The Historic Reason You Should Not Toast With Beer In Hungary

Part of the allure of traveling abroad is the opportunity to try new things. Whether that's a new activity or trying a food that's exotic to you, you'll do something out of your comfort zone. Maybe one night you'll even go out on the town. If you're in Hungary and out for a few drinks be careful to avoid toasting with beer. But why?

To answer this, we have to go back to 1848 when Hungary was still a part of the Austrian Empire. During the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, rebels against the monarchy demanded independence. Due to several reasons, including in-fighting between different ethnic groups in Hungary, Russia was brought in and, with the Austrians, put an end to the revolution.

Russia made a deal with the leader of the Hungarian Revolution to surrender the rebel army, then Russia gave the army to Austria. Austria, in a move distasteful even to Russia, hanged, shot, and otherwise killed 16 generals, soldiers, and others involved in the revolution. The first 13 are the most well known, and are colloquially called the "13 Martyrs of Arad." Legend has it that while the Martyrs were being killed, the executing Austrians were clinking beer, being jovial, and generally showing disrespect to the dead. Because of this, Hungary made a vow, to be in place for 150 years, to never toast with beer.

Although the custom is based in history, there seems to be no direct evidence of the hostile toasting, and some believe it was just a way to show disdain for the Austrians who killed the revolutionaries. The 150-year ban on toasting with beer also appears to be arbitrary, and ended in 1999. Some speculate that the tradition has nothing to do with the Revolution of 1848, and instead posit that wineries were responsible, as they were trying to bring wine to the forefront of peoples' drinking.

Because the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 is lauded as an important step in Hungarian liberation, many Hungarians still believe in the custom and follow it. As a tourist, you'll probably just get a history lesson out of accidentally toasting with beer. So what should you do instead? First of all, you can toast with any drink besides beer. Wine, cocktails, "Pálinka" (fruity brandy/spirit), or any alcoholic beverages are all fine options. Also make sure you also know what to say: Egészségedre (eg-eh-shay-guh-druh), which translates to "to your health," or more generally "cheers" or "bless you." Finally, be sure to make and keep eye contact with whomever you are clinking glasses. This is a custom across many countries in Europe, and failing to do it supposedly leads to seven years of bad luck.