Hot Ale Flips were all the rage at a time when fire pokers were ubiquitous hearth accouterments and warm beer was lauded as tonic. One of the earliest known mixed drinks, the flip was referenced as early as 1695 in William Congreve’s society farce Love for Love: “We’re merry folks, we sailors: we han’t much to care for. Thus we live at sea; eat biscuit, and drink flip.”And though flips were associated with a rough crowd in England (Nathan Bailey’s An Universal Etymological English Dictionary [1721] defines flip as “a sort of Sailor’s Drink”), it was beloved in taverns on the other side of the Atlantic. George Washington was known to drink them in the early years of America.

In those days, ale was often mulled (finding an ice-cold one would’ve been something of a challenge—refrigeration wasn’t invented yet), and doctors prescribed it for indigestion, insomnia and colds. In taverns, flips were often composed of rum or brandy, eggs, molasses or sugar and beer all mixed together in a pitcher and then stirred to a caramelized froth with a hot poker. The poker was eventually replaced with the “ale-warmer,” which consisted of a tin or copper vessel that heated and funneled the drink from the pitcher to the pint. Today, the stove top will do just fine.

Poker Topper Punch Box

Poker Table Tops. Octagon poker table tops are usually good for putting on top of round or square tables and texas holdem poker tables are good for longer rectangular tables with more players and room. If you are looking for something more permanent, please look at our Poker Tables section. Poker Jokes and Puns. Here are funny poker jokes and puns. Perfect for poker players or people who like to gable. Also, check out our other card game and other funny jokes categories.