Jug

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French ceramic jug M0354 990116-6 1 (cropped).jpg
French ceramic jug
Covered cream jug, 1735, silver, Cleveland Museum of Art (US) Europe, probably England, 18th century - Covered Cream Jug - 1940.222 - Cleveland Museum of Art.jpg
Covered cream jug, 1735, silver, Cleveland Museum of Art (US)

A jug is a type of container commonly used to hold liquids. It has an opening, sometimes narrow, from which to pour or drink, and has a handle, and often a pouring lip. Jugs throughout history have been made of metal, ceramic, or glass, and plastic is now common.

Contents

In British English, jugs are pouring vessels for holding drinkable liquids, whether beer, water or soft drinks. In North American English these table jugs are usually called pitchers. Ewer is an older word for jugs or pitchers, and there are several others.

Several other types of containers are also called jugs, depending on locale, tradition, and personal preference. Some types of bottles can be called jugs, particularly if the container has a narrow mouth and has a handle. Closures such as stoppers or screw caps are common for these retail packages.

Etymology

The word jug is first recorded in the late 15th century as jugge or jubbe. It is of unknown origin, but perhaps comes from jug a term for a maidservant, in the same period. This in turn comes from the alteration of common personal names such as Joan or Judith. [1]

Beer

In certain countries, especially New Zealand and Australia, a "jug" refers to a plastic container filled with two pints (just over a litre) of beer. It is usually served along with one or more small glasses from which the beer is normally consumed, although in some student bars it is more common for the beer to be drunk directly from the jug, which is usually served without the accompanying glass. (In the U.S., this may be called a pitcher—although few US pitchers are as small as a litre, generally holding between 64 and 128 U.S. fluid ounces, approximately 2-4 litres. In New Zealand and Australia a pitcher sometimes can refer to a much larger measure of beer.) [2]

In Britain in those parts of the country where there is a choice between a pint (20 fluid ounces) tankard and a straight glass of beer, a tankard may be called a tankard or a "jug". [3] A jug of beer may also refer to a jug containing larger amounts (usually sized in pints), but if a large jug is sold it will be advertised as such in the pub and this helps to reduce confusion.

Music

In American folk music, an empty jug (often stoneware used for American whiskey) is sometimes used as a musical instrument, being played with buzzed lips to produce a trombone-like tone. It is often part of a jug band, to which ensemble it lends its name.

Examples

In addition to the typical definition, a variety of other containers designed for carrying liquid are sometimes called "jugs".

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bottle</span> Narrow-necked container

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carboy</span> Rigid container for liquids

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beer bottle</span> Bottle designed as a container for beer

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keg</span> Small barrel, commonly used for beer

A keg is a small cask.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beer stein</span> Drinking vessel

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flagon</span> Large vessel for holding liquid

A flagon is a large leather, metal, glass, plastic or ceramic vessel, used for drink, whether this be water, ale, or another liquid. A flagon is typically of about 2 imperial pints (1.1 L) in volume, and it has either a handle, or one or two rings at the neck. Sometimes the neck has a large flange at the top rather than rings. The neck itself may or may not be formed into one, two or three spouts. The name comes from the same origin as the word "flask".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pitcher (container)</span> Deep vessel with a spout and a handle

In American English, a pitcher is a container with a spout used for storing and pouring liquids. In English-speaking countries outside North America, a jug is any container with a handle and a mouth and spout for liquid – American "pitchers" will be called jugs elsewhere. Generally a pitcher also has a handle, which makes pouring easier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beer in Australia</span> Overview of the beer culture in Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pint glass</span> Glassware made to hold a pint of beer or cider

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glass bottle</span> Narrow-necked container

A glass bottle is a bottle made from glass. Glass bottles can vary in size considerably, but are most commonly found in sizes ranging between about 200 millilitres and 1.5 litres. Common uses for glass bottles include food condiments, soda, liquor, cosmetics, pickling and preservatives; they are occasionally also notably used for the informal distribution of notes. These types of bottles are utilitarian and serve a purpose in commercial industries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bartending terminology</span> Terms used in drinking culture and bartending

Various unique terminology is used in bartending.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beer glassware</span> Drinking and serving glass for beer

Beer glassware comprise vessels made of glass, designed or commonly used for serving and drinking beer. Styles of glassware vary in accord with national or regional traditions; legal or customary requirements regarding serving measures and fill lines; such practicalities as breakage avoidance in washing, stacking or storage; commercial promotion by breweries; artistic or cultural expression in folk art or as novelty items or usage in drinking games; or to complement, to enhance, or to otherwise affect a particular type of beer's temperature, appearance and aroma, as in the case of its head. Drinking vessels intended for beer are made from a variety of materials other than glass, including pottery, pewter, and wood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tankard</span> Drinking vessel

A tankard is a form of drinkware consisting of a large, roughly cylindrical, drinking cup with a single handle. Tankards are usually made of silver or pewter, but can be made of other materials, for example wood, ceramic, or leather. A tankard may have a hinged lid, and tankards featuring glass bottoms are also fairly common. Tankards are shaped and used similarly to beer steins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milk bag</span> Plastic bags that contain milk

A milk bag is a plastic bag that contains milk. Usually one of the corners is cut off to allow for pouring, and the bag is stored in a pitcher or jug.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bartmann jug</span> 16th-17th century German pottery

A Bartmann jug, also called a Bellarmine jug, is a type of decorated salt-glazed stoneware that was manufactured in Europe throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, especially in the Cologne region, in what is today western Germany. The characteristic decorative detail is a bearded face mask appearing on the lower neck of the vessel. They were made as jugs, bottles, and pitchers in various sizes and for a multitude of uses, including storage of food or drink, decanting wine and transporting goods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schooner (glass)</span> Tableware

A schooner is a type of glass for serving drinks. In the United Kingdom it is the name for a large sherry glass. In Australia it is the name for a particular glass size, used for any type of beer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Growler (jug)</span> Jug used for selling craft beer and other drinks

A growler (US) is a glass, ceramic, or stainless steel bottle used to transport draft beer. They are commonly sold at breweries and brewpubs as a means to sell take-out craft beer. Rarely, beers are bottled in growlers for retail sale. The significant growth of craft breweries and the growing popularity of home brewing has also led to an emerging market for the sale of collectible growlers. Some U.S. grocery stores, convenience stores, bars and restaurants have growler filling stations.

References

  1. Harper, Douglas (2012). "Jug". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  2. Drink : Australian Beer Sizes Archived 2016-05-22 at the Portuguese Web Archive Our Naked Australia, May 6, 2013
  3. Hall, James (12 January 2012), "Glass beer tankards make return", Daily Telegraph

"Jug"  . Encyclopedia Americana . 1920.