8 Beer Drinking Traditions From Around The World

Bonding over a beverage with friends, family, and even colleagues isn't a concept that's unique to just one part of the world. It's a common form of connection for people in thousands of cities in countless countries. One refreshment that seems to be at the core of this communal activity is beer, with its bitter yet sweet flavor and pleasantly roasted scent. But it's not just a beer's characteristics that people consume it for; it's also the cultural customs surrounding drinking it.

Whether it's lager or ale, Pilsner or Porter, beer is a drink that can be found in glasses from continent to continent. It brings people together, not just in the warm, fuzzy feelings its effects bring about but also in the traditions drinking beer together is so often rooted. In exploring these, you'll find that the way beer is enjoyed varies widely depending on what country you find yourself in, from a full 24 hours of drinking in America to more eye contact than you might be used to in the Czech Republic.

What's a beer-drinking tradition listicle without mention of Germany's famous Oktoberfest? In the fall of each year, Germany holds a two-week festival in Munich to celebrate its culture and traditions, from bratwurst sausages to folk music. But most notable of all is the focus on beer. Close to seven million festival-goers attend Oktoberfest annually, and about the same amount of ale in liters is consumed by them each year. Drinkers can get a taste of different types of Oktoberfest beer from six celebrated breweries, all of which have tanks of beer ready to be emptied.

But before people can start drinking, they have to wait for the go-ahead first. Within the tradition that is Oktoberfest itself, there's a smaller tradition that always signals the official start of the festival. That would be the mayor of Munich using a hammer to break a keg open while shouting "It's tapped!" in Bavarian, followed by a gun salute that cues the event's commencement. It's bottoms up from there.

Germany isn't the only country to hold a beer-centered celebration. Chile has been inspired to do the same by hosting its own annual festivals. There are plenty of places to choose from, but one of the most notable attractions is The Bierfest, held in the city of Valdivia. During the festival, a variety of beer specialties are supplied by Kunstmann Brewery. This particular event always kicks off with a parade that runs along the Valdivia River, complete with music and even horse-drawn carriages adorned in beautiful decorations.

The remaining four days are equally exciting and follow a fun-filled, drink-driven program. There are several contests, dances, and beer showers to participate in. However, two of the festival's segments that visitors absolutely can't miss include the barrel puncturing and the coronation. On the first day of the celebration, the mayoress and the founders of the Kunstmann Brewery poke a beer barrel and shower the contents into the spectating crowd as a signal of hospitality to all those attending. Another highlight of Bierfest Kunstmann is the election of the festival queen and king. Representatives from the event's participating institutions compete in several challenges, and the day's winners are crowned royalty. Their rewards include not only a contribution to their institution but also free beer for a year. Who wouldn't play to win?

The United States doesn't fall short of reasons to drink throughout the year, from Cinco de Mayo and St. Patrick's Day to New Year's Eve and Mardi Gras. Of course, there are also lesser-known holidays like National White Wine Day and Bloody Mary Day, too. Beer earned its own days of observation as well, with one of them starting in Lewiston, Maine. You might not think of Lewiston as one of the many U.S. cities every beer lover should visit, but every year, usually in early February, participating students at Bates College celebrate Newman Day and challenge themselves to drink 24 cans of beer in 24 hours. Princeton University is one of the schools that has joined in on the trend before, too.

Newman Day was named after the actor Paul Newman. It stems from a quote, supposedly and dubiously attributed to Newman: "24 beers in a case. 24 hours in a day. Coincidence? I think not." However, Newman himself has shown clear disapproval of the practice going as far as to write a letter to Princeton asking that they put an end to it. Regardless, students have turned it into a lasting tradition. We can only imagine how they spend their day to achieve the boozy goal — likely with two of America's other beer-related traditions: games of beer pong and flip cup.

Beer is often drunk for the sheer fun of doing so in addition to the taste of it, but the refreshment means a whole lot more in South Africa. In The Rainbow Nation, beer is rooted in the people's values. The country's largest ethnic group, the Zulu people, store the alcoholic beverage in clay pots. It's through these pots that the living believe they're able to connect with past ancestors during important ceremonies, such as burials, marriages, and births.

The act of drinking itself from these vessels is no less important. The woman who brewed the beer begins by pouring the alcohol onto the ground beside the pot. This is done so that the spirits of the people's ancestors are able to drink first. From there, as the hostess kneels, she drinks the beer in front of all guests to ensure its safety. In order of status, the guests are then able to drink as well, usually directly from the shared pot. Everyone must be seated or squatting throughout this process.

Whether you realize it or not, there's an art in knowing how to pour beer. Angle your bottle just right, and you'll see an increase of that beautiful, bubbling foam in your glass. That might be neither here nor there to some people, but to those in Peru, that light and airy froth plays a special part in their drinking culture. It's often paid special attention to during the Peruvian beer circle tradition in particular.

As you may have guessed from its title, this custom calls those drinking to form a circle. It begins with one person buying a singular large bottle of beer to be shared by the entire group. The buyer pours the beer into a tiny glass. Once it's filled, they down what's in the small glass as the person beside them holds the remaining bottle of beer. The initial drinker flicks any froth from the glass onto the ground after finishing what was poured and immediately passes the empty cup to the next person. This cycle repeats until everyone in the group has flicked and finished. It can be repeated as many times as desired.

We can thank Japan for the invention of drinks like Sake and Shochu, but did you know that the most popular alcoholic beverage there isn't either of these? It's actually just some good old beer. Japan is high on the list of countries that consume the most beer, coming in at 10th place out of 170 in 2022. And with alcohol playing such an important role in developing social and business relations in Japan, it only makes sense that the Land of the Rising Sun has some traditions surrounding the beverage. 

There is a large level of composure and respect that needs to be maintained when drinking beer in the East Asian country. Starting off, the first round of drinks shared with your party should always consist of the same beverage. In Japan — surprise, surprise — that's usually beer. You should never be the one pouring your own drink. It's a sign of respect to fill another person's glass for them, with elders or those in higher positions being served first. Similarly, when receiving a drink from someone older than you, it's considered polite to hold the cup with both hands as a signal of gratitude.

Have you ever wondered what the best type of glass is for drinking ale? As far as New Zealanders are concerned, the only suitable choice for downing any type of beer is always a yardie. That's the case if you're turning 21 at least. Considered a rite of passage to many, those celebrating their adulthood are expected to chug beer as quickly as possible from a tall and narrow yard-long glass. The New Zealand version of these vessels can usually hold more than two liters of liquid.

Of course, that's a whopping amount of beer to guzzle all in one go. And because it can be unsafe to binge drink and the act can create harmful habits down the line, some people opt out of the challenging tradition. For many others, though, drinking a yardie is a long-time custom that many young adults still participate in today. 

In more places around the world than not, clinking glasses and giving a short toast when drinking is a common way to bond with those in your presence. There's no denying the sense of camaraderie and connection it brings about. But in the Czech Republic (and most of Europe actually), there's one little thing you can do to enhance the experience even more: maintain eye contact throughout the cheers. Otherwise, you might unintentionally signify a lack of interest toward your group.

And while you should lock eyes with your drinking buddies, you absolutely shouldn't cross arms with anyone while toasting. Touch glasses only with those across from you, as the act of overlapping arms is believed to cause bad luck — specifically, say goodbye to your love life because you've now been doomed to seven years of bad times in the bedroom. So whether you're drinking lager or ale, play it safe by keeping your eyes peeled and arms straight out in front of you.