Answer quickly: what do parties, celebrations, gatherings and bars around the world have in common?

Famous drinks!

According to the Yahoo! Finance website, the global alcoholic beverages market generated nearly $500 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow by around 8% in the coming years post-Covid-19 pandemic.

Its economic strength is evident, as is the importance that famous drinks have in various moments of our lives, from meals to travel and celebratory moments.

In this post, you'll understand why some drinks are so popular around the world and learn interesting facts about 10 famous beverages from around the world. Believe us: enjoying your drink is much better after an immersion like this!

What makes a drink famous?

You've already noticed the importance of alcoholic products. Besides the market generating billions of dollars annually, some of these products are part of the national identity of their country or region of origin, which stimulates tourism and the local economy and generates jobs.

Furthermore, famous traditional drinks say a lot about a country's culture: they're usually produced from ingredients unique to that place, using highly traditional techniques, and have their own drinking rituals, gastronomic pairings, and unique drink combinations. Worldwide fame is for the few!

Check out 10 famous drinks and their history

LIQUOR

It's impossible not to remember cachaça when we think of famous drinks, as it is the 2nd most consumed alcoholic drink in Brazil , according to Euromonitor.

It is the base of the beloved caipirinha, which became world famous and is essential in bars, beach kiosks and barbecues across the country.
Our national symbol is a deeply traditional drink that has been part of our history since colonial times. It's a fermented alcohol made from sugarcane and originated in the early 16th century as a byproduct of the sugar production process.

BEER

This is the most consumed famous beverage in Brazil and worldwide. In our country, more than twice as many liters of it are consumed as cachaça, the 2nd-place drink.

Skol was the most valuable Brazilian beer brand in 2020, worth an impressive $7.25 billion.

Beer is the oldest alcoholic beverage in the world, and we have records of its production from at least 6,000 years ago in regions with large quantities of cereals, such as Mesopotamia.

It was probably produced by chance, when some cereal grains were accidentally fermented overnight.
The drink was perfected over the centuries and was consumed by Egyptians, Europeans and other peoples around the world.

The habit of drinking beer arrived in Brazil with the arrival of the royal family in 1808 and since then, it has become the national passion that it is today.

WINE

This product holds a prominent place in Brazil. In 2020, the Brazilian wine market grew by over 30% compared to the previous year, including the volume of domestic and imported wines consumed.

It is one of the most popular and popular drinks in the world, as delicious options are made with various types of grapes in different countries, pleasing different tastes.

A good example of the drink's versatility is Port wine, produced in the Douro River region of Portugal. There, the climate is dry and rainy, resulting in a liquid with higher sugar concentrations.

This wine variation receives an extra amount of alcohol in its production, resulting in a fuller-bodied product.

It's meant to be savored slowly and sipped slowly, and can be served as an aperitif or with dessert. To learn more about this Portuguese delicacy, check out Evino's video on port wine .

GIN

According to a 2018 Euromonitor article , gin was the drink that grew the most in terms of consumption in the world in 2017.

Growth within the country also followed suit, and since then, more and more imported brands have entered Brazil and have been conquering the country's bars and clubs.

There are great drinks made with the product, such as Gin and Tonic and the elegant Dry Martini , but it was the Negroni (made with gin, vermouth and amaro) that took the podium as the most ordered drink in the world in 2021 .

If you want to try our take on this and other beloved drinks, check out our recipes for classic drink reinterpretations with Quetzalli .

VODKA

This is one of the most popular famous drinks in the world. Coincidentally, vodka is the 5th best-selling drink in the world and also the 5th most consumed in Brazil, with 60,600 liters sold in 2017.

The distillate comes from the cold lands of Russia and Poland and is quite versatile, as it can be produced from different raw materials such as potatoes, rice, barley, corn, wheat or rye.

The product is popularly consumed neat, on the rocks, or in various drinks, as it's also versatile. The popular caipiroskas replace cachaça in caipirinhas and are a hit in Brazilian bars.

TEQUILA

Anyone who thinks tequila is only meant to be taken in shots and drunk is mistaken. In fact, this quality Mexican spirit can (and should!) be enjoyed and savored, just like any other famous spirit.

Check out this article to see if we are really enjoying tequila as it deserves.

The world of tequila is incredibly rich, and there are different types of the spirit, each varying according to its production process and the amount of time the liquid is aged in oak barrels. To learn more, check out this post on everything you need to know about the spirit.

100% agave tequila is the highest quality type of distillate, whose sole source of sugars is a plant called Agave Tequilana Weber . This plant only grows in arid climates or volcanic soil, and it takes many years to fully mature.

This Mexican wonder makes great drinks, like the classic margarita and the Quetzalli , a bottled drink made with tequila and passion fruit!

CHAMPAGNE

An icon of sophistication, the drink is traditional in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, and only the beverage produced there can bear that name. Similar types are also produced in other countries, such as Spanish cava and Italian prosecco.

The drink, a white wine with a higher carbonation concentration, was perfected during the reign of Louis XIV, the famous French Sun King. At that time, France exported the drink and other luxury goods, gaining a reputation as a producer of sophisticated items.

During the Belle Époque (a period in the late 19th century when French culture developed significantly), the most famous champagne brands began advertising their champagne with celebrations. To this day, it remains a must-have for festive occasions.

SCOTCH WHISKY

This product is very traditional in Northern Europe, specifically in the British Isles (Scotland, England, and Ireland). According to a report by the UK's Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS), the alcoholic beverage market accounted for 2.5% of the region's GDP in 2014, with Scotch whisky exports being a major contributor.

Whisky is made from barley and is one of Scotland's main exports, with numerous distilleries located in its famous Highlands. The region also boasts abundant fresh water, enhancing the quality of the product.

Sake

The most famous of Japanese drinks is often served as an aperitif, but can also be paired with cheeses and Japanese dishes.

It contains only 3 ingredients: sakamai rice (it is a different type than what we use in cooking, as it contains more starch), water and koji, a type of fungus.

According to an article on Mega Sake , a website founded by Brazilian sake sommelier Fabio Ota, rice must be polished before producing the liquid so that more of the starch is exposed to the fermentation process. The more polished the rice, the more refined the sake.
The drink has been gaining popularity among Brazilians in recent years, and several drinks have been adapted to include it in our bars, such as caipisakê. In 2021, the first Sake Festival took place in Brazil, featuring experts and reaching thousands of people.

RUM

Rum, like our cachaça, is a byproduct of sugarcane. The difference between them lies in the production process: while rum is made from fermented sugarcane molasses, cachaça is distilled from fermented sugarcane juice.

This product comes from several Caribbean countries, including Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Martinique, Haiti, and Barbados. Each has its own local standards and traditions for producing the spirit.

The drink was very present in maritime expeditions during the era of great navigation, resulting in its global spread and its curious association with pirates.

Rum pairs very well with sweet flavors, such as fruits and soft drinks, offering delicious cocktails like Piña Colada (rum, pineapple and coconut) and the famous Cuba Libre, which is nothing more than a mix with Coca-Cola.

And you, do you have a favorite famous drink? Tell us what your favorite drink is in the world!

conclusion

With a variety of flavors, alcohol content, and types of world-famous beverages, it's worth embarking on a journey to taste and appreciate the best each bottle has to offer.

Always pay attention to the origin and label of the drinks you consume, look for artisanal products and make a toast to this rich world!

Flavia Godoy

Former tour guide passionate about travel, culture, exciting conversations and good drinks!