Moscow has had years to prepare for Russia's duties as a host country for the 2018 World Cup, but apparently there's one thing they didn't see coming: how much beer everyone was going to drink.
According to a report from Reuters, some bars and restaurants in the Russian capital are already running low on beer and having to wait extra long for new orders—less than a week after the 2018 World Cup kicked off on June 14.
"We just didn't think they would only want beer," said one waiter in central Moscow, explaining that the his restaurant had already run out of draft lager. "There are really a lot of people in Moscow and they are all drinking. It's hot, and it's football."
With temperatures in the 80s and countless visitors in town for the games, it isn't likely this trend will stop. "The sun makes them thirsty," said an employee at a courtyard bar called Gogol where visiting fans had already drank 800 liters of beer in three days. "In Russian we say 'to the bottom!' I like that these guys are embracing our culture."
The party atmosphere in Russia has been expected for months. Back in March, news reports started spreading that cocaine, cannabis, and heroin would be allowed inside Russian stadiums. It was later revealed that this was a misinterpretation about a rule that was actually intended to allow medical and research drugs across Russian borders, but the excitement from these stories was an early indicator of the revelry that is currently going down in Moscow.
Cheers!
