"Boozing in the ranks" Topic

The liberal allocation of spirits in the British army in the late 18th /early 19th century is well documented and it seems that the French army also regularly dosed its troops.
Bearing in mind the dangers of drinking water on campaign in many parts of the world at that time, how common was the practice in other armies of the period?

I had always thought that up until modern water purification tablets that it was the norm throughout Europe. I'm not sure where to look but I think that I'll have to look into that thoroughly.

x42

Was drinking water the actual problem or perhaps soldiers filling canteens and hopping "over the hills and far away"?

From the early days of the Maria Theresia Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt (Lower Austria) in the mid 18th century the officer aspirants (often as young as 14) were given (small) quantities of wine to "accustom them to garrisons with bad drinking water".

It was customary throughout the period and pretty much everywhere to drink "small beer" – a very weak fermented brew – instead of water, even for children.

Be warned, however, drinking it while hot could be fatal:

Here sleeps in peace a Hampshire Grenadier,
Who caught his death by drinking cold small Beer,
Soldiers be wise from his untimely fall
And when ye're hot drink Strong or none at all.

link

A government of the French 4th Republic in the 1950's fell because a minister tried to get French school kids to have milk with their lunch instead of wine.

As noted water – and milk – were historically very dangerous so mildly fermented drinks were pretty common – and probably safer than many alternates

So we are probably safe to assume that the practice of providing a ration of alcohol of some kind is fairly widespread/universal?

In the Australian Army even up to the 1980's troops were each allocated two cans of beer whilst on field service. Although the supply system couldn't always comply.

The joke was: Two cans, per man, per day, perhaps.