Here’s the weirdest drinking customs from around the world.
WEIRDEST DRINKING CUSTOMS: UKRAINE – THE BRIDE’S SHOE
To kick us off on our eirdest drinking customs tour we’re going to Ukraine where at weddings it is tradition for one of the wedding party to try and steal the bride’s shoes. If someone is successful in this shoe thievery then they get to challenge another person to drink from it. Apparently, these days the unlucky person doesn’t actually have to drink straight from the footwear but can instead place a glass inside the shoe to drink from. At least we hope so. We really hope so.
CANADA – TOE SHOTS
We all know the classic combinations; gin and tonic, rum and mint, vodka and toe. As off-putting as the idea of it sounds this is actually a thing in Dawson City, Canada. Patrons are invited to take a shot of their preferred spirit with a severed toe that has been dehydrated and preserved in salt as a garnish. The original toe used in this shot formerly belonged to miner and rum-runner Louie Liken who had his toe amputated after suffering frostbite. The appendage was unfortunately swallowed by accident seven years after use and since then, seven toes have been donated to the Sourdough Saloon (the home of the drink) with
one being stolen earlier this year.
CZECH REPUBLIC – UNLUCKY IN LOVE
If you’re visiting the Czech Republic make sure to brush up on your toasting etiquette. Here, the act of wishing your fellow drinkers good health is taken seriously. Make sure to maintain intense eye contact with whoever you’re drinking with and never ever cross arms with them as this is meant to bring seven years of bad sex. Don’t risk it.
SPAIN – WINE FIGHTS
As with the Czechs, the Spanish also believe that seven years of bad luck in the bedroom can be brought by incorrectly toasting your drinking partners. In Spain, it is believed this will happen if someone toasts the group with a glass of water. Spain is also home to another unusual drinking custom with the Haro Wine Festival including an enormous wine fight where locals bring buckets and water pistols to soak each other with Rioja.
GERMANY- KIDNAPPING THE BRIDE
The Ukrainians try to steal a bride’s shoe and the Germans have to one-up them by, you guessed it, stealing the bride. This custom isn’t as sinister as it first sounds and involves groomsmen taking a bride-to-be to a bar the night before her wedding. The groom then has to try and locate the group and buy a round of drinks to get his bride back.
HONG KONG – SPIRIT ANIMALS
Taking spirit animals to a whole new level, Hong Kong is home to a strange custom of leaving animals in alcohol for a number of years in the belief that drinking the mixture will allow you to take on the creature’s properties. It is thought that drinking cobra wine will give you strength and Tiger penis vodka (no, seriously) will increase virility.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Although not making our list of the weirdest drinking customs from around the world, we do have some honourable mentions of some strange drinks you can find on your travels. Included in this is seagull wine which can be found in the Arctic circle. Travelling to Illinois in the United States you’ll find the most American drinks in the world such as Bacon Vodka and Pizza Beer and go to China if mouse wine sounds more like your thing. Yum.
If you don’t feel like trying these, you can always pop in to our shop at 12-14 Jeffrey Street, Edinburgh to try some great Scottish whiskies and craft beers or visit our online store here.
