Beer Flood

Today in History - someone sent this to me, and I realize it doesn't quite fit the scope of this blog but its October, and if any of the subscribers are like most cyclists I know, you''ll enjoy this little bit of beer history!


October 17, 1814
The London Beer Flood
They say too much beer is bad for you. Meux's Brewery Co Ltd was a London brewery located at Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street, one of the city's poorer districts at the time. On October 17, 1814 a vat of beer 22 feet high and containing approximately 135,000 gallons ruptured. The beer pouring out toppled other beer vats in the brewery. A flood of beer rushed out of the building into the streets slamming other structures in the vicinity. Two homes and a nearby pub were destroyed, trapping people under the rubble. Nine people died, eight from drowning and one from alcohol poisoning. The Brewery had already paid taxes on the beer and the loss threatened its operations. The owners appealed to parliament and recovered the taxes. A court found the event an "act of God" and the brewery was held not liable.