A Word about Drinking in Peru

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Beer Beer Beer.
Its by far the cheapest source of alchohol and is consumed often and in volume, between 2 and 5 sol per bottle depending on where you get it.

Cerveza I think it is in spanish, always means longnecks, usually in crates of 12 bottles.

Peruvians are quite keen on saying one of their beers is the second best in the world (after germany)

The reason for this post though, is the way it is almost universally consumed at social gatherings.
When at a restraunt or similar, its pretty normal, everyone gets a glass, drinks as desired.
At a party, bbq or similar social event though it goes like this...

Everyone sits or stands in more or less a circle.
A bottle is opened and a little (or a lot) poured into a glass.
The bottle is passed to the next person while the glass is retained until consumed.
Once consumed, the glass is passed to the person with the bottle and the process repeats.

This ritual has a bunch of impacts that I can see or surmise.
1. it greatly increases the social pressure to drink or keep drinking
2. you can´t keep track of specifically how much you have drunk
3. everyone drinks about the same amount, regardless of body mass
4. once the glass arrives, rapid consumption is encouraged
5. it reinforces the social bonding and cameraderie bought on by alchohol

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Photos

Beer is always longnecks
This photo was originally for the little crab by the bottle top, but it will do for this post