A Firkin is an old English unit of volume. The name is derived from the Middle Dutch word vierdekijn, which means fourth, i.e. a fourth of a full-size barrel. Linguistically speaking, Middle Dutch is no more than a collective name for closely related languages or dialects which were spoken and written between about 1150 and 1500 in the present-day Dutch-speaking region. ...

Nor need you mind the serial ordeal
Of being watched from forty cellar holes
As if by eye pairs out of forty firkins.
— Robert Frost, "Directive" Robert Frost Robert Lee Frost (March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963) is, in the estimation of many, the greatest American poet of the 20th century and one of the greatest poets writing in English in the 20th century. ...

For beer and ale a firkin is equal to 9 Imperial gallons (about 40.915 l) or a quarter of a [barrel (unit)|barrel]]. Casks in this size (themselves called firkins) are the most common container for real ale. The word "firkin" (as in "Fox & Firkin") is frequently considered a suitably atmospheric word by those naming an English-style pub - by implication, the establishment will thus be either a new pub in the UK (and hence probably part of a retail chain of "plastic" drinking shops) or a foreign imitation of a British pub. Larger quantities of beer foam than shown atop this glass caused a stir in 1990s England when people received less than a pint (568 ml) of beer for the price of a pint. ... Ale is an ancient word for a fermented alcoholic beverage obtained chiefly from malted barley. ... The gallon is a unit of volume used for measuring liquids (as well as dry matter). ... The litre (or liter in US) is a metric unit of volume. ... Real ale is a type of beer defined by its traditional production. ... A public house, usually known as a pub, is a drinking establishment found mainly in the Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries influenced by British cultural heritage. ...

For wine the firkin had a larger size, namely a third of a tun. A tun being 210 gallons in the UK and 252 fluid gallons in the US, thus a wine firkin is about 318 l (318,226 or 317,975). It is also called tertian or, preferably, puncheon (in the US also shortened to pon). A glass of white wine This article is about the beverage. ... The Malay language has a complex system of titles and honorifics, which is still extensively used in Malaysia and Brunei. ... The puncheon, in the United States also called pon for brevity, is an old English unit of wine casks, holding about 318 litres. ...

Butter and soap used to be sold by the firkin, too. In these cases it was rather a measure of weight, 56 lb. (25.4 kg) and 64 lb. (29 kg) respectively. balls of butter on a plate Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh cream. ... This article is about a common cleaning mixture. ... Officially the pound is the name for at least three different units of mass: The pound (avoirdupois). ... The international prototype, made of platinum-iridium, which is kept at the BIPM under conditions specified by the 1st CGPM in 1889. ...

See also: Firkin Brewery A glass of white wine This article is about the beverage. ... The gallon is a unit of volume used for measuring liquids (as well as dry matter). ... The rundlet is an old English unit of wine casks, holding about 68 litres. ... See Barrel for other uses. ... The tierce is an old English unit of wine casks, holding about 159 litres. ... A hogshead is a unit of volume for alcoholic beverages in the imperial system. ... The puncheon, in the United States also called pon for brevity, is an old English unit of wine casks, holding about 318 litres. ... The puncheon, in the United States also called pon for brevity, is an old English unit of wine casks, holding about 318 litres. ... The butt (from the medieval French and Italian botte) or pipe is an old English unit of wine casks, holding about 477 litres or rather two hogsheads. ... The butt (from the medieval French and Italian botte) or pipe is an old English unit of wine casks, holding about 477 litres or rather two hogsheads. ... The tun is an old English unit of wine casks, holding about 954 litres, almost a cubic metre. ... The Imperial units are an irregularly standardized system of units that have been used in the United Kingdom and its former colonies, including the United States and Commonwealth countries. ... 1824 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Ale is an ancient word for a fermented alcoholic beverage obtained chiefly from malted barley. ... Larger quantities of beer foam than shown atop this glass caused a stir in 1990s England when people received less than a pint (568 ml) of beer for the price of a pint. ... The gallon is a unit of volume used for measuring liquids (as well as dry matter). ... The kilderkin is an old English unit of brewery casks, holding about 82 litres. ... See Barrel for other uses. ... A hogshead is a unit of volume for alcoholic beverages in the imperial system. ... Events A high-powered conspiracy of notables, the Immortal Seven, invite William and Mary to depose James II of England. ... 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Imperial units are an irregularly standardized system of units that have been used in the United Kingdom and its former colonies, including the United States and Commonwealth countries. ... 1824 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Firkin Brewery is a chain of pubs originating in the United Kingdom. ...

Reference

• Web WordNet (http://www.cogsci.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/webwn?stage=1&word=firkin)
• Sizes.com (http://www.sizes.com/units/firkin.htm)