There are many myths, legends and folk tales in which alcohol or drunks play a large role. We try to collect some of the best ones for you.
Halloween is coming up tomorrow and all around the world people will seize this celebration as an opportunity to dress up, get drunk and act silly. But what few people know is that the one of Halloween’s most famous traditions also originates from a mythical drunkard. This is the story of the jack-o’-lantern, the carved…
As this is our 500th post on Lords of the Drinks, we wanted to do a special story. And what better than the great legend of Gambrinus, the King of Beer. You might have seen him before, as he is the fine gentleman you see in the LOTD-logo. This mythical figure was known from folklore tales…
Most people can probably tell you who Dionysus or Bacchus is, since ancient Greek and Roman mythology are quite well spread in the Western World. But have you ever heard of an African colleague of these Wine Gods called Mbaba Mwana Waresa? Well, the Zulus believe that this Goddess created beer and taught people how…
The ancient Greeks and Romans had Gods for nearly everything. One of the most famous now, and most popular in those days, was Dionysus, or Bacchus in Roman. Less well known is his loyal sidekick Silenus. A shame because this old drunkard was the one who taught the God of Wine and Partying how to…
When asked about Irish folkloric characters, most people won’t get a lot further than leprechauns. You know, those dwarf-sized figures with a big red beard, huge hat and always smoking a pipe. In Irish mythology they were hard workers, who did all kinds of chars (mainly fixing shoes) for people. If they weren’t too busy…
Many old civilizations had Gods for just about everything: the sun, the sea, lightning and often quite a few for alcohol related matters. The Aztecs were no exception. Even though they had very strict laws on alcohol use and abuse, no other tribe or culture had as many ‘Booze Gods’ as the ancient habitants of Mexico. The…
It’s often said that heavy drinking and religion don’t really mix. No matter if we are talking about Muslims who claim alcohol is forbidden in their religion or Christians who refuse to drink the metaphoric blood of Jesus. The common trend is the less intoxication the better. Well not in Guatemala. Besides the usual crosses and statues…
Lords of the Drinks 