". They drank a pint of beer before breakfast, a pint between breakfast and lunch, a pint in the afternoon, and another after finishing their workday.

Americans also believed that drinking lukewarm alcohol during hot weather was healthier than drinking cold water. They believed that when a person sweated, heat was conducted from the inside of the body, and therefore the stomach needed warmth, which alcohol could provide. Signs warning of the dangers of drinking cold water were even displayed at public wells during the summer.

Beer usually replaced water as the daily drink, and this was true even for children. An early morning tankard of beer was typical in colonial America, and the tradition was brought over from England. The Pilgrims loaded more beer than water onto the Mayflower, and there is evidence that they landed at Plymouth instead of Virginia to ensure they had enough beer for the return voyage.

In addition to beer, hard cider was also commonly consumed, especially in areas where the ingredients for beer were not readily available, such as on the frontier. Cider was made from apples, which were not native to North America, so the colonists had to bring apple trees with them on their ships. Cider was also believed to have a longer shelf life than beer, which was important in the days before refrigeration.

Whiskey was another popular alcoholic beverage, particularly on the frontier, where it was made from corn. It was given names such as "Good Creature of God" by pioneers who believed it gave them the strength needed to endure the hardships of frontier life.

The belief in the health benefits of alcohol was so strong that even religious services and court sessions were often held in taverns, and clergy were expected to drink at every house call.

However, not everyone agreed with this sentiment. John Adams, for example, stated: "If the ancients drank as our people drink rum and cider, it is no wonder we hear of so many possessed with devils." Benjamin Rush, a physician and signer of the Declaration of Independence, also described alcohol as a threat to morality and the nascent republic. He cautioned against the common belief that alcohol could protect against the effects of heat or cold or relieve fatigue. Instead, he proposed that alcoholism was a progressive disease and advocated for abstinence as the only cure.

Beer was safer than water

In colonial times, beer was considered safer than water. This belief was not unfounded as water was often contaminated with harmful bacteria and viruses. People did not understand why water made them sick since germs, bacteria, and viruses had not yet been discovered. However, they knew that drinking water could cause illness.

The English heritage of the time declared that water was bad for a person's health. Given the sanitary standards of the day, this belief was understandable. The bias against water was so strong that drinking water was considered a sign of low social status, and only the most destitute drank it.

In London Town, for example, drinking water directly from the South River could cause vomiting. The river water was brackish, a mixture of salt and freshwater. Some people tried to dig wells to access groundwater, but they often dug too close to their outhouses, resulting in contaminated well water.

Beer, on the other hand, was considered a healthy substitute for water. The process of brewing beer includes boiling the water, which kills harmful germs and bacteria, making it safer to drink. This was especially important for children, who drank a type of beer called "small beer" that had very low alcohol content.

The belief in the health benefits of beer was so strong that it was even consumed at social events, including business meetings, court hearings, and auctions. Alcohol was also served at funerals and was expected to be provided, typically in a large pot placed directly on the coffin!

The average American in colonial times drank eight ounces of alcohol per day. This included beer, cider, rum, wine, claret, ratafias, creams, punches, and other concoctions. Even children drank alcohol, although it was significantly watered down.

Children drank 'small beer'

Drinking alcohol was a common practice in colonial times, with Americans drinking about three times as much as modern Americans. This was partly due to the belief that water was bad for one's health, and given the sanitary standards of the time, this was understandable. Water and milk were common carriers of disease, and clean water was only available outside the city. Even children drank alcohol, albeit in significantly watered-down form.

The first step in brewing beer is to boil the water, which kills germs and bacteria, making it safe to drink. This first brewing contains alcohol. The ingredients are then brewed again for a second and third batch of beer or ale. The beer produced by this third brewing has almost no alcohol content, and this is what was known as "small beer", which children would drink.

The practice of children drinking small beer stems from English heritage, which held that water was detrimental to one's health. The Pilgrims on the Mayflower loaded more beer than water, and there is evidence that they landed at Plymouth instead of Virginia to ensure they had enough beer for the return voyage. Beer was seen as a healthy substitute for water and was considered a food, with only the most destitute drinking water.

During hot weather, it was believed to be healthier to drink lukewarm alcohol instead of cold water. Signs were even posted at public wells, warning of the dangers of drinking cold water during the summer. This belief was based on the understanding that sweating conducted heat from the inside of the body, and thus the stomach needed warmth, which alcohol could provide.

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