Unusual Round the World Drinks

Fermented horse-milk is the true drink of choice in Kazakhstan.  It's called Kumis and sadly, it doesn't seem to be available in London.  You just can't get fresh horsemilk round here.  From a bit of research, I've found it's possible to make your own Kumis from cow's milk.  The recipe here.  But this won't satisfy my Kazakh friends, who yearn for real the real thing.

Other weird drinks I've been offered on my trips around London's communities include:


Guarana Soda is the most popular soda in Brazil.  It contains extract from the guarana berry and is high in caffeine so good for staying awake. It tastes is like a mild fizzy apple juice - but more interesting.  You can buy it here

Kvass is Russia's soda of choice.  It is a fermented drink, low in alcohol, made from rye flour or bread with malt.   You can buy it here



In the Japan Centre I saw a drink called Pocari Sweat for sale.  Apparently it's a sports drink, and it looks innocuous, like water. But I gave it a miss.

Another drink with a similar theme is Arak, the most popular Arabic alcoholic drink common in Iraqi and Lebanese communities - and widely available in London.  The literal translation of Arak is 'sweat' and again, it's a clear drink, served with ice - but the actual flavour is cool zesty aniseed.