The Unspoken Rule Tourists Should Know About Drinking Alcohol In Europe

One of life's guilty pleasures is enjoying drinks with a group of friends or family members while talking, laughing, reminiscing about the day's events, or simply just relaxing. In the United States, drinking alcohol with a group of friends may consist of meeting at a bar, ordering pitchers of beer and drinking quite quickly. When North Americans are visiting Europe, there is an unspoken rule that they should know about drinking alcohol.

Drinking culture between the two continents varies quite significantly. North Americans typically involve drinking games that result in a high amount of alcohol being consumed much too quickly, which results in feeling tipsy after a game of beer pong. In Europe, drinking is rooted deep in culture and traditions. Many European families have a history of making their own liquors or wines, and they take great pride in savoring the fruits of their labor.

In Italy, families may pass down their wine making traditions, while in countries like Croatia, a family recipe for strong plum brandy is sipped slowly while sitting in the yard catching up with family members for hours on end. North Americans may be shocked as to how much cheaper alcohol in Europe is compared to at home and may end up consuming a higher volume of it at a fast pace. In Europe, the art of savoring a beverage is to be slow and steady.

Many travelers want to make sure they get the most out of their food tourism experience and blend in with the European locals. When it comes to common mistakes tourists make in Spain, for example, drinking alcohol quickly can certainly make them stand out faster than they can make a beer disappear.

British food, wine and culture writer, Charlie Brown, wrote on Medium that "the [U.S.'] drinking habits terrify me." Brown goes on to talk about her time living in Spain, writing that "it was not uncommon for people to start drinking at 11 a.m. on a Saturday and not finish until 3 a.m. the next morning." The art of savoring and sipping alcohol slowly and steadily throughout the day –– rather than guzzling drink after drink quickly –– is a contributing factor to the slow paced drinking culture in Europe. 

"It's slow and steady –– not a race," Brown wrote when speaking of Spain's approach to drinking alcohol. When looking at Spain's drinking culture with a broader view, Charlie realized that Europeans tend to nurse a glass of wine for hours on end, embrace in a siesta in the afternoon, then continue drinking at a slow pace long into the late hours of the night.

Europeans are accustomed to a more relaxed approach when it comes to minimum drinking ages than Americans. In countries like the United Kingdom, the legal drinking age is 18 years old, and while drinking at the age of 16 is permitted, purchasing alcohol is another story. In countries such as Italy, France, and Germany, purchasing alcohol is allowed at the age of 18. In Northern Ireland, those under the age of 18 are not allowed to drink anywhere other than in a private household, and those under 14 years at home for medical purposes.

Tourists, especially those that fall under the American legal drinking age of 21, tend to have a field day when it comes to the lower drinking age limit. Unfortunately, that means they might also consume far too much alcohol in a short span of time, which could result in a less than ideal situation.

A prime example of fast paced consumption is at the famous Oktoberfest held annually in Germany. With a more relaxed attitude towards alcohol, American tourists experiencing the festival are known to Europeans to chug steins of beer, very quickly. Those that think they can handle their alcohol tend to be blindsided when they get drunk so quickly. German beers tend to have a higher alcohol percentage than North American brands, which usually hits tourists making a game out of which of their friends can down their Bavarian Weissbier the quickest. When traveling in Europe, consume alcohol like a local, at a slow, relaxed pace, and remember, it's not a challenge to see who can finish the fastest.