1.    The U.S. Marines’ first recruiting station was in a bar.

    2.    The longest bar in the world is 684 feet (or about 208.5 meters) long and is located at the New Bulldog in Rock Island, Illinois.

    3.    A tequini is a martini made with tequila instead of dry gin.

    4.    The founder of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) no longer belongs to the organization. She resigned after it became increasingly anti-alcohol rather than simply anti-drunk-driving.
   
    5.    As Magellan prepared to sail around the world in 1519, he spent more on Sherry than on weapons.

    6.    Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected President of the U.S. in 1932 on a pledge to end National Prohibition.

    7.    Bourbon is the official spirit of the United States, by act of Congress.

    8.    One glass of milk can give a person a .02 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) on a Breathalyzer test. That’s enough in some states for persons under age 21 to lose their drivers license and be fined.

    9.    Beer was not sold in bottles until 1850; it was not sold in cans until 1935.

    10.    Liquor stores in the US are called "package stores" and sell "package goods" because of laws requiring that alcohol containers be concealed in public by being placed in paper bags or "packages."

    11.  "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" is commonly believed to be the only English sentence devised to include all the letters of the alphabet. However, typesetters have another such sentence: "Pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs."

    12.  Martha Washington enjoyed daily toddys. In the 1790s, "happy hour" began at 3:00 p.m. and cocktails continued until dinner.

    13.   Alcohol consumption decreases during the time of the full moon.

    14.  Beer and Bras. British men have been found twice as likely to know the price of their beer as their partner's bra size.

    15.  One or two alcohol drinks a day can be anti-inflammatory. (Of course, always consult your physician for medical advice.)

    16.  Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the US, stated that "It has long been recognized that the problems with alcohol relate not to the use of a bad thing, but to the abuse of a good thing."

   17.   Rhode Island never ratified the 18 Amendment establishing Prohibition.

   18.   Each molecule of alcohol is less than a billionth of a meter long and consists of a few atoms of oxygen, carbon and hydrogen.

   19.   Vassar College was established and funded by a brewer.

   20.   Tom Arnold, Sandra Bullock, Chevy Chase, Bill Cosby, Kris Kristofferson, and Bruce Willis are all former bartenders.

   21.   Frederick the Great of Prussia tried to ban the consumption of coffee and demanded that the populace drink alcohol instead.

   22.   During the reign of William III, a garden fountain was once used as a giant punch bowl. The recipe included 560 gallons of brandy, 1200 pounds of sugar, 25,000 lemons, 20 gallons of lime juice, and five pounds of nutmeg. The bartender rowed around in a small boat, filling up guests' punch cups.

   23.   The Chagga people of Tanganyika believe that a liar will be poisoned if he or she consumes beer mixed with the blood of a recently sacrificed goat.

   24.   The national anthem of the US, the "Star-Spangled Banner," was written to the tune of a drinking song.
   25.   In the 1600's thermometers were filled with brandy instead of mercury.

   26.   As late as the mid-17th century, the French wine makers did not use corks. Instead, they used oil-soaked rags stuffed into the necks of bottles.

   27.  The term "brand name" originated among American distillers, who branded their names and emblems on their kegs before shipment.

   28.  In ancient Babylon, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead (fermented honey beverage) he could drink for a month after the wedding. Because their calendar was lunar or moon-based, this period of free mead was called the "honey month," or what we now call the "honeymoon."

   29.  Before thermometers were invented, brewers would dip a thumb or finger into the liquid to determine the ideal temperature,, for adding yeast. From this we get the phrase "rule of thumb."

   30.  In old England, a whistle was baked into the rim or handle of ceramic cups used by pub patrons. When they wanted a refill, they would blow the whistle to get service. So when people went drinking, they would "wet their whistle."

31.     The word "toast," meaning a wish of good health, started in ancient Rome, where a piece of toasted bread was dropped into wine.

32.     In English pubs and bars drinks are served in pints and quarts. In old England, bartenders would advice unruly customers to mind their own pints and quarts. It's the origin of "mind your P's and Q's."

33.     The consumption of alcohol was so widespread throughout history that it has been called "a universal language." by many people.

34.      Most vegetable, and virtually all fruit juices, contain at least a small amount of alcohol.

35.      There is a cloud of alcohol in outer space with enough alcohol to make four trillion-trillion drinks. It's free for the taking. . . but it's 10,000 light years away from Earth.

36.     "There's no free lunch." Pennsylvania outlawed free lunches in 1917 to prevent taverns from giving free sandwiches to customers who bought beer to drink with them. This led some shop keepers to sell sandwiches and give away the beer.

37.      President Jimmy Carter's mother said "I'm a Christian, but that doesn't mean I'm a long-faced square. I like a little bourbon."

38.      Between 1980 and 1996, over 2,300 anti-drunk-driving laws were passed in the U.S.Which goes to show you If laws could solve a problem, there wouldn't be any drunk driving today!

39.      Move over, Mickey. Napa valley has replaced Disneyland as California's number one trourist destination, with 5.5 million visitors per year.

40.      The largest cork tree in the world is in Portugal. It averages over one ton of raw cork per harvest. That's enough to cork 100,000 bottles.

41.      The soil of one famous vineyard in France is considered so precious that vineyard workers are required to scrape it from their shoes before they leave for home each night.

42.      The pressure in a bottle of champagne is about 90 pounds per square inch. That's about three times the pressure in automobile tires.

43.      The Neolithic period (8500-4000 B.C.) marked the first time in human prehistory where alcohol was fermented. They also produced bread, beer, meat, and grain dishes we enjoy today.

44.      Dionysus was the Greek god of wine and vegetation. He showed mortals how to cultivate grapes and make wine. In 5th century B.C., he was worshipped at celebrations that became associated with licentiousness and intoxication.

45.      There is some anecdotal evidence that alcohol sipped through a straw is more potent than simply drinking straight from the glass. Drinking through a straw helps mix air with the alcohol, carrying it to the nasal cavity where it is absorbed more rapidly. An even flow of alcohol also boosts absorption efficiency.

46.      Poor soil quality tends to produce better wines. The trick is to "challenge" the vines by making them "work" harder.

47.      Most wines do not improve with age.