{"id":7162,"date":"2021-02-22T11:34:41","date_gmt":"2021-02-22T11:34:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/?p=7162"},"modified":"2021-02-22T11:34:41","modified_gmt":"2021-02-22T11:34:41","slug":"what-a-dutch-drinking-game-looked-like-in-the-17th-century-molenbeker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/what-a-dutch-drinking-game-looked-like-in-the-17th-century-molenbeker\/","title":{"rendered":"What Dutch Drinking Games Were Like In The 17th Century"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Dutch have quite an intricate relationship with alcohol. From the infamous Dutch courage<\/a> to the nationwide Dutch celebrations like\u00a0Koningsdag\u00a0<\/em>(King’s Day)<\/a> or the\u00a0bevrijdingsfestivals <\/em>(Liberation Festivals)<\/a>, the Dutch enjoy a glass or two. And what’s better than enjoying drinks doing a drankspelletje <\/em>(drinking game)? You might think that this is a rather recent mindset – but that’s not true. Even the Dutch from previous centuries found inventive ways to make their drinking more fun. One way that no longer exists is the so-called “mill cup”, the molenbeker<\/em>. What is that, and how does it work?<\/p>\n

How did the drinking game work?<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\"Molenbeker<\/a>

A molenbeker<\/em> from around 1642 (Image by Rijksmuseum, public domain)<\/p><\/div>\n

The\u00a0molenbeker\u00a0<\/em>is a cup with a windmolen\u00a0<\/em>(windmill)<\/a> at the bottom – or the top, depending on how you see it. Regardless, the\u00a0wieken\u00a0<\/em>(sails) of the\u00a0molen<\/em> could be turned by blowing into the pipe on the side of the\u00a0beker<\/em>. So, first you’d fill the\u00a0beker\u00a0<\/em>with an alcoholic beverage. Perhaps some\u00a0jenever\u00a0<\/em>(gin) or\u00a0wijn\u00a0<\/em>(wine). Then, you blow into the pipe, which makes the\u00a0wieken\u00a0<\/em>turn. It also makes a clock-like piece turn on the back of the molen<\/em>. One arm points at a number – the number at which the arm stops when you stop blowing determines how the game continues.<\/p>\n

What that could look like depended entirely on how the rules were decided. Perhaps you blow the pipe and the arm points at 4. This could mean that together with you, four others have to drink. Or perhaps it means you need to drink four cups. The possibilities were endless.<\/p>\n

Another interpretation of the mill is that you had to blow on the pipe and finish your drink before the\u00a0wieken\u00a0<\/em>stopped turning. The number on the back perhaps just indicated who had to drink next.<\/p>\n

This website<\/a> was really helpful for more information on this game and the\u00a0molenbeker<\/em>. Thank you, Dirk Jan!<\/p>\n

When were\u00a0molenbekers\u00a0<\/em>in use?<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\"Molenbeker<\/a>

Back of the molenbeker<\/em>. Here, you can see the one-armed clock (Image by Rijksmuseum, public domain)<\/p><\/div>\n

As you can see, these molenbekers\u00a0<\/em>were already in use in the\u00a0Gouden Eeuw<\/em><\/a>, the 17th century. The piece above is very fancy, and those that could not afford to have such a beautiful\u00a0beker\u00a0<\/em>probably used other ways to create a\u00a0drankspel<\/em>, for example with\u00a0dobbelstenen\u00a0<\/em>(dice).<\/p>\n

But why a\u00a0molen<\/em>? Of course, windmolens\u00a0<\/em>have been a typical Dutch icon for a long time now. And back then,\u00a0windmolens\u00a0<\/em>were used for many different purposes. To create new land<\/a> by draining water, as pumps to organise waterways or more traditionally as a\u00a0graanmolen\u00a0<\/em>(grain mill). It was hard work, and was connected to\u00a0mannelijkheid\u00a0<\/em>(manliness). Paired with\u00a0mannelijkheid\u00a0<\/em>was also the idea that you had to be able to stomach a lot of alcohol. So here, the\u00a0molen\u00a0<\/em>could also be a sign to honor the manly\u00a0molenaars\u00a0<\/em>(millers).<\/p>\n

Had you heard of this\u00a0drankspel\u00a0<\/em>before? Are there old drankspellen\u00a0<\/em>in your country like this? I want to know, so please tell me in the comments below!<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"Molenbeker

The Dutch have quite an intricate relationship with alcohol. From the infamous Dutch courage to the nationwide Dutch celebrations like\u00a0Koningsdag\u00a0(King’s Day) or the\u00a0bevrijdingsfestivals (Liberation Festivals), the Dutch enjoy a glass or two. And what’s better than enjoying drinks doing a drankspelletje (drinking game)? You might think that this is a rather recent mindset – but…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":110,"featured_media":7165,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[60713],"tags":[11366,358682],"class_list":["post-7162","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture-2","tag-drinks","tag-dutch-culture"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t