The strangest alcoholic drinks in the world

Milk beer, golden flake schnapps, pizza-flavored beer, Inca-era alcoholic beverages ranging from 3 to 50 ABV—we’ll talk about some of the strangest and most unusual spirits that exist.

(Total 7 photos)

1. Tongba

Tongba is not just a drink, it is a kind of landmark of Nepal and India. It is made from grain that is boiled and then left to ferment for a while. The resulting porridge is seasoned with herbs and put in a secluded place for several months, allowing it to dry well. The resulting mixture of millet and herbs is the basis for tongba. It is used as follows: they take a special polished wooden mug, pour the mixture into it, pour boiling water over it and slowly sip the hot drink through a straw. As the mug is lowered, boiling water can be added - it is believed that the tongba can withstand six tea leaves.

2. The taste and strength of the drink (6-8 degrees) are reminiscent of ale, but tongba has a bright sour aftertaste of bread. The drink is prepared in villages located high in the mountains, and in each area the tongba is slightly different in taste. Therefore, some travelers arrange real tours to all the villages of Nepal in order to taste this drink in each of them. But you should be careful: despite the fact that the strength of the drink is quite low, in high altitude conditions you can quickly get drunk.

3. Milk beer "Bilk"

The Japanese have long been famous for their maniacal desire to combine the incongruous. Therefore, it is not surprising that a drink consisting of a mixture of beer and milk is common in this country. "Bilk" appeared as a result of overproduction of milk on farms in Hokkaido in 2006. The son of the manager of one of the alcohol shops located on the island did not lose his head in this situation and agreed with the famous brewery Abashiri Beer to produce a drink consisting of beer and milk. To everyone's surprise, many people liked the milk beer - the drink was described as "light and pleasant." The Bilk brand became famous thanks to another factor: for the name of the new drink, the Japanese, without thinking twice, simply combined the words “milk” and “beer” (“milk” and “beer”), but the resulting word “bilk” is an English verb meaning "deceive".

4. Schnapps "Goldenrot"

"Goldenrot" is a well-known Swiss cinnamon schnapps with a strength of 53.5%, the highlight of which is the presence of gold flakes in the bottle. Each liter of the drink contains 15 milligrams of real gold, broken into small pieces. To enjoy schnapps, it must first be strained through a sieve. However, real gourmets drink unstrained Goldenrot, from which, however, they suffer greatly later: golden flakes that have got inside the body can seriously injure the stomach, intestines and esophagus. Often, the metal does not leave the body for a long time - this gives side effects such as vomiting and severe burning in the stomach. Moving on, the flakes can severely injure the intestines or simply get stuck there - there have been cases when they were taken out with the help of surgery.

5. Mamma Mia Pizza beer

Tom and Athena Seafurt are a couple of brewers from American Illinois who are not afraid of experiments. They produce a beer that has a standard strength of 4.6% and ... the taste of Margherita pizza. To make it, brewers first prepare pizza, then grind it to a mushy state, put it in a linen bag and place it in a vat of boiling water, brewing it like a tea bag. Then, on the basis of the resulting infusion, ale is brewed according to the traditional recipe. The resulting drink has a bright smell of pizza and an aftertaste of garlic, basil and oregano.

6 Gilpin Family Whiskey

Designer and researcher James Gilpin invented the Gilpin Family collection whiskey recipe, which is made only to order. Those who have tried it believe that it has an amazing taste - tart and soft at the same time. However, few people know what exactly is in the composition of this alcoholic drink: the main ingredient is the urine of older people who have type 2 diabetes. James Gilpin's grandmother, who suffers from this disease, is one of the main suppliers of this raw material. Urine undergoes the simplest treatment - it is filtered through a water purifying filter, after which it is added to the drink. Oddly enough, Gilpin Family Whiskey is popular among whiskey connoisseurs.

7. Chicha

In Latin America, you can try a drink called chicha, the strength of which can be either 3% or all 50%. Chicha is such an ancient drink that the Incas drank it. Traditionally, it is prepared as follows: women thoroughly chew maize grains (the basis for chicha can also be cassava, amaranth, rice, pineapple or quinoa), after which they spit out the resulting mass, fill it with water and leave to ferment until the desired strength. Chewing is necessary so that the enzymes contained in saliva break down cornstarch, converting it into maltose. It is worth noting that in many Latin American countries, the production of this drink according to the traditional recipe is prohibited. And this is justified, because many serious diseases are transmitted through saliva. However, you can still find real chicha in the villages of Ecuador, Bolivia, Costa Rica and Colombia, where locals will cordially offer travelers an old drink.