At which time of day is it acceptable to serve drinks?
Stuart Mansfield, London SW18

Bacchus, he say that any time goes for a small beaker of Fino or Amontillado, the juice of intellectuals. And how about Manzanilla? (Perhaps not with breakfast b-and-e, Dionysus.) Prudence says that one should purse one’s lips if offered whisky or a G and T before noon. Sailors wait for their first pink gin until the sun is safely over the yardarm. I think that your chums were joshing. In fact they were secretly grateful to such a civilised host. PH

David Agress, Newport Beach, California: “A better question would be: ‘At which time of day isn’t it?’. Top up anyone?”

Nigel MacNicol, Oakham, Rutland: “If one is a well trained butler — whenever the bell rings.”

Colonel J. Chinstrap (rtd), Shoreham-by-Sea: “Immediately after it becomes possible to see daylight through a filled glass.”

Jessica Leow, London SE3: “I would say noon, unless it’s good champagne. Then I say ‘Bring it on’.” One date served me breakfast in bed. The dish? Leftover Krug — in the form of a sabayon (or Italian zabaliogne depending on your gastronomic inclination). Needless to say, I married him.”

Kitty Ricardo, London W14: “The discerning host should start to dish out the drinks as soon as guests arrive, or as soon as they awake in the morning. The prospect of a houseful of stone-cold-sober bores droning on about politics, petrol prices and The Apprentice is not a pleasant one.”

Anne Leacy, Clacton-on-Sea: “My husband always maintains that if he can't have one at eleven, then he'll have eleven at one.”

Elizabeth Ambler, Exeter: “Champagne enhances life at any time of the day; I should leave enjoying the Chateau Margaux until dinner.”

Nicola Lavin, Snitterfield, Warwickshire: “When is it acceptable to serve drinks? When the sun is over the yard-arm of course. But as, at any given time, this will be occuring somewhere in the world, the rule is open to interpretation.”

David Brancher, Abergavenny: “Many years ago a friend went for a job at a very minor public school. At the (10am) interview the headmaster offered him whiskey or brandy. The startled candidate cautiously chose the former. ‘Quite right Evans. Much too early for brandy’.”

Ann Tillard, North Chailey, Sussex: “After 12 noon before and during lunch, and after 6 pm before and during dinner. A brandy at any time to soothe a troubled breast.”