In the olden days, it is widely acknowledged, beer and ale were often substituted for water, the later sometimes tainted with disease. Folks, both high and low on the social ladder, were drinking a lot of beer. Here is an excerpt from the book "British Taverns, Their History and Laws," by Lord Askwith, 1928, detailing one day's allotment:
"The Court and the people drank ale. Witness the allowance given to Lady Lucy, a maid of honour [in the Court of King Henry VIII]. 'Breakfast - a chine of beef, a loaf of bread, a gallon of ale. Luncheon - bread and a gallon of ale, Dinner - a piece of boiled beef, a slice of roast meat, a gallon of ale. Supper - porridge, mutton, a loaf, a gallon of ale."
That an allowance of four gallons of ale per day, although one must remember that this ale was a weaker version, not the "strong ale" that was also being brewed.