In English pubs, ale was ordered in pints and quarts.... So in old England, when customers got unruly, the landlord would yell at them 'Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down!'

It's where we get the phrase 'Mind your P's and Q's'

Similarly, in those days pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service.

This is where the phrase 'Wet your whistle' derivates.