---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the liquor's out, why clink the…"
description: "\"When the liquor's out, why clink the cannikin?\" — Robert Browning"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/914/robert-browning-734_drinking_when-the-liquor-s-out-why-clink-the-cann_3231875.png"
---

#  When the liquor's out, why clink the cannikin?

![“When the liquor's out, why clink the cannikin?” quote by Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/914/robert-browning-734_drinking_when-the-liquor-s-out-why-clink-the-cann_3231875.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/914/robert-browning-734_drinking_when-the-liquor-s-out-why-clink-the-cann_3231875.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/914/robert-browning-734_drinking_when-the-liquor-s-out-why-clink-the-cann_3231875.png)

> “When the liquor's out, why clink the cannikin?”

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

It questions the purpose of celebratory rituals when the substance (liquor) is gone, suggesting that some traditions become empty gestures.

**In simple terms:** Celebrating without the reason behind it feels pointless.

Key Takeaway

Reevaluate rituals when their original purpose fades.

Themes

tradition meaning celebration

Mood

reflective skeptical

Type

cultural philosophical

When to use this quote

- party planning
- cultural events
- personal habits

Key Concepts

ritual analysis social customs

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you keep rituals for their own sake?
- When is it okay to let go of a tradition?

A Different Perspective

The line may be read as dismissive of tradition altogether.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/)

## Related quotes

> [To clink glasses of a freshly made, seasonal beer, preferably in a pub or garden, with friends and perhaps new acquaintances, is a ritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/to-clink-glasses-of-a-freshly-made-seasonal-beer-preferably-in-a-pub/)

[Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/)

> [Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/candy-is-dandy-but-liquor-is-quicker/)

[Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/)

> [I like to change liquor stores frequently because the clerks got to know your habits if you went in night and day and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-like-to-change-liquor-stores-frequently-because-the-clerks-got-to/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man: wine is not so noble a liquor; and think of dashing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-believe-that-water-is-the-only-drink-for-a-wise-man-wine-is-not-so/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Don't you drink? I notice you speak slightingly of the bottle. I have drunk since I was fifteen and few things have given me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/don-t-you-drink-i-notice-you-speak-slightingly-of-the-bottle-i-have/)

[Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/)

> [Taking the pledge will not make bad liquor good, but it will improve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/taking-the-pledge-will-not-make-bad-liquor-good-but-it-will-improve-it/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [The fun, joy, and humor dry up in a relationship when one of the partners is swimming in gin. To my way of thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginger-rogers/the-fun-joy-and-humor-dry-up-in-a-relationship-when-one-of-the/)

[Ginger Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginger-rogers/)

> [It is most absurdly said, in popular language, of any man, that he is disguised in liquor; for, on the contrary, most men are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/it-is-most-absurdly-said-in-popular-language-of-any-man-that-he-is/)

[Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/)

> [In order to increase his pleasures, man has intentionally added to the number and pressure of his needs, which in their original state were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-order-to-increase-his-pleasures-man-has-intentionally-added-to-the/)

[Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/)

> [“huigan—causes us to turn inward and reflect as the liquor coats our tongues, shimmers down our throats, and then rises again as fragrance. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/huigan-causes-us-to-turn-inward-and-reflect-as-the-liquor-coats-our/)

[Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/)

> [History is the heavy traffic that prevents us from crossing the road. We're not especially interested in what it consists of. We wait, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mal-peet/history-is-the-heavy-traffic-that-prevents-us-from-crossing-the-road/)

[Mal Peet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mal-peet/)

> [Though I look old, yet I am strong and lusty; for in my youth I never did apply hot and rebellious liquors in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/though-i-look-old-yet-i-am-strong-and-lusty-for-in-my-youth-i-never/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“No, thank you. I prefer my liquor cold.' 'Right. Or in a pipe, I suppose.' Phin's brow lifted. 'What a clumsy way to drink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/no-thank-you-i-prefer-my-liquor-cold-right-or-in-a-pipe-i-suppose/)

[Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/)

> [I never was a crazy liquor drinker, and I don't like beer that much - though I keep the brews at home because my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-brown/i-never-was-a-crazy-liquor-drinker-and-i-don-t-like-beer-that-much/)

[Danny Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-brown/)

> [Sometimes they were together so often that it felt as though they really were a couple; sometimes weeks and months would go by before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-they-were-together-so-often-that-it-felt-as-though-they/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Robert Browning

> [I would have rummaged, ransacked at the word; Those old odd corners of an empty heart; For remnants of dim love the long disused,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/i-would-have-rummaged-ransacked-at-the-word-those-old-odd-corners-of/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [“One who never turned his back but marched breast forward, never doubted clouds would break, never dreamed, though right were worsted, wrong would triumph.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/one-who-never-turned-his-back-but-marched-breast-forward-never/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [All service ranks the same with God,- With God, whose puppets, best and worst, Are we: there is no last nor first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/all-service-ranks-the-same-with-god-with-god-whose-puppets-best-and/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [“Have you found your life distasteful? My life did and does smack sweet. Was your youth of pleasure wasteful? Mine I save and hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/have-you-found-your-life-distasteful-my-life-did-and-does-smack-sweet/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [“I was ever a fighter, so---one fight more, The best and the last! I would hate that death bandaged my eyes and forbore, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/i-was-ever-a-fighter-so-one-fight-more-the-best-and-the-last-i-would/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [But how carve way i' the life that lies before, If bent on groaning ever for the past?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/but-how-carve-way-i-the-life-that-lies-before-if-bent-on-groaning/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [If you get simple beauty and naught else, you get about the best thing God invents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/if-you-get-simple-beauty-and-naught-else-you-get-about-the-best-thing/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [How good is man's life, the mere living! How fit to employ all the heart and the soul and the senses forever in joy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/how-good-is-man-s-life-the-mere-living-how-fit-to-employ-all-the/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [Oh, to be in England Now that April's there, And whoever wakes in England Sees, some morning, unaware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/oh-to-be-in-england-now-that-april-s-there-and-whoever-wakes-in/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [The ultimate, angels' law, Indulging every instinct of the soul There where law, life, joy, impulse are one thing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/the-ultimate-angels-law-indulging-every-instinct-of-the-soul-there/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/grow-old-along-with-me-the-best-is-yet-to-be-the-last-of-life-for/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over, lest you should think he never could recapture the first fine careless rapture!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/that-s-the-wise-thrush-he-sings-each-song-twice-over-lest-you-should/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [Look not down but up!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/look-not-down-but-up/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [What a thing friendship is - World without end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/what-a-thing-friendship-is-world-without-end/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [Silence 'tis awe decrees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/silence-tis-awe-decrees/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

[Explore all 386 Robert Browning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

## More Drinking quotes

> [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [There is no sweeter sound than the crumbling of one's fellow man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/there-is-no-sweeter-sound-than-the-crumbling-of-one-s-fellow-man/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [You owe me a drink, you're so ugly I dropped mine when I saw you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-owe-me-a-drink-you-re-so-ugly-i-dropped-mine-when-i-saw-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“We were still twirling around the tiny parking lot when the neighbors screamed 'Happy New Year'. Unfortunately we weren't sober enough to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-scott/we-were-still-twirling-around-the-tiny-parking-lot-when-the-neighbors/)

[Kaitlin Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-scott/)

> [I'm drinking away the exam results that don't take me anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-herrick/i-m-drinking-away-the-exam-results-that-don-t-take-me-anywhere/)

[Steven Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-herrick/)

> [There is an idea that you can take the spiritual teachings of a religion outside of a religion and practice them; these ideas are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyyed-hossein-nasr/there-is-an-idea-that-you-can-take-the-spiritual-teachings-of-a/)

[Seyyed Hossein Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seyyed-hossein-nasr/)

> [I wasn’t like, boo hoo, Bin Laden’s dead, but I wasn’t jumping. America’s a very nationalistic country, and in episodes like that of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-scahill/i-wasn-t-like-boo-hoo-bin-laden-s-dead-but-i-wasn-t-jumping-america-s/)

[Jeremy Scahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-scahill/)

> [I guess that's the point of drinking, to take all the feelings and thoughts and morals away until you are just a body doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-shreve/i-guess-that-s-the-point-of-drinking-to-take-all-the-feelings-and/)

[Anita Shreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-shreve/)

> [This is not really currency that circulates. It's like the old joke about expensive vintage wine. Wine prices will go up and once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/this-is-not-really-currency-that-circulates-it-s-like-the-old-joke/)

[Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/)

> [And it´s so different for a lot of people I´ve known. One partner doesn´t love the other enough to stop drinking, or gambling, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alma-katsu/and-it-s-so-different-for-a-lot-of-people-i-ve-known-one-partner/)

[Alma Katsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alma-katsu/)

> [Drinking champagne after making love is like taking a bath in chilled pearls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anistatia-r-miller/drinking-champagne-after-making-love-is-like-taking-a-bath-in-chilled/)

Anistatia R. Miller

> [I was so drunk last night I fell down and missed the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/i-was-so-drunk-last-night-i-fell-down-and-missed-the-floor/)

[Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/)

> [Design is all about relationships. Unfortunately, many designers don’t fully appreciate this. Some of the best design work I’ve ever done was drinking coffee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-burka/design-is-all-about-relationships-unfortunately-many-designers-don-t/)

Daniel Burka

> [In 1969, I gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-best/in-1969-i-gave-up-women-and-alcohol-it-was-the-worst-20-minutes-of-my/)

[George Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-best/)

> [I like to change liquor stores frequently because the clerks got to know your habits if you went in night and day and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-like-to-change-liquor-stores-frequently-because-the-clerks-got-to/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

[Browse all 2,711 Drinking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When the liquor's out, why clink the cannikin?",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Robert Browning"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/when-the-liquor-s-out-why-clink-the-cannikin/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Drinking"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/when-the-liquor-s-out-why-clink-the-cannikin/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/914/robert-browning-734_drinking_when-the-liquor-s-out-why-clink-the-cann_3231875.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/914/robert-browning-734_drinking_when-the-liquor-s-out-why-clink-the-cann_3231875.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/914/robert-browning-734_drinking_when-the-liquor-s-out-why-clink-the-cann_3231875.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When the liquor's out, why clink the cannikin?” — Robert Browning",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Robert Browning",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When the liquor's out, why clink...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/when-the-liquor-s-out-why-clink-the-cannikin/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/when-the-liquor-s-out-why-clink-the-cannikin/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
