Discover the world of beer with Beerologist Allen Winn Sneath. You can even ask your own questions online.

In the foyer of the Esplanade Bier Markt in Toronto, there is a small statue of a boy urinating in a fountain. What connection does this have with beer?

- James Duffy

The statue you refer to is called the 'Mannequin Pis'. It is a famous tourist attraction in Brussels dating back to the 14th century. While the true origins of the monument are uncertain, there are several colourful legends.

1. A wealthy Belgian nobleman was so distraught when his son went missing that he promised to commission a statue on the spot where the lad was discovered, exactly as he was found. After five days, the youngster was found relieving himself against a tree.

2. A witch once lived in a hovel where the fountain now stands. A little boy peed against the door and the witch was so angry that she turned the kid into stone.

3. The sculpture pays homage to a youth who saved Brussels from a disaster by urinating on a fire set to burn down the city. The statue's association with beer originates with Belgium's fame as a brewing country and the Esplanade Bier Markt celebrates this heritage with over 30 different Belgian-style beers.

- The Beerologist

Allen knows his subject matter well. As an ad agency executive for over 25 years, he developed some of the Canadian beer industry's most memorable campaigns. He was a founding partner in the Algonquin Brewing Company, one of the country's first generation microbreweries. Allen is the author of Brewed In Canada, the only book documenting Canada's colourful 350-year-old brewing industry. The work was awarded the Quill & Tankard Trophy by the North American Guild of Beer Writers. Allen is available for informal and entertaining speaking engagements. You can contact him direct via email at ad-vantage@rogers.com.