Culture - "Toasting"

[b3ni]

When SWIY declares a toast, does SWIY finish their glass. It is considered polite to finish ones glass of drink, yet it is a rarely practiced custom. Maybe it's just me who keeps it alive.

[Potter]

You mean the person giving the toast or everyone involved?

[b3ni]

Everyone involved should in polite society.

[Nature Boy]

What if your drink is a litre bottle of vodka? Fuck these structured manners, using the right fork with your salad and all of that nonsense. These are remnants of aristocratic snobbery and have no place in the modern world. People should just respect each others' presence, I don't care about elbows on the table. Penn & Teller: Bullshit! did a very good show on this very subject and hit the nail right on the head.

[Pope Albacore]

Originally Posted by Nature Boy

What if your drink is a litre bottle of vodka?

Valid Question...

-Pope Albacore

[Your Local DARE Officer]

my turtle has this to say (forgot swim didnt want to have to go back in and change everything)

well whenever i make a toast its usualy with wine/champagne at a formal occasion and i do it near the end of my drink and finish it when im done, and i expect anyone who agrees to at least sip their drink and the person the toast is about to raise their glass thats the usual, now if this is a party, drunken standing on the couch spilling bear "i love all of you!!" yell its a different story

[hatstands]

Whenever SWIM is involved in a toasting situation it is usually at the beginning of group drinking, where full glasses including pints of lager, G&Ts, etc are involved..this would be horrible haha! Too much burping and spilling of drinks down formalwear.

But when toasts occur towards the end of an evening, it is the done thing to nail them, plus no one cares about burps or soiled clothing by then.

Downing a glass of champagne? SWIM should coco.

[Potter]

Imbibing

* Imbibing a drink "seals" the toast. This can be a quick sip or a long draft, with no particular emphasis indicated either way in most cultures. However, in some cases (such as toasting with small glasses of vodka in Russia or certain Scandinavian countries) there is an expectation that one drain the glass. In Japan, Korea, and China, traditional liquors like gaoliang and soju are consumed from small glasses, and it is common to toast with "Kanpai" (Japan), "Gunbae" (Korea) or "Ganbei" (China and Taiwan) which literally means "dry glass." Thus downing the entire drink is appropriate after these toasts.
* Placing one's glass down without drinking or holding one's glass without drinking while becoming distracted by some other activity is impolite. If a person does this willfully, it demonstrates that they do not agree with the toast for some reason (e.g., it was inappropriately ribald or advocated a political cause with which the person strongly disagrees). This negates the agreement previously indicated by the having one's glass raised.
* Many consider it bad luck to toast with an empty glass. (According to Chema's -a renowned veteran drinker from Galicia- statement: "Brindis sen beber, sete anos sen foder" which could be translated as "A toast withouth drinking will lead to seven years without sex").
* According to the U.S. Department of State, Foreign Service Institute publication "Protocol for the Modern Diplomat" dated 2005, when a toast is made in honor of a particular person, the person who is the subject of the toast should never drink to himself/herself. A nod or smile is appropriate, or the honoree may stand after the toast and offer his/her own.

Thanks Wiki.

So it would seem that this depends on the size and type of drink. I couldn't imagine being obligated to down a snifter of brandy or a pineapple full of tiki drink just because someone decides to blab on at an inopportune moment.

[davestate]

I personally think it would be fairly disgusting behaviour for someone to down a whole glass of wine or champagne, the most common drinks for toasting with.

[static_vodka_420]

Originally Posted by davestate

I personally think it would be fairly disgusting behaviour for someone to down a whole glass of wine or champagne, the most common drinks for toasting with.

why? wsims just curious.. is swiy not a fan of alcohol?

[Fango]

The tradition SWIM always held was that it was polite for everyone involved in the toast to take a sip of their drink. SWIM distinctly remembers his Nana telling him off for putting his white wine spritza down without taking a sip!

Some info on toasting etiquette for anyone interested -
http://www.german-toasting-glasses.c...etiquette.html
http://www.intowine.com/wine-toasts2.html

[porchy]

Etiquette is for people who are better than us. Best leave it to them in my opinion.

[Potter]

No Static, it's just poor form to gulp champagne or wine, especially in a formal setting, especially if it's fancy stuff. I once gave a friend a very high quality bottle of brandy, which they proceeded to freeze and do shots of till they puked. Needless to say after such waste they were never to receive another gift again.

Good alcohol should be savored and enjoyed.

Don't even get me started on the thugs who drink cognac out of a paper bag. Should be taken out and shot.

[Pope Albacore]

Originally Posted by Potter

No Static, it's just poor form to gulp champagne or wine, especially in a formal setting, especially if it's fancy stuff. I once gave a friend a very high quality bottle of brandy, which they proceeded to freeze and do shots of till they puked. Needless to say after such waste they were never to receive another gift again.

Good alcohol should be savored and enjoyed.

Don't even get me started on the thugs who drink cognac out of a paper bag. Should be taken out and shot.

SWIM recalls a similar story. He once brought a bottle of 16 yr Irish single malt to a party where some imbecile attempted to mix it with Pepsi. SWIM did not allow this to happen...

-Pope Albacore