If you’re both a traveller and a drinker, you probably conspire to find yourself in the world’s dingiest, most alcohol infested dungeon bars, tucking into a shooter of semi-legal absinthe or a sizable glass of the Chinese drink that visitors tend to rebrand simply ‘firewater’.
Heading out drinking in a new country is a great eye into the culture, a chance to experience a sociable and welcoming vibe that you might not get by staying in the hotel bar. Some drinks, though, are an experience in themselves.we’ve managed to dig out a handful of other beverages that might have you both gagging, and gagging to write home about:
Kumiss
Kumiss is a traditional Mongolian beverage made of horse milk. With only around 2% alcohol content you have to drink gallons of it to get a buzz. That, however, seems not to be a problem to its nomadic makers.
Chicha
Chicha's history goes back to pre-Columbian times where it was drunk during religious ceremonies. At present the word encompasses a variaty of low alcoholic and even non-alcoholic beverages popular throughout Central American, Amazonian and Andean countries. It is made from anything including maize, yuca, quinoa, pineapple, rice, potatoes and other locally available starches and the fascinating or appalling thing about it is that traditionally the ingredients are chewed by chicha makers and it it the enzymes in their saliva that break down the plant starch. The chicha makes then spit out the pulp into earthenware vats with warm water where it is fermented. Appetizing?
Hejie Jiu
Lizard wine is probably more fun to look at than to take a swig of, but the poor creature inside the bottle, usually a gecko, is supposed to give this Chinese specialty the power to fend off various illnesses.
Kumiss is a traditional Mongolian beverage made of horse milk. With only around 2% alcohol content you have to drink gallons of it to get a buzz. That, however, seems not to be a problem to its nomadic makers.
Chicha
Chicha's history goes back to pre-Columbian times where it was drunk during religious ceremonies. At present the word encompasses a variaty of low alcoholic and even non-alcoholic beverages popular throughout Central American, Amazonian and Andean countries. It is made from anything including maize, yuca, quinoa, pineapple, rice, potatoes and other locally available starches and the fascinating or appalling thing about it is that traditionally the ingredients are chewed by chicha makers and it it the enzymes in their saliva that break down the plant starch. The chicha makes then spit out the pulp into earthenware vats with warm water where it is fermented. Appetizing?
Hejie Jiu
Lizard wine is probably more fun to look at than to take a swig of, but the poor creature inside the bottle, usually a gecko, is supposed to give this Chinese specialty the power to fend off various illnesses.
Ruou Mat Ran
Originated in Vietnam and spread throughout Southeast Asia alcohol infused with cobras and other - preferably venomous - animals (scorpions, insects, reptiles, but I even heard of bear penis in spirit) is highly popular for its alleged medicinal and aphrodisiac powers. Judging by the region's population - it does the trick!
Pizza Beer
Just to prove that Westerner are not short on inventiveness - an Illinois, USA couple created this beverage to go with their favorite food. What's next? Eggs and bacon whiskey?
