Why is a cannonball tray called a monkey?
Supposed etymology
It is often stated that the phrase originated from the use of a brass tray, called a “monkey”, to hold cannonballs on warships in the 16th to 18th centuries. Supposedly, in very cold temperatures the “monkey” would contract, causing the balls to fall off.
Where did the saying come from freeze the balls off a brass monkey?
The expression: “It is cold enough to freeze the balls of a brass monkey” comes from the practice of putting iron cannon balls on a dimpled brass plate on the deck of a war-ship. When very cold the brass contracted sufficiently to cause the iron balls to fall out.
How cold does it have to be to freeze the balls off a brass monkey?
If the base of the stack were one metre long, the drop in temperature needed to make the ‘monkey’ shrink relative to the balls by just one millimetre, would be around 100 degrees Celsius.
Why was it called a brass monkey?
Used to describe cold weather, this saying derives from the traditional Navy phrase “cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey”. This references the brass structure or ‘monkey’ where cannon balls were stacked.
What does brass monkey stand for?
The term brass monkey is used to refer to extremely cold weather in expressions such as brass-monkey weather. This usage is derived from the hyperbolic phrase cold enough to freeze the nose (or the tail, the balls, etc.)
Do they still make the liquor brass monkey?
The Brass Monkey is a cocktail made with dark rum, vodka and orange juice, sold as a premixed cocktail in the 1970’s and 80’s. It was sold by the Heublein Company, which later dissolved in 1998.
What does the phrase brass monkey mean?
very cold weather
The phrase ‘Brass Monkey Weather’ refers to very cold weather that is extremely out of the ordinary; cold enough to freeze the tail, nose and ears of a brass monkey. Example of use: “According to Al Roker next week’s weather is going to be so cold, that it’ll be real brass monkey weather.”
What is a stack of cannonballs called?
In those days, cannonballs were stacked beside cannons in a pyramid formation called a brass monkey. When it became extremely cold outside, these stacked cannonballs would crack and break off.
How were cannonballs stored on ships?
The Royal Navy records show that cannonballs were not stored in pyramids on ship’s decks but instead in planks, and they were stored below deck when not in battle to keep them from rusting and jamming the cannons.
What is a 40 with orange juice called?
‘Brass monkey,’ Beastie Boys
Fans everywhere pay tribute by mixing up their own versions of orange juice and a 40 in tribute to the band.
What’s a stack of cannonballs called?
Can you still buy brass monkey?
Produced by The Club Distilling Company of Stamford Ct., Brass Monkey is currently sold in liquor stores along with other premixed alcoholic beverages under the name The Club Cocktails owned by Diageo.
Who makes brass monkey?
RJR Nabisco sold the division to Grand Metropolitan in 1987. Grand Metropolitan merged with Guinness to form Diageo in 1997. Sales and popularity of Heublein’s Brass Monkey spirit cocktail increased in the 1980s after the release of the Beastie Boys’ song of the same name.
How did Ships Store cannon balls?
How far could an old cannon shoot?
Maximum range of eighteenth century guns was about 1 mile. Guns could: Batter heavy construction with solid shot at long or short range; destroy fort parapets and, by ricochet fire, dismount cannon; shoot grape, canister, or bombs against massed personnel.
What is a brass monkey used for?
It is widely believed that a brass monkey is a brass tray used in naval ships during the Napoleonic Wars for the storage of cannonballs (piled up in a pyramid). The theory goes that the tray would contract in cold weather, causing the balls to fall off.
Does brass monkey taste good?
Many claim that the Brass Monkey is equal parts dark rum, vodka and orange juice. But taste that, and it’s pretty unremarkable. The flavors taste muddy and uninspired.
Is brass monkey still available?
What brand compressor does brass monkey use?
LG
The low-noise compressor is made by LG so you know it is reliable, and the its speed can be set from 3,000rpm to 2,500rpm when you need to conserve power. The fridge exterior is made from stainless steel and has two heavy-duty metal handles to help carry it around.
How heavy was a cannonball on a pirate ship?
Classic cannonballs weighed up to 32 pounds and did little damage at long range. As they were also very inaccurate, cannon were usually loaded with a various selection of ammunition in case of different targets. Some were specialized for personnel and some enemy ship (rigging and sail).
How far could a cannon shoot in 1600?
Culverins, with their thick walls, long bores, and heavy powder charges, achieved distance; but second class guns like field “cannon,” with less metal and smaller charges, ranged about 1,600 yards at a maximum, while the effective range was hardly more than 500.
How fast did cannonballs travel mph?
Another Cannonball Record: 25 Hours, 39 Minutes from N.Y.C. to L.A. The drivers who set the November 2019 Cannonball record have bested their own achievement with an average speed of 112 mph.
Could a cannon destroy a tank?
Using the cannon, the A-10 is capable of disabling a main battle tank from a range of over 6,500 m. While modern battle tanks have quite sophisticated armor protection (for the crew), there are many vital components with less protection.
Is beer and OJ a brass monkey?
There’s no denying that the Beastie Boys were responsible for popularizing the Brass Monkey, but the origins of the drink are much more mysterious. In fact, the Brass Monkey they were rapping about was not orange juice and beer (or malt liquor), but a canned precursor to Smirnoff Ice.