MDMD(2): Grain People and Grape People

[Michel Ryckx]

"Of the two sorts of drinking Folk, this implies, thah' is, Grape People and Grain People [. . .]"
at 18,2-3.

The national radio here in Belgium has a program in which all kinds of funny questions are
answered.  It is called (tr.) 'Boys and Science'.  Some time ago they answered the question whence
the expression (tr. again from Dutch) 'Beer after Wine, Venom; Wine after Beer, Pleasure --it rhymes
in Dutch.  This was the  explanation:

"It is not important which of the two fluids is drunk first.  The expression stems from the Middle
Ages and has two possible explanations.

(1) During the Middle Ages beer was cheaper than wine.  Someone who was able to buy wine after a
period of buying beer, was richer than before --and richness gives pleasure.  The reverse process,
becoming poorer than before caused bitterness, or venom.

(2) The second explanation says the original expression is: Beer ON Wine; Wine ON Beer.  Beer was
the poor man, Wine the richer one.  When a poor man made love to rich woman, it was considered to
cause venom; the reverse,  a rich man making love to a poor woman, was purely pleasure."

Not the drinking habit, but a social comment.

For what it's worth.

Michel.