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Alcoholic beer arrives in Russia
Going abroad and laughing at the way foreigners do things is a common human trait. The British are always astonished at what other countries consider to be bacon, the thing that Americans call a biscuit isn't what the rest of the world calls a biscuit, and the entire western world is constantly bemused by what they will consider as food in China (pickled mashed potato anyone?).
Pickled mashed potato, garnished with chocolate tennis racquets, as enjoyed by a C Squared colleague on a recent trip to Beijing
Russia’s particular idiosyncrasy related to beer, which until a landmark ruling today wasn’t considered alcoholic – nor was any other drink that contained less than 10% alcohol by volume. The country, which consumes somewhere around 70% of the world’s vodka, used to classify any drink that was under 10% ABV as a foodstuff. The unrestricted sale of beer, coupled with the country’s predilection for the national drink means your average Russian consumes twice the amount of alcohol as considered safe by the World Health Organisation.
Concerned with the ramifications of a country rapidly heading towards collective liver failure, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a bill that sees beer re-classified as alcoholic, which means it will fall under the various sale and marketing restrictions similar to those of other countries.
Things in a country as large as Russia take time however, and those hoping for an easy pint still have time to enjoy their ‘non-alcoholic’ tipple. The new ruling doesn’t come into effect until 2013.
Isn’t it pleasant to know that in some parts of the world they’re actually recognizing the fact that things like alcoholism actually exists and how
http://scallywagandvagabond.com/2011/07/beer-has-officially-now-become-deemed-an-alcoholic-beverage-in-russia/
Posted by: Vagabonds | 22 July 2011 at 05:16 PM