England bitter beer
Preserved but no longer current.
Many localities claim the original Tom Collins; whoever he was or wherever he lived he deserves well of posterity. Tom, Dick, and Harry. A Victorian term for "the man in the street," more particularly persons of no note; persons unworthy notice. "Brown, Jones, and Robinson" are far other men; they are the vulgar rich, who give themselves airs, especially abroad, and look with scorn on all foreign manners and customs which differ from their own.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “England bitter beer” mean?
Many localities claim the original Tom Collins; whoever he was or wherever he lived he deserves well of posterity. Tom, Dick, and Harry. A Victorian term for "the man in the street," more particularly persons of no note; persons unworthy notice. "Brown, Jones, and Robinson" are far other men; they are the vulgar rich, who give themselves airs, especially abroad, and look with scorn on all foreign manners and customs which differ from their own.
Is “England bitter beer” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.