Talk:Firkin
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It seems that this entry is in contradiction with this other one : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_strange_units_of_measurement which define the Firkin as a mass unit. Unfortunately I do not have the knowledge to fix this issue. Could someone check it ? Maybe the author ?
- In Spirit of the Kilogram–Litre-Relationship, in the FFF-System the Mass-Unit is called Firkin and it is defined as the Mass of a Firkin of H2O. (Whether that is exactly 9 imperial Gallons depends upon the Inventors of said System.) It is a little bit like Pound / Slug / Poundal.
- Traditionally the Firkin is always a Unit of Capacity, AFAIK. Christoph Päper 15:50, 4 December 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Beer vs. ale
The text says both beer and ale firkins are 9 gallons. The chart says an ale firkin is 8 gallons and a beer firkin is 9 gallons. Which is right? Particularly considering that there exists no clear distinction between beer and ale. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 4.152.105.13 (talk • contribs).
- The table says that there was a distinction between ale and beer measures made until sometime before 1688. It also says the firkin was nine ale gallons from 1803 through 1824 and nine imperial gallons, which are very similar in size, afterwards. So the text is right for the present time, because although it is virtually unused today the most recent definition is nine gallons. Christoph Päper 12:32, 28 March 2007 (UTC)
