Alcohol in the Harry Potter Series

[Wimsey]

Originally Posted by Drazer

In the UK, drinking has gotten to the point where it's part of the countries culture . It doesn't suprise me drink features in the books.

Has gotten? When was it not? The English Pub tradition dates back to the Middle Ages! It is a very European thing, really.

As for the wizards seeming "liberal," they actually are conservative in the sense that traditionally there were no drinking laws. Children drank weak ales and watered wines, but because water was generally toxic, everything that people drank had to have some alcohol in it. The wizarding standards seem to be early 20th century on this score.

[Schlubalybub]

I agree...I think my dad told me that this was because the alcohol killed the toxins in the water, so in a way the alcohol "treats" the water. I think that the wizards have just never changed this, although I guess that they drink water, milk and tea too...and pumpkin juice...