Let’s face it – travel is expensive and most college students are too poor to afford it. But if you’re anything like me and have serious wanderlust, you won’t let a silly problem like a lack of money keep you from experiencing the world. An easy way to get a taste of the world, and a bit tipsy in the process, is to try the unique drinks that make each country special.
While beer and wine are nice, everybody has them. I’m more interested in the drinks and cocktails unlike anything any other country has to offer. Try a few of these and you’ll be able to travel around the world without ever having to leave home.
Raki – Turkey
What it is: Raki, often considered the national drink of Turkey, is a liquor made from grapes and anise. It is most often mixed with chilled water, where it turns from clear to milky white upon contact.
How to enjoy it: Raki is best enjoyed paired with heartfelt conversation with good friends. It’s the traditional Turkish way. Just make sure you have some food to dilute the alcohol – it’s earned the nickname “lion’s milk” for a reason.
Caipirinha – Brazil
What it is: Caipirinha is made with a Brazilian liquor called cachaça, limes, sugar and ice cubes. It’s incredibly easy to make and even more refreshing to drink.
How to enjoy it: If you live near a beach, head there immediately, drink your caipirinhas, and don’t look back. You’ll feel like you’re actually on the beaches of Rio, minus the scenery. If you don’t, or it’s too cold outside, then tough luck. Wait until next summer.
Campari – Italy
What it is: Campari is an Italian bitter liqueur made from fruits and herbs. Truthfully, it tastes pretty gross on its own, but can be really nice when mixed with other drinks. People often use it to make negronis but I prefer mixing it with orange juice.
How to enjoy it: Ideally, you’re drinking campari at an upscale bar overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. But, we can’t afford to travel, so drinking it while watching weird European art films with your roommates will have to do. That’s kind of like going to Italy.
Amarula – South Africa
What it is: Amarula is a cream liqueur that tastes like caramel and fruit. It’s quite tasty on its own or with ice.
How to enjoy it: Like most cream liqueurs, there’s a wide range of things you can do. You can mix it with your morning coffee if you have a particularly long day ahead. You can enjoy it on its own to relax on the weekend. Just be careful about overdoing it – drinking too much cream can get messy, fast.
Sangria – Spain
What it is: The basic ingredients are red wine and fruit, but beyond that the possibilities are endless. Here’s a good recipe. And here. And here too.
How to enjoy it: Sangria is a multi-seasonal drink. It can be refreshing in the summer and festive in the winter. While you might not be able to spend Christmas in España this year, you can still whip up a batch for your friend group’s annual gift exchange party.
Amaretto Sour – Italy
What it is: Amaretto sours, another classic from Italy, are made with amaretto liqueur (which tastes like almonds), lemon juice, simple syrup, and fruit to garnish.
How to enjoy it: Invite your friends over for dinner and make these to start things off. They’re almost impossible to dislike, and just boozy enough to get the party started.
Sake – Japan
What it is: Sake is sort of like a rice wine that can take on a variety of flavours depending on how it’s made. Based on the low alcohol content (15-20%), it is great all on its own.
How to enjoy it: Sake, unsurprisingly, tastes best paired with the cuisine of its home nation, Japan. Warm sake goes well with sushi, while cold sake is usually drank with sweeter foods. The next time you’re out for sushi with your friends, check and see if it’s on the menu.
Pisco Sour – Peru
What it is: The pisco sour, originating in Peru but also claimed by Chile, is a bit more complicated to make. You’ll need pisco, which is a South American brandy, angostura bitters, lime, simple syrup, and egg white.
How to enjoy it: The pisco sour requires a bit more effort to make, so I recommend saving it for a special occasion or if you’re trying to impress a date. Either way, you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported to Peru as you take the first sip.
Dark ‘n’ Stormy – Bermuda
What it is: The dark ‘n’ stormy was invented in Bermuda after World War I. It is made with dark rum, ginger beer, lime, and ice in a delicious, delicious, combination.
How to enjoy it: Being from Bermuda, you might expect that the dark ‘n’ stormy is best enjoyed on the beach in the middle of the summer. You’d be right. But if you want to drink a couple of these listening to the rain on the window, that’s fantastic too. It’s called a dark ‘n’ stormy for a reason after all.
French 75 – France
What it is: The French 75 is a mix of champagne (sparkling wine for a cheap college student), gin, lemon juice, and sugar.
How to enjoy it: It’s French, and therefore recommended for any occasion where you’re required to be fancy and sophisticated. A word of warning: the French 75 is named after the French artillery guns of World War I, because after two or three you might feel like you’ve just been shelled by them.
Schnapps – Germany
What it is: Schnapps are a variety of very sweet liqueur that can have a variety of flavours. In Germany, schnapps are usually flavoured with apples, plums, pears, cherries and apricots. Peach schnapps and peppermint schnapps are also very popular. Really, there’s a ton of flavours you can try.
How to enjoy it: If you want to feel German, drink your schnapps straight and very cold. You don’t need mix – schnapps are already sweet enough as-is!
So, enjoy your tour of the world. Hopefully one day you’ll have enough money to travel to all these places for real. Until then, drink responsibly.