Drinking Culture - Speed Drinking

Speed Drinking

Speed drinking or competitive drinking is the drinking of a small or moderate quantity of beer in the shortest period of time, without an intention of getting heavily intoxicated. Unlike binge drinking, its focus is on competition or the establishment of a record. Speed drinkers typically drink a light beer, such as lager, and they allow it to warm and lose its carbonation in order to shorten the drinking time.

The Guinness World Records (1990 edition, p. 464) listed several records for speed drinking. Among these were:

  • Peter G. Dowdeswell (born July 29, 1940) of Earls Barton, Northamptonshire, England, drank 2 litres (3.5 imperial pints; about 66.7 U.S.fluid ounces) in 6 seconds on February 7, 1975.
  • Steven Petrosino (born November, 1951) of New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, drank 1 litre (33 U.S. fluid ounces) in 1.3 seconds on June 22, 1977, at the Gingerbread Man Pub in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Neither of these records had been defeated when Guinness World Records banned all alcohol-related records from their book in 1991.

Former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke held a record for the fastest consumption of "a yard" of beer. He drank 2.5 pints (1.4 litres) in 12 seconds.

Read more about this topic:  Drinking Culture

Famous quotes containing the words speed and/or drinking:

    For myself and my loved ones, I want the heat, which comes at the speed of light. I don’t want to have to hang about for the blast, which idles along at the speed of sound.
    Martin Amis (b. 1949)

    And meanwhile we have gone on living,
    Living and partly living,
    Picking together the pieces,
    Gathering faggots at nightfall,
    Building a partial shelter,
    For sleeping and eating and drinking and laughter.
    —T.S. (Thomas Stearns)