As many have likely uncovered, Brazilians are a lot more open and sociable than Americans. Once you know Portuguese and you step out of your hotels, apartments or flats you will see you can walk into virtually any bar in Copacabana or Ipanema alone and walk out having a bunch of brand-new buddies. Finding a drinking companion in Brazil isn’t a difficult job. The vast majority of all of the draught beer consumed in Brazil and Rio de Janeiro is out of the large 600 ml bottle. Merely request a “garrafa de cerveja”.

The custom is for everybody at the table to drink out of little 6-oz glasses with the same bottle. The explanation for this (aside from being sociable) is that folks in Rio de Janeiro are insane to find accommodations for super-cold lager. When a Brazilian requests a ale “bem gelada,” he expects it to be dished up below freezing temperature. Lager this cold heats up fast, so everybody pours from the very same bottle, and then requests a brand new freezing one directly from the icebox.  Read more... (471 words, 5 images, estimated 1:53 mins reading time)