Cult Culture: 5 Alcoholic World Records

Recently, there have been several videos circulating the Internet showing off one of the most important skill a student can acquire: the ability to down as many shots as possible, in as short a time as possible. In honour of them, here are five of the most extreme alcoholic world records.

1. Strongest beer

Some companies exist for sole purpose of creating super strong beer. Currently, Scottish company Brewmeister’s ‘Snake’s Venom’ (sounds delightful right) holds the title.

And just how strong is this beer?

With a percentage higher than vodka, tequila and probably mild forms of rubbing alcohol, Snake’s Venom boasts a (literally) blinding 67.5% alcoholic content. Its creators somewhat unconvincingly claim that this abomination ‘still tastes like a beer’ and is ‘hoppy, malty and very pleasant’.

Sure, so pleasant it comes with its own bright yellow warning tag.

 2. Highest blood alcohol level

Earlier this year, an unnamed 30-year-old man found lying in a ditch in Nowa Dęba, Poland was deemed the newest record holder for the highest blood alcohol level ever measured.

To get an idea of just how much he was over the limit, a ‘stupor’ is defined as 0.2 to 0.29 on the blood alcohol content scale, which is the stage where memory blackout and loss of consciousness are observed. There is possibility of death over 0.5.

This guy got so catastrophically inebriated he ended up with a blood alcohol content of 1.374 … 1.3% of his blood was alcohol and, shockingly, he survived. Next time you’re “so hungover I might die”, spare a thought for this guy.

3. Most expensive drink

A club in Melbourne owned by cricket legend Shane Warne has created a cocktail that will set you back a loan-breaking £8,167. ‘The Winston’ takes mixologists 2 days to create this epically overpriced drink, with the most expensive ingredient being a 155 year old Cognac worth £99,000 a bottle.

This might pique the interest of competitive Russian oligarchs, but for the rest of us this one drink represents months of rent, a year’s tuition, or 4,000 pints at your local pub.

4. Most alcoholic country

Believe it or not – it’s not Russia.

The World Heath Organisation has actually named the mighty Moldova as the country with the highest alcohol consumption per capita. The average Moldovan citizen consumes a staggering 18.22 litres of alcohol per year, almost 4 gallons.

Even more terrifying is the fact that 10 litres out of this total consumption is home-brewed. Yes, home-brewed, as in moonshine, as in blindness may be (definitely) a side effect. It does not come as a surprise then that there exists a special wad of the Moldovan government budget dedicated to tackling alcohol over-consumption.

5. Fastest drink

Competitive eater Peter Dowdeswell holds the record for the quickest time to finish a yard of ale, which is around 2.5 pints or 1.42 litres. At 4.9 seconds, he is undefeated in this very weird but nonetheless impressive category of the Guinness World Records.

Here he is, retiring undefeated (skip to 1:10)