# 12-ounce curls

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/12-ounce-curls
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

The activity of drinking beer.

## Examples

- He spends his Friday nights doing 12-ounce curls at the local pub.
- You look like you need to do some 12-ounce curls after that stressful meeting.
- Do you want to join us for some 12-ounce curls at the backyard barbecue?
- After a long week of manual labor, the crew sat on the porch and enjoyed some 12-ounce curls.
- My neighbor says he is going to the gym, but I usually see him doing 12-ounce curls in his garage with his friends instead.
- We decided to skip the heavy lifting at the fitness center and do some 12-ounce curls while watching the football game on television.
- The weary workers gathered at the tavern to engage in a few 12-ounce curls before heading home for the weekend.

## Origin

The term originates in the United States, formed from the standard twelve-ounce volume of American beer cans and bottles combined with the curl, a weightlifting exercise for the biceps. The idiom suggests that the repetitive motion of lifting a container of alcohol to one's mouth constitutes a form of athletic training.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.