Drinking and Staying Sober in Poland

An enthusiastic young doctor I met at a wedding in Oxford told me he believed that the UK medical profession now understood why Poles are so healthy.

“It’s the vodka they drink. They drink it for breakfast, mid-morning break, lunch, dinner, supper - all the time.”

“Are you sure?”

“Well, you live in Poland. Don’t you?”

“They put it down to the polar bear steaks they eat. They hunt them in the forests around Lublin.”

No, Poles don’t drink non-stop, or eat bears, but they do enjoy alcohol, and they know how to handle it. They say they are so healthy because they eat an enormous amount of cabbage, raw, cooked, pickled, and fermented. Old Polish joke: "Why are Poles so good? Because Satan hates cabbage."

They also ferment cucumbers. Wonderful! Fermentation leads us on to drinking in Poland

Polish beer is a bit like lager, only sharper in taste. All the brands are good.

Vodka, about 40% alcohol, is the staple of the Polish party, and it is not unusual for someone to drink half a litre in an evening, and yet not be perceptively drunk: more friendly, sometimes more religious, but never in my five years’ experience, aggressive or incapable. A taxi home is a must, as people staggering in the street are routinely arrested, given a cell for the night, followed by an excellent breakfast, and a bill for one night’s rent.

Spiritus, about 95-97% alcohol is added to fruit juice or maybe cola, but is not something to drink on its own. It’s very good for cleaning car windscreens.

Bimber is the Polish equivalent of poteen, distilled at home – it’s illegal to make more of it than for your personal use. The strength varies from high to astronomical. Treat it with care.

Nalewka is vodka or spiritus or bimber which has been used to marinate fruit – often cherries. Delicious, but be wary.

Fermented cabbage and cucumbers? Not joking. Duck’s blood soup? Wonderful.