Drinking Customs in Kyrgyzstan
A traditional beverage known as koumiss is offered during the summer. When in season, this fermented mare's milk beverage is served at celebrations. Vodka shots are a requirement during every celebration. Kyrgyzstanis have a tradition of drinking a lot of alcohol for holiday celebrations. Typically, the drinks include beer, wine, champagne, and vodka, though occasionally all of these are served.
In certain Kyrgyzstani homes, visitors could feel under pressure to consume more alcohol than usual. There will be a lot of toasting if you attend a major event, such as a birthday celebration or a national holiday, and most toasts are typically received with a "bottoms up" gesture. People will pour a lot of alcohol in your honor if you are a guest of honor (and as a foreigner, you may anticipate this), and regardless of how much or little you enjoy it, you are expected to down it all. Such extensive drinking may be challenging for someone who is not used to it, and the main objective for someone like that would not be to stay sober but rather to prevent getting sick. Therefore, the best course of action in this scenario is to respectfully decline the offer of alcohol if you truly don't feel like drinking. You might accept one drink believing that's all, but if you do, tradition will usually require you to continue drinking with the others until the bottle is empty. Women find it simpler to abstain from drinking than do males.
Much like drinking is an important component of any social function, toasting is an important component of each drinking event. It is expected that everyone can deliver a lengthy toast. The toast is great the longer it is. According to legend, long toast indicates wisdom. A toast is equivalent to giving a speech in front of a large audience. Many people take delight in receiving a toast, while others take offense at not being asked to make one. For this reason, the host or toastmaster would frequently wait until everyone had an opportunity to make a toast before concluding the gathering. Additionally, make sure you pour drinks for everyone before pouring for yourself. This would be quite strange.
