How was beer kept cold in the old days?

In the Old West, people did not always enjoy their beer cold, for their were no modern refrigerators. To keep beer cold, people would keep kegs of beer in caves and rock cellars, lined with harvested river ice. Sometimes, they would even use wet gunny sacks full of sawdust to cool beer, as well.

How was beer stored before refrigeration?

For centuries, ice was harvested in large blocks in winter and stored with the beer in deep underground cellars. This could keep the beer cool for months. Later, cool water was run through piping submerged in the fermenters, but this method was dependent on ambient water temperatures that often fluctuated seasonally.

Did they have cold beer in the 1800?

Up until the 1870s, beer was served at room temperature in the European tradition. Though the beer had a head, it wasn't sudsy as it is today. Patrons had to knock back the beer in a hurry before it got too warm or flat.

How did they have cold beer on Gunsmoke?

Before refrigerators were invented, people used ice boxes. They looked like refrigerators, but used blocks of ice to cool food and drinks.

How did Cowboys keep things cold?

How did they keep things cold in the Wild West? They cut blocks of ice from a frozen river or lake during the winter then stored the blocks in an insulated or subterranean building called an "Ice House." Ice houses were designs to keep ice frozen through the summer so it could be used at any time of the year.

Enjoying Cold Beer in The Old West

What did saloon girls do in the Old West?

Starved for female companionship, the saloon girl would sing for the men, dance with them, and talk to them – inducing them to remain in the bar, buying drinks, and patronizing the games.

How did saloons keep their beer cold?

Up in your part of the country, they'd harvest ice from the rivers in the winter time and store it in caves or rock cellars. It would usually last most of the summer. Down in Arizona, you'd see signs in front of saloons saying “Cool Beer,” not “Cold Beer.” Wet gunny sacks and sawdust would keep the beer fairly cool.

How did they chill beer in 1800s?

For hundreds of years, brewers in Europe and the U.S. used ice caves to keep their beer cool, but in 1873, Carl von Linde, who worked for the Spaten brewery in Munich, devised a system of mechanically producing ice.

How did they keep drinks cold in the 1800s?

During the 1800s, ice was used for two primary purposes. For the wealthy, it was a status symbol. They were able to keep their drinks cool during the summer months by using ice that they stored on their property from the winter.

Do they drink real beer on Gunsmoke?

The Gunsmoke actors actually drank beer, but the whiskey was tea or colored water. Marshall Trimble is Arizona's official historian and vice president of the Wild West History Association.

Did they have cold beer in 1880?

Beer. Beer was often served at room temperature since refrigeration was mostly unavailable. Adolphus Busch introduced refrigeration and pasteurization of beer in 1880 with his Budweiser brand. Some saloons kept the beer in kegs stored on racks inside the saloon.

How did Cowboys have ice?

They cut blocks of ice from a frozen river or lake during the winter then stored the blocks in an insulated or subterranean building called an "Ice House." Ice houses were designs to keep ice frozen through the summer so it could be used at any time of the year.

What's the oldest beer that's still around?

How did they keep beer cold in 1870?

In the Old West, people did not always enjoy their beer cold, for their were no modern refrigerators. To keep beer cold, people would keep kegs of beer in caves and rock cellars, lined with harvested river ice. Sometimes, they would even use wet gunny sacks full of sawdust to cool beer, as well.

How did they keep things cold in the 1700s?

Community cooling houses were an integral part of many villages to keep meat, fruit and vegetables stored. At various points in time ice houses were built often underground or as insulated buildings – these were used to store ice and snow sourced during winter, to keep foods cold during the warmer months.

Did people drink warm beer before refrigeration?

From 1500 – 1800, before refrigerators, this was not the scene. It was popular to serve beer piping hot and was thought to be good for health. But hot beers were only good for certain styles such as porters and stouts. These beers were called “mulled ales”, which was another term for “heated.”

How did they keep milk cold in the 1700s?

In the pantries of old victorian houses it is still possible to find a huge slab of slate on which dairy would have been stored. In temperate climates, the cooling properties of slate were sufficient to keep cheeses and milk at a low temperature for every bit as long as in our modern refrigerators.

How did medieval people refrigerate?

Freezing and Cooling

In castles and large homes with cellars, an underground room could be used to keep foods packed in winter ice through the cooler spring months and into the summer. In the long, frigid Scandinavian winters, an underground room wasn't necessary.

Did people get drunk in the 1800s?

As the country grew, drinking so freely and often never faded away completely. In fact, in the early republic, Americans drank quantities we would consider astounding today. In 1790, we consumed an average of 5.8 gallons of absolute alcohol annually for each drinking-age individual.

How did sailors survive on beer?

First off, sailors were typically rationed about a gallon of beer per day. Beer is rich in vitamins, particularly B vitamins, and more importantly carbohydrates. This is largely the reason it was considered a staple in the diet aboard ships, often called “liquid bread,” in many accounts.

How did cowboys drink beer?

Beer was not as common as whiskey, yet some drank it. Since pasteurization was not invented yet, a cowboy had to take his beer warm and drink it quickly. If not, the beer would get warmer and go flat. Whiskey kept its taste and potency no matter the temperature.

How did people keep drinks cold before refrigerators?

Into the 1930s, households used large blocks of ice to keep food cold in "iceboxes." This photo is from the 1920s. Courtesy of the Sloane Collection. By the end of the 1800s, many American households stored their perishable food in an insulated "icebox" that was usually made of wood and lined with tin or zinc.

Why did saloons have swinging doors?

The style of the doors was praised by saloon owners as they let fresh air in and smoke out while allowing a cross breeze to cold the air. They also were able to maintain some privacy by having empty doors while still enticing people to come in when they hear the laughter and music.

How strong was beer in the 1800s?

No matter how well made the beer was, it would eventually go bad. This process was slowed by the amount of alcohol and hops in the beer and by keeping the beer from being exposed to air. Because of this, beer for export to the colonies was probably very strong (7 to 8% alcohol) and very highly hopped.