Why Sherlock Holmes' Sobriety Scheme Won't Work

by The Drink Nation on Jan 8, 2014 in Culture

By keeping close track of exactly how much alcohol you consume in a given period of time, is it possible to ride that fine line between mild intoxication — or slightly buzzed, if you prefer — and all out sloppy drunkenness?

It’s an interesting concept that served as a well played subplot in the most recent episode of the hit BBC program Sherlock, “The Sign of Three.”

For those who haven’t seen it yet, here’s a quick recap.

Ahead of sidekick Watson’s wedding day, Sherlock Holmes takes him out for a stag party (that’s a bachelor party for us Yanks). Prior to stepping out for the evening, he asks pathology lab assistant Molly Hooper to calculate both his and Watson’s ideal alcohol intake to, as he put it, “remain in the sweet spot,” adding that “light headed is good."

From there Holmes and Watson begin hitting bars, drinking only a prescribed 437 milliliters of beer at a time from graduated cylinders. To further avoid inebriation, they factor in things like the time between drinks, and the number of trips to the loo.

Without giving away too much, this effort to avoid getting stinking drunk is ultimately foiled. You’ll have to watch it to find out why.

But in theory, carefully measured beer consumption, as Holmes envisioned, could conceivably keep you relatively sober in a marathon session, like a bachelor party. However, our informal polling of medical and scientific professionals has determined that it’s way more complicated than what was depicted in that Sherlock episode.

First off, it would require multiple experiments on each individual drinking, and meticulously accurate measurements over time to gather enough useful data that could be compared to known metabolic standards to get a close approximation of a person’s ability to metabolize alcohol.

And even then, a straight measure of alcohol intake on it’s own just won’t produce reliable information. There are countless other variables — everything from height and weight to how much and how long ago food was consumed — that would have to be taken into consideration.

Nonetheless, we still think drinking beer out of graduated cylinders looks pretty cool, and would love to see the trend take off.


Tags: Beer, Education
Recent Articles
spacer

Feedback

How are we doing? Tell us what you like or don't like and how we can improve. We would love to hear your thoughts!

*Name:
*E-mail:
*Suggestions:
 
Behind the Bar: Liana Oster of Dante

Behind the Bar: Liana Oster of Dante

For this exciting installment of Behind the Bar, we had the incredible opportunity to sit down with Liana Oster, the head bartender at Dante in New Yo...read more ›

by The Drink Nation Jan 7, 2020
Taste a Slice of Chicago at Wyman's No. 5 in Denver

Taste a Slice of Chicago at Wyman's No. 5 in Denver

Modeled after the gritty taverns of Joliet, Illinois. ...read more ›

by Carrie Dow Nov 27, 2019
Rocker Spirits: Classic Spirits in Modern Glassware

Rocker Spirits: Classic Spirits in Modern Glassware

Their vodka, rum, and whiskey will stand up with the best of American spirits....read more ›

by Carrie Dow Nov 27, 2019
SPONSORED
Drink Nation Store Rectangle
Bigsby's Folly Introduces Denver to the Wine Cottle

Bigsby's Folly Introduces Denver to the Wine Cottle

New World grapes with Old World appeal. ...read more ›

by Carrie Dow Oct 29, 2019
Get in shape and drink beer at Denver's Brewery Boot Camp
by Carrie Dow Oct 10, 2019
Pabst Blue Ribbon Launches Blue Ribbon Whiskey in Select US Markets

Pabst Blue Ribbon Launches Blue Ribbon Whiskey in Select US Markets

PBR has launched their own whiskey. Let's keep an open mind and see what is inside this bottle....read more ›

by Carrie Dow Sep 24, 2019
The Master Sommelier Scandal is Now the Subject of a New Investigative Series

The Master Sommelier Scandal is Now the Subject of a New Investigative Series

There's a new investigative series about one of the biggest scandals to ever hit the wine world....read more ›

by The Drink Nation Sep 13, 2019
Explore a Newsworthy Social Hour at Courier Denver

Explore a Newsworthy Social Hour at Courier Denver

Anyone who loves tasty food paired with delicious drinks is welcome....read more ›

by Carrie Dow Sep 11, 2019
Places to Drink and Play in Denver
by Carrie Dow Aug 6, 2019
Using Peas to Make Gin Might Lead to More Environmentally Friendly Spirits, Studies Show

Using Peas to Make Gin Might Lead to More Environmentally Friendly Spirits, Studies Show

Scientists may have discovered a more environmentally friendly way to make one of the world's most popular spi...read more ›

by The Drink Nation Jul 23, 2019
SPONSORED
Drink Nation Home Bar Project Bottom Rectangle 2
View all Articles

Sign up to get weekly drinking news, bar reviews, events and more sent directly to your inbox!

Close