hockey, adj. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

hockey adj.

also hocky

[orig. Cumb. dial; ety. unknown; such beer, sold cheap to the farmer, was trad. served at harvest-homes or harvest-suppers, celebrating the successful completion of the annual harvest]

drunk, spec. with strong, stale beer known as old hock.

1770		Gent.’s Mag. 559: To express the condition of an Honest Fellow, and no Flincher, under the Effects of good Fellowship, it is said that he is [...] Hocky.
c.1786		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue ms. additions n.p.: Hockey. Drunk with Strong Stale beer called old hock.
1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue (2nd, 3rd edn).
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.