London Awash in ... Beer

On October 17, 1814, a bizarre incident occurred involving our favorite potable, the noble brewski. Perhaps you have heard of drowning your sorrows in beer or some other alcoholic beverage? Well, in London in 1814, a giant vat of beer failed, and 135,000 Imperial gallons of beer surged out, crashing into other huge vats and breaking those open as well. A total of well over 300,000 gallons of beer flowed out of the brewery and into the street like a tidal wave, crushing or drowning at least 8 unsuspecting people in an event known to history as The London Beer Flood. (Note: Imperial gallons are larger than US gallons, with the Imperial gallon about 4.5 liters and the US gallon about 3.8 liters.)