Georgia offers the visitor the opportunity to try many delicious and unique alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to compliment Georgian food or to relax and have a good time.
First of all, Georgia is home to a number of natural springs and the mineral water from these sites is widely consumed and recommended as a tonic for your health. Among the most popular are Nabeghlavi, Borjomi, and Likani. Many volunteers refer to these as "salty water" because of the distinctive flavor of the water, which may take some getting used to. Pure flat bottled spring water is also available all across the country.
Georgians love to drink tea or coffee in the morning and with meals.
Most coffee is of an instant Nescafe variety although espresso drinks and mochas are available at cafes in Tbilisi. Turkish coffe is also very popular (and at the end you may have your fortune read!). A Georgian company called Natakhtari also produces its own unique series of sodas - which Georgians call "lemonade" - that are actually carbonated beverages flavored with a variety of options such as pear, apple, or even tarragon. Western sodas, like Coca Cola, Pepsi, and Fanta are available all over Georgia, as are cartons of various kinds of fruit juice.
Georgian wine is very diverse, with hundreds of grape varieties and thousands of unique family recipes. The Saperavi grape is perhaps the most famous, and a dry Saperavi red wine is a favorite among many Georgians, along with the semi-sweet Kindzmarauli which is also made from Saperavi grapes. The Alazani Valley red and white wines are perfect for those with a real sweet-tooth.
Wine-lovers won't want to miss the Kakheti region and its historic capital, Sighnaghi, which overlooks the Kakheti valley that produces Georgia's most famous wines. Also, remember that in Georgia the hand-made wines that host families will serve or that can be found in local markets and bazaars are often much better than the mass-market wines made for export. Georgians take wine very seriously and it is the principle drink used for festive occasions marked by special feasts called "supras."
Georgians also distill the remnants of the wine-making process into a type of moonshine called "tchatcha," which is used for toasts, for medicinal purposes, and for giving massive hangovers to foreigners.
Be extra careful if you see a clear, homemade liquid served in emptied out coke and fanta bottles.
Georgia is home to a number of national beer breweries and brewpubs.
The major breweries are Natakhtari and Kazbegi, with Argo and Kasris also sold in many restaurants. These Georgian beers are usually pilsener-style, are very delicious, and are often stronger than foreign beers. For the true beer lover, Georgia has two chains of Georgian restaurants - Taglaura and Mirzaani - that offer Georgian food and beer brewed fresh on site. Tbilisi also has a branch of Hofbrauhaus, a Bavarian Brauhaus which is home to a German-style series called Kaiser Brau, and several stores that import barrels of beer from Germany, Belgium, and the Czech Republic. In general, these will be the only places in Georgia where ales and dark beers will be available.
The main liquors produced and consumed in Georgia are vodka and "cognac." A large variety of Georgian brandy and Georgian and Russian vodkas can be found in most stores and vodka is often used for toasts at less formal supras. Tbilisi also has numerous stores that import a good selection of liquors from around the world.
There is no drinking age in Georgia and many young people drink as a matter of course. There are few taboos or restrictions associated with alcohol consumption, with one exception being that women are expected to drink less than men and behaving in a drunken fashion or not being able to hold your alcohol is frowned up. However, regardless of your age or gender, always be extra careful when using alcohol in a foreign country!
Neal Zupancic
Footprints Teacher in Georgia
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