A Drink With a Billion Souls

As I promised in my post about the drinking culture in Ireland, here is a post about the drinking culture in India.

I was shocked to find out that there actually was a drinking culture here. I was expecting most people to not drink at all, seeing as that is the stereotype that I have come to know about Indians. Like most, this stereotype does have some grounding, but it does not encompass the true culture. Drinking culture is divided into the north and the south of India. In the north, they drink, in the south, they don't. Simple as that. Thankfully I am living in the north, so I am able to imbibe on occasion. I have gone to some bars and many restaurants and I have had my fair share of booze while here.

There are some stark differences I noticed while enjoying my ice-cold beer (which came as a true godsend in this awful heat). I will start with something that shocked me, the drinking age here is 25. Yes, you read that right; the US does not have the highest drinking age. The enforcement of this law leaves something to be desired though. I have never once been asked for my ID or asked how old I was for that matter. As a matter of fact, I didn't find out about the drinking age till about two weeks ago.

I have been invited to some "parties" while here. While I have always had a good time, the parties are always 100% male. There was once that a guy's girlfriend joined us, but she did not drink at all. It is highly unusual for me. At these parties, they call drinks "pegs" and they rarely use mixers when they are having liquor. They will use water or soda water or ice (if any survived) to dilute the alcohol. They were blown away when I made a mixed drink like we have back home. When they do get drunk, they do not call it "being drunk", they call it "being high". So you can imagine my confusion when I first heard someone say they were "so high". My first reaction was "Where did you get it?"

In an effort to decrease the amount of reading you would have to do, I am going to just list a couple other things I have noticed while drinking here.

The drink of choice here is beer or whisk(e)y, which I have little problem with. 

When not at a restaurant, they drink to get drunk. I saw someone down three drinks in the time it took me to enjoy one. 

The hangovers are hell here no matter what kind of booze you drink. I think it is because of how dehydrated you are all the time. All I know is that some of my worst hangovers have taken place here in India.

Liquor stores (wine shops) close at midnight. But if you are in Gurgaon or Delhi (where I am) and it is after midnight and you are still thirsty, all you have to do is knock on the window and tell them what you want and they will get it for you for an extra charge of 40-80rs ($0.80-$1.60) depending on the booze. 

Their beer comes in 12 oz bottles or 23oz bottles. Weird, I know. Also you buy them individually. No 6 or 12 packs... just single bottles. 

I do believe that is all that has surprised me. I figured I would post something before I have a revolt on my hands over lack of posts. I should have my pictures from Agra (Taj Mahal) and Jaipur in the coming day or two, and I will be sure to get a post or two up about that journey.