World Cup of Beverages: Kick It Off In Style
NOTE: In this series, I am investigating drinking culture in dozens of countries, making a few recommendations along the way mostly for products you can get in the United States. But I will make mention of others that, should you encounter them overseas, you may want to give them a shot. There is no political judgments being made here, but I am drawing from the history and culture of the respective nations in to present material in the most meaningful way possible. If you find anything I write to be in error, please reach out to me and make me smarter on the subject.
On Thursday, June 14th of 2018, the greatest world sporting event begins at 11:00am Eastern Time, and it has become one of my personal favorites. I speak, of course, of the FIFA World Cup.
While the Super Bowl and Wrestlemania are just dandy spectacles here in America, nothing gives you the opportunity to get to know the world from the comfort of your own living room (or computer desk if you are working). Now since the games start as early as 6:00am ET and end as late as 5:00pm ET, I understand day drinking may not be an option. However, don't let that stop you from enjoying a drink from any of the 32 countries represented at some point during the 32-day festivities. So today I start with Russia and Saudi Arabia as they will get things kicked off tomorrow.
Boris Egorov of Russia Beyond does a solid job of giving you a timeline on the myths that come with drinking in Russia, but also points out some major issues and the steps being taken to curtail heavy drinking (which has been a stigma associated with Russian drinking culture for a long time). Vodka wasn't even an original product of the Russians, and it wasn't until the 1990s fall of the Soviet Union that led to rampant unregulated alcohol production and consumption. A lot of cheap garbage was being made available for sale. Alcoholism is a problem in Russia (acknowledged in Egorov's article), but there is a movement from alcohol producers to reconnect with history of traditional lower alcohol lagers, as well as experiment with craft brewing. And certainly, vodka will be made too. The Zyr brand has done very well since its introduction in 2003. I will be honest...I have never been a huge vodka drinker. However, on a warm day when you decide to spike some lemonade, there's nothing more satisfying. Zyr has nice texture, little fire, and a clean finish. The price tag takes you to the $30 mark, but it delivers. Looking to shave a few dollars off? There's always my old dependable Stolichnaya (about $20), which definitely begs to go into a cocktail; the blueberry vodka is outstanding in lemonade with a few fresh blueberries dropped into the glass.
As for beers, availability will be irregular from state to state. However, the Baltika Brewries portfolio, which is part of Carlsberg, has a lot of interesting-looking beers. Sadly, I have not had the chance to sample any yet, but please let me know if you do!
Now, with Saudi Arabia we are at the other end of the drinking spectrum. Production and sale of alcohol is illegal. Bringing alcohol into Saudi Arabia is a huge no-no. You won't be drinking the locally homebrewed beverage known as sidique, a refermented beer with flavorings sometimes added to it, here in the United States...it can't be sold. Expat compounds may have some brands like Jack Daniel's and other global brands around in those bars, but you can't drink in public spaces. What do you do?
This is SOOOOO good. How's that for a professional review? Oh, right...I'm not a tea professional. Image credit: English Tea Store
Well...since the Saudi team is playing at 11:00am on a Thursday, and emulating sidique will take some effort (you will need several weeks), perhaps a cup of coffee or tea will do you just fine. Tea in particular is an offer of hospitality in Saudi Arabia and in the Arabic community in general. You can get your hands on chamomile, mint, cinnamon, or straight-up black tea rather easily. If you are looking for something that tastes great and is a change from what you find in the supermarket, I can't say enough about the quality of the Harney & Sons offering. Adding milk to a strong tea makes for an authentic Arabic style (and cuts back on the bitterness of a black tea). So yeah...you can drink in Saudi Arabia, but 99% of it is going to be alcohol-free. It's good to give the liver some time off.
And there you have it! You can get World Cup festivities started the right way. Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon, blueberry vodka lemonade at cocktail hour. There's something for everyone I hope you enjoy the games, as well as exploring a new drink or two.