Can you find an artistic connection between Tetley Bitter and Pernod Fils absinthe? The term artistic is used slightly loosely.

truefaithmom

Okay, this may or may not be what you had in mind :-) I believe the artistic connection is "wormwood". Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) is used in the brewing of beer (Tetley Bitter) and an ingredient in absithe. It is also the name of a character in C. S. Lewis" "Screwtape Letters" What is wormwood? It is a Mediterranean perennial herb or shrubby plant (Artemisia absinthium) of the family Asteraceae (aster family). We know it as the bitter herb used to make Absinthe, and is the source for the chemical compound thujone. Read more about wormwood. http://www.absinthebuyersguide.com/faq.html WORMWOOD (Artemisia absinthium) Wormwood is most commonly used to stimulate the digestive system. A bitter taste on the tongue before eating causes the mouth to trigger the release of bile from the gallbladder and other intestinal glands. It is also good to rid people of intestinal parasites. The bitter substance in Wormwood is called “absinthin”. The German name for wormwood is Wermuth, which is the source of the modern word vermouth. It has also been used to brew beer and distill alcohol. Absinthe, French liquor made from wormwood, is now illegal because it has been found to cause mental impairment, nerve depression and loss of reproductive function. http://www.silverravenwolf.com/index.php?folder=66&page=241 The Screwtape Letters is a work of Christian satire by C. S. Lewis first published in book form in 1942. The story takes the form of a series of letters from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, a junior tempter named Wormwood, so as to advise him on methods of securing the damnation of an earthly man, known only as "the Patient." Screwtape (along with his trusted scribe Toadpipe) holds an administrative post in the bureaucracy ("Lowerarchy") of Hell, and acts more as a mentor than a supervisor to Wormw Jun 13 08, 10:35 PM

truefaithmom

Here is the end of my post with the accompanying link for C.S.Lewis: Screwtape (along with his trusted scribe Toadpipe) holds an administrative post in the bureaucracy ("Lowerarchy") of Hell, and acts more as a mentor than a supervisor to Wormwood, the inexperienced tempter; almost every letter ends with the signature, "Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Screwtape_Letters Jun 13 08, 10:36 PM

Baloo55th

I don't think wormwood enters Tetley bitter. Last time I tasted it, I didn't think there were even many hops involved. (Tetley doesn't have a very good name with real ale drinkers...) British beer (being kind to Tetley) uses hops, except for special brews like Heather Ale - which is brewed with heather (nice, too). Concentrate more on the 'artistic'. It's not Fine Art artistic (like Rembrandt or Sisley), but it's not, shall we say, culinary art. This question is not one of the more obvious ones - you may happen on the answer by accident. In fact, it'll be very difficult if you don't. I haven't managed to find if the connection sought is deliberate, or a mere coincidence. Nice try, though. That's two people in the last few days telling me about Screwtape. Am I getting a message from below? Jun 14 08, 8:17 AM

peasypod

Alrighty. 'Artistic' to me (loose or otherwise) has connotations of appearance, so, I place on the table an 'Old Dirty Englishman', AKA a variation of a "Black and Tan". That is, a concoction of Half Guinness and half Tetley's, but with the usage of a spoon to gain that effect. http://www.answers.com/topic/black-and-tan The connection, therefore, (peasy squints) could be the spoon. Part of the Absinthe Ritual is the application of the eloquent slotted spoon. http://www.absintheoriginals.com/absinthe_ritual.html Then again, perhaps the fact that Absinthe should start off cold (from the ice water) and slowly enjoyed as it comes to room temperature and the reports the Tetleys should be savoured the same, might be the winning banana.... Jun 17 08, 6:32 PM

Baloo55th

No, sorry, no spoons or ice. Tetleys shouldn't need to be chilled - but like British (and American) big brewer lager the colder it is the less yucky it tastes..... It's not the sort of art that Frankie is a historian of, but there's no ingredients involved. More commercial than fine, and there's a hat..... Jun 18 08, 2:11 PM

queproblema

Oh, do you mean the fox hunter? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Pernodad.jpg Scroll down alphabetically to "Tetley's." http://www.marple-uk.com/pubguide/beers.htm Jun 18 08, 5:22 PM

Baloo55th

In the case of Tetley usually just called the huntsman - fox was assumed and any other was labelled with the particular animal. Yay! Very similar - the Pernod one being at a different angle and thinner. Both ads date from around the same period, but the Tetley one lasted far longer. It would be interesting to know if there is an actual connection - who pinched it from t'other? It is interesting to see the different directions people go off in when trying to solve these questions. Even the wrong answers turn up interesting stuff. (Interesting too that Qp's two references were the one I saw the Pernod ad in, and the one I went to to check the Tetley image.) Jun 19 08, 1:42 PM