Formula 1 Grand Prix, Great Britain. Image source: mentalfloss.com
Champagne from a slipper, beer from an army boot, and whiskey from a sneaker — the tradition of drinking alcohol from shoes exists across vastly different cultures and spans over a hundred years. At first glance, it looks like a silly joke or a drunken stunt. But behind this strange ritual lies an amazing history — from Russian ballet and French cabaret to Formula 1 and weddings. In general, table gestures always have their own biography — even the habit of clinking glasses.
Why Bolshoi Theatre Ballerinas Spawned the Tradition of Drinking from a Shoe
One of the earliest mentions of this ritual dates back to late 19th-century Russia. Admirers of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow adored their favorite ballerinas so much that they received their pointe shoes filled with champagne or vodka. Drinking from a ballet slipper was a way to express admiration for the dancer’s skill — a kind of toast in honor of her talent.
Around the same time, a similar tradition emerged in France during the Belle Époque — an era of flourishing arts and entertainment at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Cabaret dancers would fill their shoes with champagne and offer it to admirers. Gradually, the custom spread across Europe and made its way to America.
When celebrities like American actress Tallulah Bankhead began appearing in public with a glass shaped like a shoe, drinking from footwear became associated with luxury, decadence, and a bohemian lifestyle. It was no longer just a gesture of admiration — it became a symbol of glamour.
Admirers of Russian ballet drank champagne from the pointe shoes of their favorite dancers. Image source: mentalfloss.com
Beer from an Army Boot: How the German “Bierstiefel” Came to Be
A completely different story is connected to the military. According to legend, a Prussian general promised his soldiers that if they won the upcoming battle, he would drink beer from his own boot. When victory was achieved, the general (presumably imagining the taste of beer mixed with sweat and dirt) ordered a glass boot instead.
This is allegedly how the Bierstiefel appeared — a glass drinking vessel shaped like a boot, which today can be seen at every Oktoberfest. It should be noted: there is no direct historical evidence for this story. It is more of an oral tradition passed down from generation to generation.
Other legends tell of German soldiers during World War I who drank from real boots — either for luck before battle or as an initiation ritual for new recruits in the trenches. Evidence is scarce, but the tradition stuck: the boot-shaped glass “Das Boot” remains popular in bars around the world to this day.
Bierstiefel — a glass beer boot that became a symbol of Oktoberfest. Image source: ru.kinorium.com
What Is a “Shoey” and How an Australian Racer Made It Go Viral
In our time, athletes have picked up the tradition and made it even more outrageous. Instead of ballet slippers and glass boots, they use sneakers and trainers soaked in sweat after an exhausting competition. The idea is simple: you drink from the very shoe in which you achieved victory.
Dr. Liz Giuffre from the University of Technology Sydney explains the logic this way: “I just did an incredibly hard thing — and I’m going to drink from the shoe that helped me get there.” It’s a gesture of triumph tied to a specific physical object.
In Australia, this ritual is called a “shoey” (from the word shoe). The term appeared around 2010 but truly went viral thanks to Australian Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo. In 2016, he first drank champagne from his racing boot right on the podium — and has repeated it numerous times since. After him, other celebrities performed “shoeys” too — for example, Harry Styles drank from a sneaker right during a concert.
Daniel Ricciardo, by the way, shared a life hack: “If the sparkling wine is cold, it tastes great. If it’s warm — you can taste the sweat. But the cold kills everything bad… so it’s delicious.”
Daniel Ricciardo drinking champagne from a boot. Image source: thescore.com
Why Drink from the Bride’s Shoe: How Footwear Became a Ritual Vessel for Alcohol
There are plenty of wedding rituals — from drinking from a shoe to the prohibition against seeing the bride before the wedding. Compared to the Australian sports tradition, drinking from the bride’s shoe at a wedding is already an outdated ritual that is becoming increasingly rare. Some clever guests place a shot glass inside the shoe to technically observe the strange tradition.
It is believed that the custom originated from an old hussar amusement. During feasts, hussars would hold a competition in which one had to drink from a lady’s slipper without spilling a single drop. According to another version, this was a man’s way of showing he was ready to be “under the heel” in marriage and fulfill all his bride’s whims.
If you think about it, shoes are a very personal item. They literally carry traces of the human body: sweat, warmth, scent. That’s why drinking from someone else’s shoe isn’t just having a drink — it’s a gesture of trust and intimacy. It’s curious that each culture found its own reason for this ritual. Yet all versions share one thing in common: drinking from a shoe is always about emotions and the moment, not about convenience or taste.
Hygiene and Common Sense: Should You Actually Drink from a Shoe
Naturally, from a hygiene standpoint, this tradition raises questions. Shoes are a breeding ground for bacteria, fungi, and plain dirt. And this is no exaggeration. Drinking from a sneaker after a race is, to put it mildly, not a doctor’s recommendation. But as cultural scholars note, if you get too caught up counting bacteria, you might miss the point.
The point is that the tradition of drinking from a shoe is a ritual, and rituals matter not because they are rational. They matter because they create a shared emotional experience: celebrating victory, admiring talent, initiating someone into the group. Sometimes the more absurd a custom looks, the more strongly it bonds people together.
From Russian ballet pointe shoes to Australian racing boots — this tradition has endured across three centuries and dozens of cultures. It has changed, adapted, and found new fans every time. Apparently, there is something in human nature that compels us to mark important moments in exactly this way — a little absurd, a little unhygienic, but absolutely sincere.
