Buzz
Drinking socially has always been a prime opportunity for forging connections. To add excitement to the process, many turn to drinking games, which introduce a competitive edge to make the experience more enjoyable. It turns out, this practice dates back centuries. While today, most people are familiar with beer pong and a few newer games, historical drinking traditions can offer fresh inspiration for your next gathering.
10. The Wager Cup
Originally referred to as the jungfrauenbecher (‘maiden’s cup’), this silver chalice was crafted in 16th-century Germany, primarily for use during weddings. The cup took the form of a woman with a wide skirt that became a drinking vessel when turned upside down. The woman also held a pail or bowl atop her head that rotated to stay balanced, effectively creating two cups in one. At the wedding feast, the groom had to drink from the skirt cup, making sure not to spill any wine from the moving bowl. The bride would then drink from it.
Eventually, the bridal or maiden cup made its way to the Netherlands and England. By this time, however, its association with wedding toasts had faded, and it was primarily used for general social gatherings. In England, the wager cup became a popular drinking game. Players had to consume all the wine from the skirt cup without spilling any from the pail. If they succeeded, they were rewarded with the wine from the pail. The production of wager cups continued well into the 19th century, and you can still find modern replicas online, as well as original antiques that are quite expensive.
9. Kottabos
Kottabos was a pastime from the fifth century BC, popular at Greek symposiums (drinking parties). This game likely wouldn't work as well today unless you had servants to clean up the mess afterward, as a typical game of kottabos left a fair bit of chaos. Players would drink a lot of wine and then throw the dregs at various targets. Occasionally, the name of a loved one would be shouted during the throw.
The drinking vessel used in kottabos was known as a kylix. It had a broad, shallow bowl-like shape with handles on both sides. The player would grasp one handle and use an overhand motion to toss the dregs. The kylix also had a nearly flat, circular center called a tondo. This space was often decorated with crude or humorous illustrations that became more noticeable as the wine level dropped. One preserved example depicts a man wiping his butt.
There were several variations in the rules of kottabos, but two key versions are known from ancient art and literature. In one version, players had to knock a disc off a metal stand. In another, a large bowl of water contained floating dishes, and players had to throw enough dregs onto a dish to sink it.
8. Sumbel
Sumbel was more of a drinking ritual than a game, yet it held a central place in Nordic culture and was considered a great way to bond with others. A sumbel is mentioned in Beowulf and in Heimskringla, the saga of Nordic kings. Essentially, a sumbel was a social event where everyone would toast and drink before passing the cup. Traditionally, mead was consumed from a horn, but a cup was also acceptable, along with other alcoholic beverages such as wine or beer.
It was customary for each participant to offer a heartfelt toast before drinking, and according to tradition, they would metaphorically 'swallow' the words they had spoken. A typical sumbel involved three rounds, each introduced by the host. The first round was dedicated to the gods, with participants offering praise. The second round honored legendary heroes or historical figures, while the third round was reserved for personal ancestors or deceased friends. A toast could also be replaced by a poem, story, or song of personal importance.
7. Buffalo
Buffalo is unique among drinking games because it demands a lifetime commitment. Once you pledge to the Buffalo lifestyle, you join the Buffalo Club, which has numerous chapters in over 30 states across the U.S., and has expanded into Europe and the Americas. The allure of Buffalo lies in the sense of belonging to a secret society, with its less shadowy nature and greater focus on drinking.
The rules of Buffalo are simple: members must always drink with their nondominant hand. If someone forgets, others yell 'buffalo,' and the person must finish their drink. True Buffalo enthusiasts will even 'buffalo' themselves if they break the rule alone. Only official members can participate, but the game is built on respect for the code.
The game's origins are a bit of a mystery, though the most widely told story links it to the Wild West. Supposedly, gunslingers would use their nondominant hand for drinking and card games to keep their dominant hand free for drawing their weapon. If you're interested in joining the Buffalo Club, note that only current members can initiate new ones.
6. Jiuling
Jiuling is a traditional drinking game that originated in China during the Zhou Dynasty, around the 11th to 8th centuries BC. Initially designed as a method for managing alcohol consumption, it gradually evolved into a widespread form of entertainment with numerous variations.
The most common forms of jiuling were divided into two broad categories: common and literary. Common jiuling was the most popular, as it was accessible to people from all walks of life. The game was simple: each participant would take turns and drink. What players did during their turns varied greatly, with options ranging from telling stories or jokes to engaging in competitions where the loser would drink. Popular games included dice rolling and finger-guessing challenges.
On the other hand, literary jiuling was more favored by the intellectual elite, as it required a higher level of education. This version resembled the common one, but with an added twist: players had to exchange riddles, poems, idioms, and similar forms of verbal wit. It was predominantly enjoyed by scholars who considered the common jiuling game too crude.
5. Sconcing
The term "sconcing" originated at Oxford University in the 17th century, where it referred to a fine imposed on students for minor transgressions. Over time, students turned the concept on its head, making it a self-imposed penalty. Instead of paying a fine, the person at fault would have to drink an entire beer in one go. This challenge was usually at the expense of the challenger, unless the offender couldn’t finish the drink, in which case they would have to pay for it. Common offenses that led to sconcing involved sensitive topics such as religion, politics, and women.
At one point, only the senior scholar at the table had the authority to impose a sconce, with others only able to bring up offenses if they spoke in Latin or Ancient Greek. Today, sconcing has evolved into a much more casual and fun tradition, often seen at parties. Someone will stand up and declare that anyone who has done a certain activity must drink. If the declared offense applies to no one, the crowd chants "shoe," prompting the challenger to remove their shoe, fill it with beer, and drink from it.
4. Pitch-Pot
Pitch-pot, known as touhu in Chinese, was first played during the Warring States period in ancient China. It eventually spread to other parts of East Asia, including Japan, where it became known as toko, and Korea, where it was referred to as tuho.
The game of pitch-pot involves throwing arrows into a pot. Players stand a set distance from the pot, usually about the length of two and a half arrows, and take turns attempting to land the arrows into the pot. When a player scores, they present the defeated player with a cup to drink from. After the arrows are all used, the winner will refill the cup of the loser. There is an old tradition in pitch-pot etiquette where it is considered polite to refuse the arrows when offered the first and second times, but the third offer can be accepted.
Ancient texts tell us that tuho became extremely popular in Korea during the 12th century, under the rule of the Sung Dynasty in China. It was associated with Confucian culture and promoted extensively. The game became a favorite pastime among Korean royalty, but it also became accessible to women who were otherwise prohibited from engaging in most physical activities like archery.
3. Passatella
As drinking games become more intense and players become drunk, the likelihood of violence increases. In passatella, this was not only anticipated but was considered an essential part of the game. Originating in ancient Rome, passatella remained a popular game for Italians through the centuries. It required at least four players, but it could accommodate many more. The larger the group, the more likely the game was to escalate into violence.
The idea behind passatella was to highlight life's inequalities. The first step was always to initiate a game that would decide who became the boss and the underboss. Any game could serve this purpose, provided there was a winner and a runner-up, though card games or boccie were the preferred choices.
Once the boss and underboss were determined, everyone would pool their money to buy a round of drinks. The boss would have his drink first, then offer one to the underboss. Afterward, the boss could offer drinks to anyone he chose, but before they could take a sip, they needed permission from the underboss. Both the boss and the underboss had the power to deny drinks that they had already paid for. If they did, their reasons were usually communicated through a colorful, expletive-laden tirade, which tended to become more offensive as the players became more inebriated. It’s no surprise that some players felt cheated, and more than one passatella game ended in a brawl.
2. Pennying
The origins of pennying are somewhat unclear, with both Cambridge and Oxford claiming to have invented it, adding another subject for the two universities to bicker about. At its core, pennying is a simple act: one sneaks a penny into another person’s drink. The recipient must then down the drink in one go to ‘save the drowning queen,’ referring to the queen's image on British pennies.
Although pennying seems straightforward, it involves a set of intricate rules that must be followed to preserve the tradition. To begin with, anyone wishing to participate in pennying must already be holding an alcoholic drink. Double pennying is strictly forbidden; if it occurs, the person who performed the second pennying must consume the beer. Alternatively, only one penny can be involved at a time to prevent intentional double pennying to secure a free drink.
There was a time when simply being a student at Cambridge or Oxford meant agreeing to the practice of pennying, regardless of consent. If you refused to take part, you risked facing the ridicule of the entire student body. This is why pennying is now banned at several colleges within Oxford and Cambridge, as compelling someone to drink was deemed a violation of conduct.
1. The Fuddling Cup
The fuddling cup was more of a challenge than a game, resembling the wager cup in that the goal was to drink without spilling. First introduced in 17th-century England, it consisted of three or more cups joined together by a network of hidden holes and tubes. To drink from it without making a mess, the player had to follow a precise order to use the cups, ensuring the liquid didn’t spill out.
Despite its simple concept and design, the fuddling cup gained popularity and set the stage for even more complex puzzle vessels, such as the puzzle jugs. These became widespread in England during the 18th and 19th centuries. Although puzzle jugs featured more intricate designs and decorations, they operated on the same principle as the fuddling cup. A typical puzzle jug couldn’t be used like an ordinary jug; instead, the drinker had to suck up the liquid through a tube hidden in the jug’s handle to avoid spilling it.
