# Adam's ale

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/adams-ale
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Water.

## Examples

- I do not want soda, just a glass of Adam's ale.
- After the long hike in the summer heat, we were happy to drink some cool Adam's ale.
- The weary traveler declined the offer of wine, requesting only a cup of Adam's ale to quench his thirst.

## Origin

Attested in 1643, the phrase refers to the biblical Adam and the presumption that, during his tenure in Eden, his beverage options were limited to water. As the first man lacked a brewery, the term provides a mock-elevated name for a liquid notable only for its lack of fermentation.

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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.