8 Mind-Blowing Facts About Beer
7. A Beer Flood Once Killed 8 People
As adults, we all know that too much beer can be detrimental to one's health. However, an individual can usually avoid being harmed by alcoholic beverages by simply opting not to consume them. Sadly, this wasn't the case for the victims of the infamous London Beer Flood of 1814.
The incident took place at the Horse Shoe Brewery, which was located in central London. On an October evening, a store clerk named George Crick noticed a 700-pound iron band had slipped off a massive barrel of porter. The band was used to help contain roughly thirty-two tons of beer that was held in one of the brewery's large, wooden barrels. Since bands were known to slip every so often, Crick decided he would address the issue at a later time. Unfortunately, he would never get the opportunity.
About an hour after the clerk initially noticed the issue, the barrel burst. This released a fifteen-foot (or 4.6 meter) high wave of porter, that wreaked havoc on its unsuspecting victims.
In total, this beer-based tidal wave destroyed two homes, left two others badly damaged, and claimed the lives of eight people.
The event was a major catalyst for the gradual industry-wide shift away from using wooden barrels in the brewing process.