Written by Franz Hofer for Tempest in a Tankard
At the beginning of his chapter on warm beer, W.T. Marchant expresses regret that “some of the more comforting drinks,†such as wassail, had waned in popularity over the years. “When beer was the staple drink, morning, noon, and night,†he continues, “it was natural that our ancestors would prefer their breakfast beer warm and their ‘nightcaps’ flavoured, hence the variety of their comforting drinks†(599).