Sip on the exotic

Every culture has at least one unique drink that visitors must try. With every variation of “Cheers!” around the world, there’s often a traditional drink to complement the toast. Whether beer, wine, liquor or even non-alcoholic drinks, regional beverage specialties can be a great way to delve into the local culture. Even if you’re not a big drinker, sampling a unique local beverage can be a fun way to spice up your travels and learn something about the culture at the same time. Often, these drinks are made with local ingredients you may not find elsewhere, giving your taste buds a special memory of a place. Even though many of these drinks may seem odd to you and me, they are all worth trying at least once.

Lithuanian mead: It is said to be one of the oldest alcoholic beverages in the world and its root can be traced back to India. This fermented drink is made from honey, water, yeast, herbs and vegetable seasoning. The drink’s low alcoholic content and unique sweet taste is bound to be a hit with Indians. In Lithuania, the mead has been declared a national heritage product. As time passed by, different versions of mead in making were accepted. This drink with added vitamins is now made from honey, hops, lime flowers, juniper berries and other vitamin C-containing additives, aged for at least 18 months.

Mexican pulque: You talk of Mexico and you take a shot of tequila it’s that simple, but here I would like to draw your attention to a drink, which is a cousin of tequila and mezcal. Pulque is a traditional Mexican alcoholic beverage produced from the fermentation of the fresh sap known as aguamiel (mead) extracted from several species of Agave (maguey) plants that grow in the Central Mexico plateau. The fermented product is a milky white, viscous, and slightly acidic liquid beverage with an alcohol content between 4-6%. The liquid goes into plastic tanks to ferment, often for as little as 12 hours, after fermentation, it’s about as strong as the average beer. With the addition of fruit juices, it comes in flavors such as guava, mango, coconut, strawberry and pineapple.

Brennivin from Iceland: Brennivin is a type of schnapps made from fermented potato mash. The potatoes are mixed with caraway seeds to produce a potent liqueur. It is the signature liquor and as the national drink of Iceland, it is also the traditional drink of a big mid-winter festival that takes place there. The nickname Black Death is pretty exciting and its typically bottled at 37.5 or 40% ABV. It is served cold and in a shot glass.

Coffee punch from Denmark: First, you take a cup and put a coin in it. Then you pour coffee in the cup until you cannot see the coin anymore. Finally, add schnapps until the coin is visible again. In Danish, it’s referred to as kaffepunch. It is a popular winter pick-me-up or a fine way to end a meal. Coffee punch comes from a small island called Fano off the Esbjerg coast of Denmark.

Springbok from South Africa: A springbok is typically served as a shot. It is a popular shooter named after the long-legged buck and the same-named South African rugby team that wears gold and green. The drink mimics the colour of the springbok and veld, and the jersey of the Springbok team, by layering creamy Amarula over a vibrant green peppermint liqueur and green créme de menthe. It is said to be the national shot of South Africa.

There are more than 1,000 types of local produce beverages around the world and I strongly believe food and drinks are a major part of any destination. Different drinks are part of a country’s fabric, their culture, their celebrations, even their religion as long as you don’t go overboard, that is.  

Ketan Swami is the food and beverage manager at MARS Hospitality