all foam, no beer

English

Phrase

all foam, no beer

1. Synonym of all hat and no cattle
   • 2004, Marc A. Bringman, Swapping Lies!: Deception in the Workplace, Trafford Publishing, →ISBN:

     It looks good and sounds good, but it's not a true quality control program. It is all foam, no beer.

   • 2010 November 2, Jim Hightower, If the Gods Had Meant Us to Vote They Would Have Given Us Candidates: More Political Subversion from Jim Hightower (Revised Edition), Harper Collins, →ISBN:

     But rhetoric was all we got-turn on Clinton's spigot, and he's all foam, no beer. His boldest “action” was to appoint a study commission.

   • 2016 October 4, Steve Vernon, Resurrection: Book Two of the Tatterdemon Trilogy, Stark Raven Press, page 73:

     Wilfred shrugged. “I think we came to an understanding.” “I doubt it,” she shook her head. “He'll be calling the mayor next.” “I wouldn't worry about Barrand. He's all foam, no beer. He'll call, make a fuss, then fix the window and forget about it.

2. Synonym of not the sharpest tool in the shed
   • 2007, William S. Gilmer, Investing in Stocks, AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 336:

     Remember, I'm a mentally challenged college drop-out, a few beers short of a six-pack. All foam - no beer. I dropped out of GA Tech in my sophomore year.