Advent Calendar Day 13; Old Tom

There has been much discussion on the origins of Old Tom. Sadly, the comments are still hidden, but hey ho! There is a page on Robinson’s website, which refers to a brewery cat born 1899, which was sketched and ended up on a beer label; and of course that beer is still enjoyed today. However, there were a number of Old Tom Beers around from different brewers. One explanation for the name could be that it referred back to Old Tom Gin, and hinted at strength. I particularly liked the suggestion that Old Tom was strong and black, and crept up on you, just like a tom cat creeping up on a mouse, and this inspired more than one brewer to come up with the name. Thanks to Andrew, both Mikes and Keith for their contributions; here are a few more labels.